The Political function of Philanthropy: The Edgar & Elsa Prince Foundation

In any case, the hidden hand of of foundations can control the course of social change and deflect anger to targets other than elite power.” 

 – Joan Roelofs, Foundations and Public Policy

For the past 10 years, GRIID has been monitoring foundations in West Michigan, particularly the large family foundations that those who are part of the Grand Rapids Power Structure have created. Our monitoring of local foundations has been part of our larger critique of the Non-Profit Industrial complex in Grand Rapids. 

GRIID has been providing information and analysis on the various DeVos Family Foundations, using the most recent 990 documents that foundations are legally required to submit. These 990 documents must be submitted within a three-year period, which is why the 990s that we will be examining are from 2020, since most foundations prefer to submit their 990 documents at the last minute, thus minimizing public scrutiny. So far we have posted articles about the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, the Doug and Maria DeVos Foundation, the Dan and Pamela DeVos Foundation, the Cheri DeVos Foundation, the Jerry & Marcia Tubergen Foundation, the Steve and Amy Van Andel Foundation, the David and Carol Van Andel Foundation and the Jandernoa Foundation.

Edgar & Elsa Prince Foundation

Edgar and Elsa Prince are the parents of Erik Prince and Betsy DeVos. Although Edgar has been dead for several years, the foundation that is in his wife and his name, continues the legacy of funding the Religious and Political Right. The Edgar & Elsa Prince Foundation began in 1979, and current has $4,747, 065 in assets. The information that follows is based on the 990 document for 2021, where the foundation distributed $3,102,5000 to the four categories we have been using throughout this series. You can find this information on GuideStar.org just by typing in the Edgar & Elsa Prince Foundation. 

Religious Right

• Prison Fellowship Ministries – $125,000
• Our American Values – $30,000
• Gateways to Better Education – $30,000
• Women’s Rights Without Frontiers – $20,000
• Pregnancy Resource Center – $10,000
• Alliance Defending Freedom – $100,000
• Protect Life Michigan – $40,000
• Wycliff Bible Translators – $25,000 
• Center for Urban Renewal and Education – $40,000
• Haggai Institute – $300,000
• Focus on the Family – $105,000 

The Haggai Institute is a Christian evangelical entity that provides leadership training for people around the world to convert people. The Haggai Institute believes that only Jesus can bring joy to the world, not governments, education or any other spiritual tradition. The Prison Fellowship Ministries was founded by former Nixon Administration staff Charles Colson, who was sentenced to jail for his role in the Watergate scandal. The Prison Fellowship Ministries practices far right Christianity and is part of the State Policy Network, which connects far right groups across the country to promote policy changes at the state level, changes which further the far right agenda. The Alliance for Defending Freedom is a Conservative Christian group of lawyers that defends religious groups around anti-LGBT policies and other religious right issues.

Political Right and Think Tanks

• Acton Institute – $25,000
• Freedom Alliance – $30,000
• Council for National Policy – $15,000
• Mackinac Center for Public Policy – $7,500
• Turning Point USA – $35,000
• Rutherford Institute – $25,000

Freedom Alliance is an entity that was founded by convicted Iran Contra scandal participant Col. Oliver North. American Values is another conservative religious entity, which perpetuates the so-called values of the United States, but are rooted in far right principles. In a recent post they made the following comment: In the aftermath of the Rittenhouse verdict, Marxists and revolutionaries took to the streets, using his exoneration as a match to try to set America ablaze. Make no mistake about it: They are Marxist and they are revolutionary. These radicals want a race war in America. Turning Point USA is a right-wing youth and student group, with a mission to “identify, educate, train, and organize students to promote the principles of freedom, free markets, and limited government.”

Education Institutions 

• Holland Christian Schools – $478,000
• Zuni Christian Mission School – $30,000

DeVos-owned, created or connected groups

• Christian Leadership Institute – $25,000
• West Michigan Aviation Academy – $222,500
• Artprize – $40,000

Groups Receiving Hush money

• Wedgewood Christian Youth and Family Services – $15,000
• Family Promise – $30,000

You can clearly see that the Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation primarily funds the Religious Right and the Political Right, even though sometimes it is difficult to distinguish the two. The Edgar and Elsa Prince Foundation is a perfect way for the family to hide some of their wealth from taxation, but allows them to use it just like direct political contributions, often working in tandem with campaign contributions.