Foundation Profile: Dan & Pamella DeVos Foundation

This is our fourth foundation profile for our Grand Rapids Non-Profit Industrial Complex Project. So far we have looked at the Richard & Helen DeVos Foundation, the Dick & Betsy DeVos Foundation and the Doug & Maria DeVos Foundation.

The Dan & Pamella DeVos Foundation is the last of the local DeVos family foundations that we are profiling.

Dan & Pamella also contribute to some of the same entities that other DeVos family foundation contribute to. During the years between 2009 – 2011 the Dan & Pamela DeVos Foundation has contributed to the group that brother Dick is involved in, Grand Action ($204,280).

Dan & Pamella have also contributed to the local hospital named after their mom, the Helen DeVos Children’s Hospital Foundation (over $7 million), Grand Rapids Christian School Association ($850,000) and the Young Life Grand Rapids ($50,000).

Like his brother Dick and his wife Betsy, Dan and Pamella have contributed substantially to the art world. During the three years of 990s we looked at, the couple has donated to the Grand Rapids Art Museum ($514,835), John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts ($20,000), ArtPrize ($50,000), UICA ($50,000) and the Whitney Museum of American Art ($2,793,250).

It is worth noting that the couple’s nephew Rick sits on the board of both the UICA and the Grand Rapids Art Museum. Also, Pamella DeVos is the Secretary of the Whitney Museum of American Art, which might explain the large donations from the couple.

Dan & Pamella DeVos have also contributed to some of the same free market capitalism groups such as The Heritage Foundation ($25,000) and the Mackinac Center for Public Policy ($75,000).

The Dan & Pamella DeVos Foundation have also contributed significantly to the global free market school, Norwood University. Over a three year period they contributed $2,627,500.

While the Dan & Pamella DeVos Foundation has not been as overtly political in their contributions as other members of the DeVos family, they continue the tradition of funding conservative Christian organizations and pro-capitalist entities.