Michigan · Public charity
Michigan Humanities Council
The MICHIGAN HUMANITIES COUNCIL connects people and communities by fostering and creating quality cultural programs
- $396k
- Granted FY2025(still arriving)
- 17
- Itemized grants FY2025
- 26
- Organizations funded FY2024
- 31%
- First-time grantees FY2024
- Itemized, FY2025
- $254k
- The rest is grants the schedule does not break out
- Median grant, FY2025
- $15,815
- Largest grant, FY2025
- $20,000
- Organizations funded a year
- 25 to 127
- FY2018 to FY2024
- States reached, FY2025
- 1
- Total assets, FY2025
- $1.1M
How open it is to new grantees
In FY2024, 31% of the organizations Michigan Humanities Council funded were first-time grantees, receiving 25% of its grant dollars.
New vs renewed · share of each year
In FY2024, 75% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $108k went to new ones.
RenewedFirst-time
Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant
Arts & CultureEducationPhilanthropyHuman ServicesCommunity ImprovementCrime & LegalOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
| Fiscal year | Organizations funded | To those organizations | First-time grantees |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025still arriving | 17 | $254k | 29% |
| FY2024 | 26 | $435k | 31% |
| FY2023 | 33 | $592k | 45% |
| FY2022 | 34 | $455k | 41% |
| FY2021 | 127 | $1.4M | 64% |
| FY2020 | 116 | $991k | 78% |
| FY2019 | 30 | $369k | 73% |
| FY2018 | 25 | $360k | 76% |
100% classified
What it funded, over time
Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.
Arts & Culture$2.7MEducation$1.7MHealth$201kCrime & Legal$127kHuman Services$115kCivil Rights$75kEnvironment$60kRecreation & Sports$59kOther$0
Top grantees
Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.
| Grantee | Total granted | Years | Share of their budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regents of the University of Michigan | $209,237 | 7 | n/a |
| Museum of Ojibwa Culture | $147,500 | 6 | n/a |
| Library of Michigan Foundation | $115,000 | 6 | 11% |
| Underground Railroad Society of Cass County | $104,000 | 5 | 28% |
| Detroit Public Theatre | $94,550 | 6 | 2% |
| Michigan State University | $88,288 | 4 | n/a |
| Youth Arts Unlocked | $82,500 | 4 | 31% |
| Troy Historical Society | $75,500 | 6 | 3% |
| Saginaw Valley State University | $69,310 | 4 | n/a |
| Wayne State University | $66,613 | 3 | n/a |
Show all 273 grantees
| Grantee | Total granted | Years | Share of their budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Regents of the University of Michigan | $209,237 | 7 | n/a |
| Museum of Ojibwa Culture | $147,500 | 6 | n/a |
| Library of Michigan Foundation | $115,000 | 6 | 11% |
| Underground Railroad Society of Cass County | $104,000 | 5 | 28% |
| Detroit Public Theatre | $94,550 | 6 | 2% |
| Michigan State University | $88,288 | 4 | n/a |
| Youth Arts Unlocked | $82,500 | 4 | 31% |
| Troy Historical Society | $75,500 | 6 | 3% |
| Saginaw Valley State University | $69,310 | 4 | n/a |
| Wayne State University | $66,613 | 3 | n/a |
| Hope College | $60,000 | 4 | 0% |
| Detroit Historical Society | $59,500 | 4 | 1% |
| Northern Michigan University | $56,075 | 5 | n/a |
| Wild Swan Theater | $50,000 | 4 | 4% |
| Lawrence Technological University | $49,300 | 4 | 0% |
| Detroit Public Media | $45,000 | 3 | 0% |
| Long Haul Productions Inc | $45,000 | 2 | 30% |
| Beaver Island Historical Society of Michigan | $44,300 | 3 | 12% |
| Calvin University | $40,500 | 3 | 0% |
| Plowshares Theatre Company | $40,000 | 3 | 24% |
| Capital City Film Festival | $40,000 | 3 | 7% |
| 826 Michigan Inc | $40,000 | 2 | 3% |
| Grand Rapids African American Museum and Archives | $40,000 | 3 | 12% |
| Kalamazoo Institute of Arts | $40,000 | 3 | 1% |
| Museum of African American History | $40,000 | 3 | 0% |
| Detroit Puppet Company | $40,000 | 2 | 9% |
| Alma College | $39,975 | 3 | 0% |
| Board of Regents of Eastern Michigan University | $38,900 | 2 | n/a |
| Michigan Enviromental Council | $37,500 | 3 | 1% |
| Templearts | $37,500 | 2 | 1% |
| Real People Media Inc | $35,950 | 3 | 10% |
| Grandville Avenue Arts and Humanities Inc | $35,380 | 3 | 2% |
| Crooked Tree Arts Council Inc | $35,000 | 3 | 1% |
| Western Michigan University | $35,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Herrick District Library | $33,700 | 2 | n/a |
| Michigan Tech University | $33,350 | 3 | n/a |
| Historical Society of Michigan | $32,500 | 2 | 1% |
| Friends of Historical Hamtramck | $32,420 | 3 | 40% |
| Friends of Theodore Roethke Foundation | $31,854 | 3 | n/a |
| Muskegon Museum of Art | $30,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Matrix Theatre Company | $30,000 | 2 | 9% |
| Detroit Opera | $30,000 | 2 | 0% |
| Lowell Area Historical Museum | $30,000 | 3 | 7% |
| Affirmations Community Center | $30,000 | 2 | 1% |
| Akshara | $30,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Jewish Historical Society of Michigan | $30,000 | 2 | 4% |
| A Host of People Inc | $30,000 | 2 | 14% |
| The Diatribe Inc | $30,000 | 3 | 1% |
| West Shore Community College | $30,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Puppetart | $29,909 | 3 | 27% |
| Every Soul Arts | $28,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Marquette County Historical Society | $26,922 | 3 | 2% |
| Benzonia Public Library | $26,000 | 3 | n/a |
| Michigan Stage | $25,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Mason County District Library | $25,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Historical Society of Greater Lansing | $25,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Grand Rapids Public Museum | $25,000 | 2 | 0% |
| Marygrove Conservancy | $25,000 | 2 | 0% |
| Dowagiac Area Historical Museum | $24,725 | 2 | n/a |
| Birmingham Museum (City of Birmingham) | $24,475 | 2 | n/a |
| The Detroit Public Library Friends Foundation Inc | $23,700 | 1 | 6% |
| Raven Hill Discovery Center | $22,500 | 1 | 12% |
| Mason County Historical Society | $22,500 | 2 | 3% |
| Milford Historical Society | $22,500 | 2 | 15% |
| Friends of Thunder Bay National Marine Sanctuary | $22,500 | 2 | 3% |
| Saugatuck-Douglas Historical Society | $20,750 | 2 | 7% |
| Grand Rapids Children's Museum | $20,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Northwestern Michigan College Foundation | $20,000 | 2 | 0% |
| Berrien County Historical Association | $20,000 | 2 | 8% |
| Kingman Museum Inc | $20,000 | 2 | 7% |
| Michigan Humanities Council | $20,000 | 1 | 1% |
| The Kalamazoo Aviation History Museum | $20,000 | 1 | 0% |
| City of Hillsdale | $20,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Chaldean Cultural Center | $20,000 | 2 | 6% |
| Birmingham Area Seniors Coordinating Council | $19,500 | 1 | 2% |
| Burt Lake Band of Ottawa & Chippewa Indians Inc | $19,095 | 1 | 15% |
| Cedar Tree | $19,000 | 2 | 17% |
| City of Warren Michigan Clerks Office | $19,000 | 1 | n/a |
| The Heritage Museum and Cultural Center | $18,425 | 2 | 3% |
| Writers Series of Traverse City | $17,690 | 2 | 3% |
| Ella Sharp Museum Association of Jackson | $17,500 | 2 | 1% |
| Missaukee Library | $17,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Allied Media Projects Inc | $15,815 | 1 | n/a |
| Nokomis Learning Center | $15,225 | 2 | n/a |
| Advent House Ministries Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Manistee Area Racial Justice & Diversity Initiative (Marjdi) | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Visions Intergrated Planning and Video Production | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Planet Ant Theatre Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 7% |
| City of East Lansing | $15,000 | 2 | n/a |
| LGBT Detroit | $15,000 | 1 | 2% |
| Shakespeare in Detroit | $15,000 | 1 | 7% |
| Sunfield District Library | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Without Walls Outreach | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Historical Society for the United States District Court for The | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Eau Claire District Library | $15,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Ferris State University | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| William Bonifas Fine Arts Center | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Keiga Foundation | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Disart | $15,000 | 1 | 7% |
| The Institute of Public Scholarship | $15,000 | 1 | 1% |
| The Arts League of Michigan | $15,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Mott Community College | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Midtown Detroit Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Groundwork Center for Resilient Communities Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Traverse Area Historical Society | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| The Great Lakes Childrens Museum | $15,000 | 1 | 4% |
| Athens Community Library | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Friends of Spring Lake District Library | $15,000 | 1 | 67% |
| Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities | $15,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Marcellus Township Wood Memorial Library | $15,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Shiawassee Arts Council | $15,000 | 1 | 3% |
| Huron-Clinton Metropolitan Authority | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Imichigan Productions | $15,000 | 1 | 12% |
| Comstock Township Library | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Michiana Public Broadcasting Corporation | $15,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Holland Museum | $15,000 | 2 | 2% |
| University Liggett School | $15,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Alger County Historical Society | $15,000 | 1 | 49% |
| Michigan History Foundation Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 3% |
| White Cloud Community Library | $15,000 | 2 | n/a |
| Mosaic Youth Theatre of Detroit | $15,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Ironwood Theatre Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 7% |
| Heritage Works | $15,000 | 1 | 5% |
| Otsego District Public Library | $15,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Mighty Real Queer Detroit | $15,000 | 1 | 29% |
| Black Bottom Archives (Allied Media Projects Fiscal Sponsor) | $14,800 | 1 | n/a |
| Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit | $14,500 | 2 | 0% |
| Midland Center for the Arts Inc | $14,475 | 1 | 0% |
| Lowell Arts | $14,400 | 1 | 4% |
| Bellaire Public Library | $14,250 | 2 | n/a |
| Tibbits Opera Foundation and Arts Council | $14,000 | 1 | 2% |
| City of Ironwood | $13,820 | 2 | n/a |
| Center for the Arts of Greater Lapeer | $13,688 | 1 | 4% |
| Kalamazoo Literacy Council | $13,655 | 1 | 2% |
| Carp Lake Township Library | $13,500 | 2 | n/a |
| Little Traverse Historical Society | $12,690 | 2 | 15% |
| Japanese Cultural Center Tea House & Gardens of Saginaw Inc | $12,500 | 2 | 5% |
| Society of Active Retirees | $12,500 | 1 | 10% |
| Midwest Miniatures Museum | $12,500 | 2 | 7% |
| Michigan Technological University | $12,250 | 1 | n/a |
| Fire Historical and Cultural Arts Collaborative | $12,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Glen Arbor Arts Center | $11,825 | 2 | 2% |
| Grand Valley State University | $11,628 | 1 | n/a |
| City of Dearborn | $11,600 | 2 | n/a |
| Milwaukee Film Inc | $11,500 | 1 | 0% |
| Michigan History Foundation | $11,400 | 1 | n/a |
| Alkebu-Lan Village | $11,069 | 1 | 2% |
| Remus Area Historical Society | $11,000 | 2 | n/a |
| White Pine Library Cooperative | $10,835 | 2 | n/a |
| The Vagrancy Inc | $10,675 | 2 | n/a |
| The King House Association | $10,400 | 1 | n/a |
| American Museum of Magic Inc | $10,300 | 1 | 10% |
| Benton Harbor Public Library | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Iron County Historical and Museum Society | $10,000 | 1 | 6% |
| Crosshatch Center for Art & Ecology | $10,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Howe Memorial Library | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Vicksburg District Library | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Caecc | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Newaygo Area District Library | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Hart Area Public Library | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Marygrove College | $10,000 | 1 | 0% |
| African-American History & Literature Gallery | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Northwest Michigan Arts & Culture Network | $10,000 | 1 | 8% |
| Michilimackinac Historical Society | $10,000 | 1 | 4% |
| Suburban Library Cooperative | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Moore Public Library | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Oakland County Pioneer and Historical Society | $10,000 | 1 | 8% |
| Leelanau County Historic Preservation Society | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Jackson County Michigan Historical Society Inc | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Montmorency County Public Libraries | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| City of Alma | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Automotive Hall of Fame Inc | $10,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Township of Hamburg | $9,450 | 1 | n/a |
| Great Lakes Commonwealth | $9,025 | 1 | n/a |
| Vicksburg Cultural Arts Center | $9,015 | 1 | 4% |
| Oakland University | $8,925 | 1 | n/a |
| Bosnian-American Cultural Center Behar | $8,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Millington-Arbela Historical Society | $8,500 | 1 | n/a |
| International Frisbee Hall of Fame | $8,400 | 1 | n/a |
| Friends of the Darcy Library | $8,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Friends of the Boyne District Library | $8,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Genesee District Library Foundation | $8,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Eastern Monroe Public Library | $8,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Flat River Community Library | $7,800 | 1 | n/a |
| Sciotoville Christian Church | $7,800 | 1 | n/a |
| Michigans Military Heritage Mu | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Cinema Lamont | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Lake Odessa Community Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Alcona Historical Society Inc | $7,500 | 1 | 18% |
| Mexicantown Community Development Corp | $7,500 | 1 | 6% |
| City Opera House Heritage Association Inc | $7,500 | 1 | 1% |
| Elsie Public Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Queer Theatre Inc | $7,500 | 1 | 34% |
| Curtis Township Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Ionia Community Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Sanilac County Historical Society | $7,500 | 1 | 6% |
| Buchanan District Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Waldron District Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Artworks Big Rapids Area Arts And | $7,500 | 1 | 3% |
| Washtenaw County Historical Society | $7,500 | 1 | 3% |
| Hellenic Museum of Michigan | $7,500 | 1 | 18% |
| Detroit Experience Factory | $7,500 | 1 | 5% |
| City of Bessemer | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Marshall Historical Society Inc | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association | $7,500 | 1 | 3% |
| Bullard Sanford Memorial Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Holocaust Memorial Center Inc | $7,500 | 1 | 0% |
| Wakefield Public Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Huron Valley Council for the Arts | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| City of Cedar Springs | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Loutit District Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Shelby Area District Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Millington Arbela District Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Hartford Public Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Coopersville Farm Museum | $7,500 | 1 | 6% |
| Zeeland Historical Society | $7,500 | 1 | 8% |
| Liberty Hyde Bailey Museum | $7,500 | 1 | 10% |
| Coleman Area Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Pinckney Community Public Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Leighton Township Library | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| City of Mackinac Island | $7,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Macomb County Historical Society | $7,500 | 1 | 7% |
| Heritage Museum of Newaygo County | $6,685 | 1 | 2% |
| Columbia Township Library | $6,600 | 1 | n/a |
| City of Hamtramck | $6,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Bay County Library System-Auburn Branch | $6,500 | 1 | n/a |
| City of Oak Park | $6,400 | 1 | n/a |
| Morton Township Library | $6,300 | 1 | n/a |
| Kerrytown Bookfest | $6,000 | 1 | 22% |
| Jc Wheeler Public Library | $6,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Tch Reynolds Township Library | $6,000 | 1 | n/a |
| The William G Thompson House Museum | $5,700 | 1 | n/a |
| Vicksburg Historical Society | $5,440 | 1 | 13% |
| Richland Township Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Stair District Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Merrill District Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Van Buren District Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Berrien Springs Community Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Uss Silversides Submarine Museum | $5,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Branch County Historical Society | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Signal Return Inc | $5,000 | 1 | 2% |
| Leelanau Historical Society | $5,000 | 1 | 3% |
| Grand Traverse Lighthouse Museum | $5,000 | 1 | 3% |
| Ebony Road Players | $5,000 | 1 | 6% |
| Great Lakes Shipwreck Historical So | $5,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Dickinson County Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Tahquamenon Area Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Houghton Lake Public Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| White Pine Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Alcona County Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Home Township Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Muskegon Museum of Art Foundation | $5,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Speak It Forward Inc | $5,000 | 1 | 2% |
| Mid-Michigan Library League | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| City of St Joseph | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Clinton Township Public Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| The Elizabeth Lane Oliver Center for the Arts | $5,000 | 1 | 2% |
| Northland Library Cooperative | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Grass Lake Area Historical Society | $5,000 | 1 | 12% |
| Alanson Area Public Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Quincy Mine Hoist Association | $5,000 | 1 | 1% |
| T Rose Foundation | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Besser Museum for Northeast Michigan Inc | $5,000 | 1 | 1% |
| Mackinaw Area Public Library | $5,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Yankee Air Force Inc | $5,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Jackson School of the Arts Assoc | $5,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Tecumseh Area Historical Society | $4,500 | 1 | n/a |
| White Lake Community Library | $4,415 | 1 | n/a |
| Genevieve and Donald S Gilmore Fdn | $3,850 | 1 | 0% |
| Alpena County Library Makerspace | $3,650 | 1 | n/a |
| Georgetown Township Public Library | $2,925 | 1 | n/a |
| Burlington Township | $2,000 | 1 | n/a |
| River Raisin Ragtime Revue | $1,200 | 1 | 3% |
Plus 6 recipients with no EIN on record ($42k), not named here.
Where it is load-bearing
Michigan Humanities Council supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 9 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 138 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.
Tap a dot to name the grantee.
How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 138.
Co-funders
Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.
Community Foundation for Southeast MichiganMI51.4× affinity42 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →
Open a dossier: Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan · The Fred & Barbara Erb Family Foundation · DTE Energy Foundation · Culturesource · Hudson-Webber Foundation · The Skillman Foundation · The Kresge Foundation · Consumers Energy Foundation · Community Foundation for Muskegon County · Kalamazoo Community Foundation · The Meijer Foundation · Irving S Gilmore Foundation
How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.
About Michigan Humanities Council
- How much does Michigan Humanities Council give?
- Michigan Humanities Council reported 17 itemized grants totaling $254,240, out of $396,380 in total grant expense reported on the return in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 25 and 127 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
- What does Michigan Humanities Council fund?
- By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Arts & Culture (53%), Education (32%), Health (4%).
- Who are Michigan Humanities Council's largest grantees?
- By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Regents of the University of Michigan ($209k), Museum of Ojibwa Culture ($148k), Library of Michigan Foundation ($115k).
- Does Michigan Humanities Council fund new organizations?
- In FY2024, 31% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
- Which funders back the same organizations as Michigan Humanities Council?
- Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan, The Fred & Barbara Erb Family Foundation, DTE Energy Foundation.
- Where is Michigan Humanities Council based?
- Michigan Humanities Council is based in MI.
Play a game based on Michigan Humanities Council’s filings →
More from the funding graph
The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home