Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation

What Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation does

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) philanthropic foundation established in 2008 by Fred and Barbara Erb and headquartered in Royal Oak, Michigan. The Foundation operates as a grantmaking endowment serving Southeast Michigan and the broader Great Lakes region across six program areas: Great Lakes (environmental protection with climate and environmental justice lenses), Arts + Culture, Alzheimer's Research, Sustainable Business, Democracy, and Legacy Giving. Since inception it has awarded over $180 million in grants, with recent annual grant cycles ranging from approximately $6.5 million to $18.3 million depending on cadence. Minimum grant size is $10,000, with major legacy investments reaching several million dollars; proposals are reviewed by the board three times annually (January, May, September) following an initial conversation with the program team.

The Foundation does not sell products or services and operates no proprietary technology platform beyond a GoApply-based online grants portal. Its "product" is restricted capital and programmatic partnership, delivered through direct grantmaking, multi-year general operating support, and co-funded initiatives such as the Detroit Arts Support collaborative (with the Kresge Foundation and Hudson-Webber Foundation) and the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund (administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation with EPA, USFWS, USDA Forest Service, and peer foundations). Notable programmatic vehicles include the Fred and Barbara Erb Clinical Research Science Fellowship in partnership with the Alzheimer's Association ($300,000 annual research fellowships for two early-career dementia scientists), and educational tools such as the Great Lakes Watersheds Map co-created with The Nature Conservancy.

The Foundation's revenue mechanics are those of an endowment in active spenddown: investment returns on a privately held corpus fund annual grant outflows, with no commercial revenue streams, no pricing model, and no sales motion. In Spring 2022 the board made the strategic decision to distribute all remaining assets by 2034, with a formal strategic plan adopted in Fall 2024 to guide the final decade. The organization is governed by a Board of Trustees including Chair John M. Erb and Chair Emeritus Ira J. Jaffe, supported by roughly 20+ professional staff organized across program, administration, and learning functions.

Name

Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation

Legal name

Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation

Website

https://erbff.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2008

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is a Royal Oak, Michigan-based private philanthropic foundation that awards grants across six focus areas—Great Lakes environment, arts and culture, Alzheimer's research, sustainable business, democracy, and legacy giving—to nonprofit partners in Southeast Michigan and the broader Great Lakes region.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Private Charitable Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Voluntary Health Organizations (813212), Social Advocacy Organizations (8133)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Environmental & Climate Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAM), Arts, Culture & Humanities Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAJ), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK)

Keywords

• Grantmaking foundation
• Environmental philanthropy
• Community grant programs
• Arts culture grants
• Nonprofit grantmaking

Headquarters

HQ city

Royal Oak

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Endowment: The Foundation operates as a private philanthropic foundation funded by an endowment established by Fred and Barbara Erb. In 2022, the Foundation made the strategic decision to spend down all its assets by 2034, making bold investments in projects addressing pressing needs and driving lasting change in Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) charitable foundation that distributes grants to qualifying nonprofit organizations across six program areas: Great Lakes (environmental protection of the Great Lakes ecosystem using environmental justice and climate lenses), Arts + Culture (Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties including Detroit's jazz tradition), Alzheimer's Research, Sustainable Business, Democracy (election administration and voter engagement), and Legacy Giving (major transformational grants co-developed with trustees). Grants range from a $10,000 minimum to multi-million dollar legacy investments, with multi-year general operating support available.

Product overview

The Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation that operates as a grantmaking organization rather than a technology product company. The Foundation's core offering consists of six distinct grant programs: Great Lakes (environmental protection), Arts + Culture, Alzheimer's Research, Sustainable Business, Democracy, and Legacy Giving. These programs provide funding to nonprofit organizations and institutions working in Southeast Michigan and the Great Lakes region. The Foundation also operates collaborative initiatives like Detroit Arts Support (with Kresge Foundation and Hudson-Webber Foundation) and participates in the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund. Additional offerings include the Fred and Barbara Erb Clinical Research Science Fellowship for Alzheimer's research, a grants application portal, and educational resources such as the Great Lakes Watersheds Map. The Foundation is currently in a spenddown phase, planning to distribute all assets by 2034.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Great Lakes Grant Program Grant funding for 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, watershed councils, and research institutions working to protect and restore the Great Lakes ecosystem through water quality, habitat connectivity, stormwater management, and climate resilience, viewed through an environmental justice and climate lens.
• Arts + Culture Grant Program Grants to arts and culture 501(c)(3) organizations in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, supporting the resiliency and development of the sector, including Detroit's jazz culture and mentorship traditions.
• Alzheimer's Research Program Targeted research investments aimed at finding a cure for Alzheimer's disease, including the Fred and Barbara Erb Clinical Research Science Fellowship. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for this program.
• Sustainable Business Program Grants and technical-assistance funding that promote the growth of the sustainable small business sector in Southeast Michigan, helping entrepreneurs implement triple-bottom-line (people, planet, profit) practices and adopt cleaner technologies.
• Democracy Program Grants supporting fair election administration, voter engagement, and ballot access in Southeast Michigan, with emphasis on communities historically targeted by voter suppression.
• Legacy Giving Program Major transformational grants co-developed alongside Foundation trustees that most directly reflect the personal passions and interests of Fred and Barbara Erb. The Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for Legacy Giving.
• Detroit Arts Support A collaborative initiative with The Kresge Foundation and Hudson-Webber Foundation providing multi-year general operating support to arts and cultural organizations in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, with a shared application and review process.
• Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund A public-private partnership administered by the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation offering grants of $150,000 to $400,000 for environmental projects in Southeast Michigan, focused on nature-based stormwater solutions, habitat quality and connectivity, and activation of restored habitats.
• Fred and Barbara Erb Clinical Research Science Fellowship A fellowship program in collaboration with the Alzheimer's Association that grants $300,000 research fellowships to two top-ranked early-career dementia scientists annually, selected through an international peer-review process.
• Grants Portal (GoApply) Online application portal for submitting grant requests to the Foundation, streamlining the application process for prospective grantees and managing ongoing grant relationships.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $180 million awarded to initiatives since 2008
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers24 records

Segments1 record

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

27 partnerships are on record, tiered major, core and minor.

• Detroit Zoological SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$6 million legacy grant to complete the Fred and Barbara Erb Discovery Trails at the Detroit Zoo, carrying forward long-time family connection to the organization rooted in Royal Oak history.
• Racquet Up DetroitmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$2.1 million legacy investment naming Squash and Fitness Wing after Fred Erb, Cafe after Barbara Erb, and Entryway after Hashim Khan, honoring family legacy of athletics and mentorship.
• Cranbrook Educational CommunitymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$1.01 million legacy investment supporting campus-wide sustainability and hydrology studies across the historic 319-acre campus, reflecting Fred and Barbara's special connection to Cranbrook.
• Michigan Association of Conservation DistrictscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$1.57 million in grants strengthening conservation leadership and improving soil health and water quality statewide through watershed stewardship work.
• Midwest Environmental Justice NetworkcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$1.85 million in grants strengthening grassroots organizing and empowering community leaders to turn local knowledge into effective water protection.
• Freshwater FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$1.85 million in grants for community leadership and water protection efforts in the Great Lakes region.
• Centrepolis Accelerator at Lawrence Technological UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$750,000 grant to help manufacturers adopt cleaner technologies and remain competitive, supporting sustainable business development in Southeast Michigan.
• People First EconomycoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$600,000 grant providing hands-on technical assistance to entrepreneurs implementing sustainable business practices.
• SustainabilityNext/InforumcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$200,000 grant supporting transition of SustainabilityNext into Inforum, expanding sustainability leadership across Southeast Michigan.
• ACLU Fund of MichigancoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$2.58 million in grants supporting nonpartisan election protection efforts and voter engagement.
• Institute for Responsive GovernmentcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$700,000 in grants supporting election clerks and administrators who make elections function day-to-day.
• Voting Rights LabcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$700,000 in grants supporting local clerks and administrators in election administration.
• Transforming Solidarity Collective/Michigan Community ResourcescoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 4 February 2026$450,000 grant to strengthen nonprofit infrastructure through coordinated region-wide network of support services.
• The Kresge FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Co-funder of Detroit Arts Support program providing multiyear general operating support to arts organizations in Wayne, Oakland, and Macomb counties, with shared application and review process.
• Hudson-Webber FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 December 2025Co-funder of Detroit Arts Support program alongside The Kresge Foundation, supporting 107 arts organizations across tri-county area with multiyear grants.
• Great Lakes St. Lawrence Governors & PremierscoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025$170,000 to future-proof the Great Lakes–St. Lawrence River Basin Water Resources Compact protecting Great Lakes water from large-scale diversion.
• Council of State Governments Midwestern OfficecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025$550,000 for Great Lakes Legislative Caucus creating space for state and provincial legislators to collaborate on basin-wide policy.
• Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities InitiativecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025$775,000 to advance freshwater leadership across a network of local elected officials in more than 350 communities in U.S. and Canada.
• International Association for Great Lakes ResearchcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025$665,000 to ensure fact-based science shapes decisions protecting the Great Lakes, deepening connection between research and action.
• Detroit Disability PowercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025$120,000 to ensure people with disabilities have equitable ballot access through polling-location accessibility audits.
• States United Democracy CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 November 2025$800,000 to preserve rule of law in Michigan through legal, research, and communications expertise protecting democratic institutions.
• National Fish and Wildlife FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 16 October 2025Co-funder of the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund, a public-private partnership among seven funders (Cleveland-Cliffs, Erb Family Foundation, Kresge Foundation, Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation, EPA, USFWS, and USDA Forest Service) offering grants of $150,000 to $400,000 for environmental projects.
• Healing Our Waters - Great Lakes Coalition (via National Wildlife Federation)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 May 2025$3 million grant over three years to support coalition of more than 180 organizations working to ensure Great Lakes protection remains a national conservation priority.
• Detroit OperamajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2025$3 million grant from Fred and Barbara Erb Family Foundation to Detroit Opera for general operations and new initiative expanding performances, artists, and audience experiences at the Detroit Opera House. Builds on nearly $1.5 million previously awarded since 2009.
• Jazz at Lincoln CentercoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2025Grant to send 10 Detroit Tri-County-area band directors to professional development workshop in New York for jazz educators.
• Michigan Environmental Justice CoalitionminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 11 February 2025$600,000 exit grant to strengthen Clear the Air coalition working to protect clean air and promote environmental justice in Southeast Michigan.
• Alzheimer's AssociationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 August 2023Partnership established through $3,275,000 grant payable over five years to fund the Fred and Barbara Erb Clinical Research Science Fellowships, supporting two top-ranked dementia scientists annually through international peer-review process.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• The Kresge Foundation: Detroit-based private foundation with overlapping Great Lakes, arts and culture, and Southeast Michigan grantmaking focus. Kresge is a direct co-funder of Detroit Arts Support with Erb and partners on the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund, making it the closest operational peer.
• The Skillman Foundation: Detroit-based private foundation focused on children, youth, and community in Detroit. Overlapping operational geography and Southeast Michigan grantmaking focus; Malia Xie previously worked at Skillman before joining Erb.
• Charles Stewart Mott Foundation: Flint, Michigan-based private foundation with long-running programs in civic engagement, environment, and education. Largest Michigan-based family foundation; comparable scale and overlapping program areas, especially democracy/civic engagement.
• Frey Foundation: Grand Rapids, Michigan-based private family foundation focused on environment, arts, and community in West Michigan. Smaller Michigan family foundation with strong programmatic overlap in environmental and arts grantmaking.
• Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation: Detroit-area private foundation focused on Southeast Michigan, with significant overlap in Great Lakes conservation, sustainable communities, and arts funding. Erb's team has hired multiple former Wilson staff (Liz Delaney, Malia Xie), and the foundations co-fund the Southeast Michigan Resilience Fund.
• Hudson-Webber Foundation: Detroit-based private foundation focused on arts, culture, and economic vitality in Southeast Michigan. Direct co-funder with Erb and Kresge of the Detroit Arts Support program supporting 107 tri-county arts organizations.
• Wege Foundation: Grand Rapids-based private family foundation with deep focus on sustainability, environment, and arts education in Michigan. Closely comparable family-foundation structure and overlapping focus on sustainable business and Great Lakes environment.
• McKnight Foundation: Minnesota-based private foundation with major Great Lakes/mid-continent environmental programs and arts/culture funding. Direct functional peer for Erb's Great Lakes and arts program areas.
• The Joyce Foundation: Midwest-focused private foundation with major Great Lakes and environmental grantmaking programs. Multiple Erb Great Lakes program staff came from Joyce (Molly Flanagan), making it a strong functional peer in environmental grantmaking.

Regional players

• Community Foundation for Southeast Michigan: Regional community foundation serving the same seven-county Southeast Michigan geography as Erb. Comparable scale and overlapping grantee base in arts, environment, and civic life; John M. Erb serves on its board.

Market position

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/@erbfamilyfoundation
• Facebookfacebook.com/erbfamilyfoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/fred-a-and-barbara-m-erb-family-foundation
• Xx.com/ErbFamilyFdn

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments3 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fred A. and Barbara M. Erb Family Foundation