The Skillman Foundation
Accepts applications
The Skillman Foundation is a private foundation in Detroit, Michigan. In tax year 2024 it gave $22.0 million in 416 grants; the typical grant was $10,000 and the largest $500,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.
- Grants paid, 2024$22.0 million
- Number of grants416
- Typical grant$10,000
- Largest grant$500,000
- Assets$602 million
- New grantees50%
Giving in 2024 was up from $20.9 million the year before.
50% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a sign it is open to new organizations.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $20.9 million | 359 | $568 million |
| 2024 | $22.0 million | 416 | $602 million |
How to apply
| Contact | The Skillman Foundation 100 Talon Centre Drive Suite 100, Detroit, MI 48207 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (313) 393-1185 |
| What to submit | All grant applications are submitted through the fluxx grants management system. Each application includes organization name, responses to the eligibility quiz, primary contacts, amount requested, project title and summary, proposed grant start and end dates, and aligned strategic impact. For president discretionary grants, we also ask for a description of the event, project, or program to be funded. For partnership grants, we ask how the proposed project aligns to our strategy, description of project goals and activites, plans for monitoring and evaluation, collaborative funding, challenges and risks, and a budget for how the funds will be spent (if project grant). We also ask grant partners to upload a board list, interim financials, most recent audited or reviewed financials, 990 form, and organizational budget. For additional information please visit our website at https://www.skillman.org/grants/. |
| Deadlines | Applications must be submitted three weeks before the investment review meeting. |
| Restrictions | The skillman foundation awards grants to nonprofit 501(c)(3) public charities. It may also fund NON-501 (c)(3) organizations for the purposes of direct charitable activities through the expenditure responsibility process. The foundation does not fund political campaigns, political activities, or lobbying for or against pieces of legislation. Its partnership grants fund organizations and efforts aligned to its people powered education strategy, supporting detroit students, families, and educators to strengthen the K-12 education system. |
Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica
What The Skillman Foundation funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 16 states, the most to Michigan.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Michigan | 342 | $15.2 million |
| New York | 13 | $627,700 |
| District of Columbia | 14 | $614,750 |
| Massachusetts | 9 | $505,000 |
| California | 9 | $439,200 |
| Illinois | 7 | $121,105 |
| Pennsylvania | 4 | $119,250 |
| Maryland | 8 | $58,500 |
| Colorado | 1 | $50,000 |
| Georgia | 2 | $41,600 |
Grants paid in 2024
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Detroit Children's Fund | Dcf investment strategy | $500,000 |
| Michigan's Thanksgiving Parade | The parade company | $500,000 |
| Warren Conner Development Coalition Inc DBA Eastside Community Network | The marlowe stoudamire wellness center | $500,000 |
| Community Development Advocates of Detroit | Building neighborhood power through youth and neighborhood voice | $405,000 |
| Allied Media Projects Inc | Support for detroit youth development resource center (ydrc) | $375,000 |
| Black Male Educators Alliance | Activate: transforming education through collective action | $375,000 |
| Teach for America Inc | Tfa detroit teachmichigan, general operating support | $360,000 |
| Michigan Association of United Ways | Michigan after school partnership | $300,000 |
| The Children's Foundation | Michigan central station childrens endowment campaign | $300,000 |
| Metro Solutions Inc | Youth power pooled fund | $278,000 |
| Metro Solutions Inc | Support for sankofa scholarship collective | $275,000 |
| Bfdi Educational Services Inc | Hope academy visionary leadership | $250,000 |
| Detroit 9090 | University prep schools visionary leadership | $250,000 |
| Detroit Academy of Arts and Sciences | Detroit academy for arts and sciences visionary leadership | $250,000 |
| Michigan State University | Rx kids | $250,000 |
| New Paradigm for Education | New paradigm for education visionary leadership | $250,000 |
| 482FORWARD | Back to basics: building people power to transform our schools | $220,000 |
| Autism Alliance of Michigan | Support for autism alliance of michigan | $200,000 |
| Launch Michigan | Launch michigan general operating support grant | $200,000 |
| Teach Plus Incorporated | Teach plus michiganleveraging catalytic teacher leadership | $200,000 |
| Ser Metro Detroit-Jobs for Progress Inc | Ost transition support | $180,984 |
| Data Driven Detroit L3C | Community data activities - 2025 project support | $180,000 |
| Education Trust Inc | Advancing an agenda for educational equity and excellence in metropolitan detroit and throughout michigan | $180,000 |
| Detroit Parent Network | Support 313reads | $175,000 |
| Detroit Parent Network | Parents powered for change | $175,000 |
| Foundation for Detroit's Future | This grant will provide support to the foundation for detroit's future to be used to make grants to the city of detroit. | $175,000 |
| Michigan Future Inc | Rising income for all agenda project | $175,000 |
| Michigan League for Public Policy | An initiative to ensure that all children, youth and families in detroit and michigan have their needs met and are thriving, through policy change and state budget investments | $175,000 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Southeastern Michigan | Ost transition support | $172,941 |
| Atlantic Impact | Ost transition support | $169,575 |
| Congress of Communities | Coc youth programming | $152,500 |
| Detroit Hispanic Development Corporation | Poder - neighborhood power building | $152,500 |
| Urban Neighborhood Initiatives Inc | Building capacity to build collective power | $152,500 |
| Warren Conner Development Coalition Inc DBA Eastside Community Network | Eastside education equity initiative | $152,500 |
| Afterschool Alliance | America after 3pm - detroit, southeast michigan, and michigan data collection and analysis | $150,000 |
| Catchafire Foundation | Build capacity of service providers and change agents | $150,000 |
| Detroit Future City | Educational gains for detroit's future | $150,000 |
| Detroit Regional Chamber Foundation Inc | Support for economic equity and inclusion work and detroit drives degrees | $150,000 |
| Michigan Nonprofit Association | 2024 voter engagement & capacity building project | $150,000 |
| Michigan Roundtable for Just Communities | Beloved community fellowship | $150,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Angelique Power
- Maria Woodruff-Wright
- Punita Dani Thurman
- Laila Bell
- Natalie Fotias
- Lauren Hawkins
- Denise Ilitch
- Ron Hall
- Suzanne Shank
- Bill Emerson
- Soloman Kinloch
- Elizabeth Morales-Saucedo
- Gary Torgow
- Derrick Roman
- Linh Song
Questions people ask
Does The Skillman Foundation accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: Applications must be submitted three weeks before the investment review meeting..
How much does The Skillman Foundation give?
$22.0 million in tax year 2024, across 416 grants, with a typical grant of $10,000.
Who runs The Skillman Foundation?
Its 2024 filing lists Angelique Power (President, Secretary & Ceo), Maria Woodruff-Wright (Treasurer, VP of Operations & Cfo), Punita Dani Thurman (VP, Program and Strategy) and Laila Bell (VP, Learning & Impact) among 15 officers and trustees.
What does The Skillman Foundation fund?
Based on its grants, mainly education, youth programs and community development.