What Family Hope Foundation Michigan does

Family Hope Foundation Michigan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered at 7086 8th Avenue, Jenison, Michigan, that delivers therapy scholarships, accessible family events, and a community disability resource directory for children with disabilities and their families across an 11-county West Michigan service area. Founded in 2010 by 18 board members, the organization has cumulatively awarded more than 1,700 scholarships totaling over $1.6 million and supports families dealing with 30+ disability types whose children need occupational, speech, physical, hippotherapy, and other therapies not typically covered by insurance. Recipients range from infants through young adults, with conditions including cerebral palsy, spina bifida, FOXP1 syndrome, PURA syndrome, autism, ADHD, sensory processing disorder, hearing loss, and post-meningitis recovery, and many families receive multi-year continuous support (e.g., one recipient received 12 years of therapy through the program).

The organization's product surface is service-based rather than technology-based. Its core offering is the Therapy Scholarship Program, complemented by 3–4 inclusive family events per year (including Sensory Showtimes at Celebration Cinema, West Michigan Whitecaps outings, Lewis Adventure Farm visits, and Mary Free Bed YMCA events), a Resource Network directory connecting families to disability services across Michigan, and a curated library of educational resources. Distribution runs through a network of 70+ therapy provider partners — including founding partner The Center for Childhood Development, Renew Therapeutic Riding Center, Conductive Learning Center, 1 Plus 1 Therapy, Senses In Motion, Engage Therapy Center, and Launch Pediatric Rehab — who refer families into the scholarship program. The organization has operated an endowment at the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area since 2012 and publishes a steady cadence of story-driven blog content featuring named scholarship recipients.

Family Hope Foundation operates a donation-based revenue model with six identified streams: tax-deductible individual donations, the Hope Builders monthly giving program priced at $84 per month (one recurring donation funds one therapy scholarship), designated scholarships that let donors sponsor specific recipients, an endowment channel handled via the Community Foundation, stock and estate gifts administered through the Development Director, and merchandise ($20 T-shirts with $5 flat shipping, profits routed to scholarships). Day-to-day leadership comprises an Executive Director (Jennifer Roudebush, appointed 2024), a Development Director (Jane Eppard, transitioned 2024), and a Program Coordinator (Madeline Puckett), supported by a Board of Trustees several of whose members have served continuously since the 2010 founding. The organization explicitly reports turning away approximately 50% of applicant families each cycle due to funding constraints, indicating that unmet demand materially exceeds current scholarship capacity.

Name

Family Hope Foundation Michigan

Legal name

Family Hope Foundation

Website

https://thefamilyhopefoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2010

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Family Hope Foundation Michigan is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit that funds therapy scholarships, hosts accessible family events, and curates disability resources for children with disabilities and their families across an 11-county region of West Michigan.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Disability Support Services (Nonprofit)

NAICS

Individual and Family Services (6241), Child and Youth Services (62411)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Special Education, Disability Support & Inclusive Education Nonprofits (BPAGADAH)

akta.pro secondary industries

Scholarships, Grants & Education Benefits Administration (Financing-adjacent) (FSAKAEAM), Family Resource Centers & Wraparound Support Services (EDACALAH)

Keywords

• Therapy scholarship programs
• Disability support services
• Nonprofit family resources
• Community disability programs
• Accessible family events

Headquarters

HQ city

Jenison

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual Donations: Tax-deductible donations from individuals supporting therapy scholarships for children with disabilities. The organization is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit.
2. Monthly Giving (Hope Builders): Recurring monthly donations from Hope Builders program members. At $84/month, one donation can fund a therapy scholarship. Provides steady funding infrastructure for scholarship expansion.
3. Endowment Gifts: Gifts to the endowment fund established with the Community Foundation of the Holland/Zeeland Area in 2012, strengthening long-term organizational sustainability.
4. Merchandise Sales: T-shirt sales at $20 per shirt with $5 flat rate shipping. All merchandise revenue is invested back into the Scholarship Program.
5. Designated Scholarships: Personalized giving program where donors can sponsor specific therapy scholarships, aligning their passion with the organization's purpose.
6. Stock/Estate Gifts: Stock gifts, estate planning, and donor-advised fund contributions facilitated through the Development Director.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Family Hope Foundation Michigan provides financial therapy scholarships that remove barriers for children with disabilities to access occupational, speech, physical, hippotherapy, and other therapeutic services not covered by insurance. The organization complements scholarships with an online Resource Network directory, inclusive Family Events across West Michigan, and Educational Resources for affected families. Funding flows from individual donations, monthly giving programs, endowment gifts, designated scholarships, and merchandise sales.

Product overview

Family Hope Foundation Michigan is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization offering a unified suite of support services for individuals with disabilities and their families in West Michigan. The core offerings center on the Therapy Scholarship Program, which provides financial assistance for therapy services not covered by insurance, complemented by the Resource Network (a directory of disability resources), Family Events (accessible community outings), and Educational Resources. The organization also offers donation programs including Hope Builders (monthly giving) and Designated Scholarships for personalized philanthropy. Merchandise (t-shirts) is an ancillary offering with proceeds supporting scholarships.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Therapy Scholarship Program Financial assistance program that removes barriers for individuals with disabilities to access therapy services, providing scholarships to cover therapy costs not covered by insurance. Awarded to families of children with disabilities in West Michigan.
• Resource Network A directory connecting families to disability resources in the community, including therapy providers, support organizations, and educational materials across West Michigan.
• Family Events Accessible community outings and events (up to four per year) for families affected by disability, including sensory-friendly outings, Lewis Adventure Farm and Zoo, West Michigan Whitecaps games, Mary Free Bed YMCA events, Coopersville and Marne Railway trips, Camp Manitou-Lin outings, and Sensory Showtimes movie screenings at Celebration Cinema.
• Hope Builders Monthly Giving Program Monthly donor program allowing supporters to provide consistent recurring funding for therapy scholarships, with $84 per month funding one therapy scholarship.
• Designated Scholarship Program Personalized giving option allowing donors to sponsor specific therapy scholarships aligned with their personal interests and philanthropic goals.
• Family Hope Foundation Branded T-Shirts Official Family Hope Foundation branded merchandise sold at $20 per T-shirt with $5 flat-rate shipping, available in sizes Youth Large through 2XL, with proceeds invested back into the scholarship program.

Quantifiable outcome

• 1700+ therapy scholarships awarded
• +4 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Celebration CinemacoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 14 March 2025Long-term partnership (10+ years) presenting Sensory Showtimes - unique movie experiences for individuals with special needs and their families. Features brighter lights, lower sound, limited previews, open captions, and understanding staff. Movies shown at Grand Rapids North, Portage, and Lansing locations.
• Koele Godfrey Investment GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Lewis Adventure Farm and Zoo family event on June 28, 2025.
• Lighthouse Title GroupminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPrimary sponsor for West Michigan Whitecaps family event. Shared family's 9-year journey with Family Hope Foundation and expressed gratitude for the organization's impact.
• Walker AMBUCSminorGTM or Marketing PartnerIn-part sponsor for West Michigan Whitecaps family event.
• Andrea Hemmelgarn Homes | Coldwell Banker Woodland SchmidtminorGTM or Marketing PartnerEvent sponsor for Mary Free Bed YMCA family event.
• Renew Therapeutic Riding CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerMajor therapy provider partner offering hippotherapy and equine-assisted services. Numerous scholarship recipients receive therapy here including Felicity, Eliana, and others. Provides financial assistance recommendation to families.
• Conductive Learning CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerKey therapy partner providing conductive education for children with motor challenges including cerebral palsy and spina bifida. Leo, Gramm, and Brandon receive services here.
• The Center for Childhood DevelopmentcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerFounding therapy partner and recipient of first scholarship referrals. Provides multidisciplinary therapy services and has referred numerous families to FHF scholarships. Founder Molly Buist is the founding board member who originated the organization's vision.
• 1 Plus 1 TherapycoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPhysical therapy provider offering intensive sessions including SpiderCage therapy. Gramm Hulst received 12 years of therapy here from age 5 to 17.
• Senses In MotioncoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTherapy provider offering Anat Baniel Method (ABM) therapy for children with hypotonia and cerebral palsy including Ruby Austin and Theo.
• Engage Therapy CentercoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerTherapy provider where scholarship recipient Jackson receives feeding therapy services.
• Launch Pediatric RehabcoreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting PartnerPhysical therapy provider where Mary receives therapy for FOXP1 syndrome, showing explosive development progress.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Easterseals: National 501(c)(3) that provides disability services including therapy, early intervention, and family support across the U.S. Directly comparable mission — bridging therapy access for people with disabilities — though Easterseals operates at significantly larger scale and geographic breadth than Family Hope Foundation.
• Variety – the Children's Charity: Network of regional charities that fund medical equipment, therapy, and mobility services for children with disabilities, often via scholarships/grants to families. Closely comparable model to FHF's therapy scholarship program, though typically more focused on equipment than ongoing therapy costs.
• United Cerebral Palsy (UCP): National nonprofit network providing direct services, advocacy, and financial support for individuals with cerebral palsy and other disabilities, including therapy access. Comparable in serving children with disabilities and a wide range of conditions through a mix of therapy, family support, and resource navigation.
• The Arc: National disability advocacy and direct-services organization supporting people with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including family support and resource navigation. Comparable focus on the family ecosystem around a child with a disability, though The Arc's service mix emphasizes advocacy and case management more than therapy scholarships.

Emerging players

• Chive Charities: National nonprofit that funds grants directly to individuals with rare conditions and disabilities, often covering therapy, equipment, and care costs. Comparable grant-to-individual model, though Chive operates digitally at national scale while FHF is hyper-local with a therapy-only scope.
• Help Hope Live: Nonprofit that helps families raise tax-deductible funds for medical and therapy expenses via dedicated campaign pages. Overlaps with FHF's scholarship-finance role, but Help Hope Live is a fundraising platform rather than a direct scholarship provider.

Broad incumbents

• Make-A-Wish Foundation: Large national nonprofit granting wishes to children with critical illnesses; FHF's current Executive Director previously worked at Make-A-Wish. Comparable donor and family-engagement model — pediatric disability/medical condition focus, donor storytelling, and event-driven fundraising — though Make-A-Wish delivers experiences rather than ongoing therapy scholarships.
• Children's Miracle Network Hospitals: National nonprofit raising funds for pediatric hospital care, including therapy services for children with complex medical needs. Comparable in funding pediatric therapy services and using corporate partner fundraising, but operates through hospital systems rather than direct family scholarships.

Regional players

• Autism Society of Michigan: Michigan-focused nonprofit providing resources, support groups, and advocacy for individuals with autism. Comparable regional scope and family-support orientation for one of the disability categories FHF most frequently funds, though Autism Society of Michigan does not provide direct therapy scholarships.
• Special Olympics Michigan: Michigan affiliate of Special Olympics providing sports training and competition for children and adults with intellectual disabilities. Comparable regional footprint and family/community engagement in Michigan, but serves a different functional need (recreation vs. therapy access).

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/familyhopefoundation
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/family-hope-foundation-michigan

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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

M&A

Investments

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

Frequently asked questions about Family Hope Foundation Michigan