The Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Foundation is a nonprofit organization based in Detroit that invests in the people of southeast Michigan and western New York. The organization has closed its physical office in accordance with Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommendations to mitigate community spread of COVID-19, but staff remain active via email, phone, and remote meeting technologies. The Ralph C. Wilson Jr. Foundation awards grants to programs that align with their mission and current strategies. The foundation seeks to create positive, sustainable change in every community that it touches. Its four areas of focus are children and youth, young adults and working-class families, caregiving, and healthy communities. The foundation began operations in 2015 through an investment of a portion of the estate left behind after the death of its namesake. The organization’s structure dictates the spend-down of its entire investment by 2035, ensuring that its work will be completed within the lifetimes of those who knew Wilson best. The organization serves Livingston, Monroe, St. Clair, Wayne, Macomb, Oakland, and Washtenaw counties.
