Frey Foundation
The Frey Foundation is a Grand Rapids, Michigan private foundation focused on place-based grantmaking across four pillars: Building Community, Children & Families, Community Arts, and the Environment. The site provides grant guidelines, applicant and grantee resources, annual reports, and a SmartSimple online inquiry portal.
Source: Website · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
A Michigan-based or Michigan-impact nonprofit working in community building, children & families, community arts, or the environment—especially organizations serving Kent, Emmet, or Charlevoix counties—seeking operating, capacity-building, or capital support and able to apply via the foundation's online portal.
Good Fit
- • Programs with direct impact in Kent, Emmet or Charlevoix counties or statewide programs with clear local impact
- • Requests for general operating support, capacity building, or capital campaigns
- • Ability to submit an inquiry through the SmartSimple portal and meet quarterly deadlines
- • Project alignment with one of the foundation's four pillars (Building Community, Children & Families, Community Arts, Environment)
- • Request sizes that range from small operating grants to six-figure capital gifts
Geography
Observed giving is strongly place-based: about 94% of grant dollars in 2024 went to Michigan even though recipients appeared in 18 states; the foundation is effectively an in-state (Michigan) funder with some small out-of-state awards.
Recipient Variety
The latest year shows a large and diverse recipient set (195 grants to 161 distinct organizations in 2024), replicated across three observed years with similar counts; while the top five capture a meaningful share (42%), many independent organizations receive smaller awards.
New Applicants
The foundation publishes application guidance, an online SmartSimple inquiry portal and named contacts, and the 2024 portfolio included 96 new recipients (about 60% of recipients), indicating a real pathway for unfamiliar applicants to enter the portfolio.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
