The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation is a private foundation founded by Richard DeVos, Sr. and his wife Helen in 1970. It is associated with the DeVos family, who operate a number of other nonprofit organizations. It supports right-leaning advocacy organizations, education, health care, charities, and Christian organizations, among other groups.
Background
The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation is a conservative-leaning grant-making organization based in Grand Rapids, Michigan founded in 2012. 1
Richard DeVos, usually called Rich DeVos, was the co-founder of Amway and the senior chairman of Orlando Magic, the NBA team that he bought in 1991. Rich DeVos died in September 2018 at age 92. 2 Helen DeVos was born in Grand Rapids, Michigan, and married Richard in 1953. She died in October 2017 at age 90. 3 Rich and Helen Devos had a net worth of $5.1 billion, according to Forbes. 4 Their daughter-in-law Betsy DeVos served as U.S. Secretary of Education during the Trump administration. 5
After the death of both, the only trustee listed with the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation is longtime DeVos family financial advisor, Jerry Tubergen. Tubergen is the CEO of RDV Corporation, and CEO of Ottawa Private Capital LLC. 6
The DeVos family has five family foundation. The others are the Dick and Betsy DeVos Foundation, the Daniel and Pamella DeVos Foundation, the CDV5 Foundation (named for daughter Cheri DeVos), and the Douglas and Maria DeVos Foundation. 2 Richard and Helen DeVos generally would give about $50 million per year to various charities. 7
In 2016, the DeVos family disclosed for the first time its total philanthropy, which was $1.2 billion in lifetime giving. 2
Forbes first reported the DeVos family gave $94 million in 2014, ranking the family 20th on its annual Top 50 givers list. About two-thirds of the family’s donations went to Michigan organizations and a majority remained in the greater Grand Rapids area. 2 Richard DeVos initially resisted placing his name on buildings and projects and chose to keep giving with a low profile. However, he was later convinced that publicizing his giving would inspire other donors to give. 7
Grant Recipients
In 2016, the last year both Rich and Helen were alive, the top five recipients of foundation donations were Michigan State University Office of University Development, which received $10 million; King’s College, which received $5.76 million; Spectrum Health Foundation, which received $3.86 million; Partners Worldwide, which received $3.06 million; Hope College, which received $3.01 million; and Grand Rapids Community College Foundation, which received $3 million. 7
In 2019, the first year after both Rich and Helen passed, the foundation gave $31 million. The top five recipients were $5 million to Kings College in New York; $3.35 million to Spectrum Health Foundation; $2.5 million to Michigan State University; $2.01 million to Grand Valley State University; and $2 million to the George W. Bush Foundation. 8
The DeVos foundation contributed to Spectrum Health to build its transplant program. It was named Spectrum’s Richard DeVos Heart and Lung Transplant Program. 2 The family was the largest donor to Grand Valley State University and the $52.3 million Richard M. DeVos Center is the main building on the university’s Grand Rapids campus that opened in 2000. 2 DeVos was the lead donor for the $42.6 million L. William Seidman Center in downtown Grand Rapids that opened in August 2013. 2
Christian and Conservative Giving
The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation has donated to Christian churches and ministries and was a major contributor to evangelical organizations including Focus on the Family and the Family Research Council. 5
From 1998 through 2016, the DeVos family contributed $6 million to Bethany Christian Services, one of the largest adoption agencies in the country, an organization that temporarily housed children in 2018 during the so-called family separations at the southern border. The organization supported reunifying children with families. Bethany also runs more than 100 crisis pregnancy centers. Most of the $6 million came from the Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation. 9
The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation donated at least $1 million to Alliance Defending Freedom, a religious liberty legal group, from 1998 through 2016. 9
The foundation also donated $25,000 in 2016 to the Federalist Society, a conservative legal group. 9
References
- “Richard and Helen Devos Foundation.” Cause IQ. Accessed August 12, 2022. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/richard-and-helen-devos-foundation,456659303/
- Scott, Monica. “How Rich DeVos left an indelible mark on Grand Rapids and West Michigan.” Michigan Live. September 10, 2018. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.mlive.com/news/erry-2018/09/1e09c29931571/how-rich-devos-left-an-indelib.html
- Associated Press. “Helen DeVos dies at 90; philanthropist, political donor and mother-in-law of U.S. Education secretary.” The Los Angeles Times. October 19, 2017. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-helen-devos-20171019-story.html
- Tower, Mark. “How much each DeVos contributed to political campaigns this cycle.” Michigan Live. December 20, 2016. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2016/12/how_much_each_devos_family_mem.html
- Zaimov, Stoyan. “Richard DeVos, Christian Billionaire and Orlando Magic Owner, Dies at 92; Hailed for Vision, Values.” Christian Post. September 10, 2018. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.christianpost.com/news/richard-devos-christian-billionaire-and-orlando-magic-owner-dies-at-92-hailed-for-vision-values.html
- [1] Smith, Jeff. “West Michigan Foundation Watch: Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation still funding the Christian Right.” Griid. June 28, 2021. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://griid.org/2021/06/28/west-michigan-foundation-watch-richard-and-helen-devos-foundation-still-funding-the-christian-right/
- Harger, Jim. “For Rich DeVos, giving away his millions was a full-time job.” Michigan Live. September 10, 2018. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.mlive.com/news/grand-rapids/2018/09/legacy_as_philanthropist_lives.html
- Smith, Jeff. “West Michigan Foundation Watch: Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation still funding the Christian Right.” Griid. June 28, 2021. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://griid.org/2021/06/28/west-michigan-foundation-watch-richard-and-helen-devos-foundation-still-funding-the-christian-right/
- Kamenetz, Anya. “DeVos Family Money Is All Over The News Right Now.” NPR. August 2, 2018. Accessed August 13, 2022. https://www.npr.org/2018/08/02/630112697/devos-family-money-is-all-over-the-news-right-now