Funding search · EIN 203497950 · Wells, MI
John and Melissa Besse Foundation
A private foundation (files IRS Form 990-PF). Most private foundations do not take unsolicited applications; the route in is usually a program officer.
- 72
- grants reported
- $1.3M
- total given
- 2022–2025
- filing years
- $5,000
- median grant
Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2025. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.
What they fund
educationalequipmentendowmentimprovementsscholarshipairealballband
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Funding pattern
What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.
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Top recipients
Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.
- Michigan Tech Fd2 grants · $450,000
- Northern Mi Univ Foundation1 grant · $200,000
- Trees for Tomorrow4 grants · $137,500
- Chassell Historical Organization1 grant · $55,120
- Marquette City Band1 grant · $45,000
- Mi Tech Enterprise Corp Smartzone1 grant · $30,000
- Pregnancy Services of Delta County3 grants · $28,000
- Michigan Tech Fd College Forestry1 grant · $25,000
- City of Gladstone1 grant · $25,000
- Bay Cliff Health Camp2 grants · $20,000
Giving over time
Grant history
All 72 reported grants, largest first.
- $340,000
Michigan Tech Fd · Houghton, MI · 2024
Endowed scholarship fund
- $200,000
Northern Mi Univ Foundation · Marquette, MI · 2023
Educational-hockey locker room
- $110,000
Michigan Tech Fd · Houghton, MI · 2025
Ford center sawmill
- $78,000
Trees for Tomorrow · Eagle River, MI · 2024
Outdoor classroom
- $56,500
Trees for Tomorrow · Eagle River, MI · 2025
Educational
- $55,120
Chassell Historical Organization · Chassell, MI · 2023
Charitable-board walk improvements
- $45,000
Marquette City Band · Marquette, MI · 2025
Band shell donation
- $30,000
Mi Tech Enterprise Corp Smartzone · Houghton, MI · 2022
Charitable operations
- $25,000
City of Gladstone · Gladstone, MI · 2023
Charitable-pickle ball courts
- $25,000
Michigan Tech Fd College Forestry · Houghton, MI · 2023
Educational-equip for forest dept
- $13,200
Gladstone Public Safety Department · Gladstone, MI · 2025
Aireal drone donation
- $13,000
Pregnancy Services of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $10,088
Life Link Iii · Minneapolis, MN · 2024
Educational
- $10,000
Bay Cliff Health Camp · Big Bay, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $10,000
Community Foundation of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $10,000
Bay Cliff Health Camp · Big Bay, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $10,000
Pregnancy Services of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $10,000
Escanaba Twp Fire Department · Gladstone, MI · 2023
Charitable support-equipment
- $10,000
Delta Conservation District · Gladstone, MI · 2022
Charitable
- $8,000
Lakeview Cemetery · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Operations and improvements
- $8,000
Lakeview Cemetery · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $7,000
Aquafest · Rice Lake, WI · 2022
Charitable operations
- $5,500
Masonville Twp Fire Department · Rapid River, MI · 2023
Charitable support-equipment
- $5,000
Baraga County Community Foundation · Barage, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Bay College Foundation · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Operations
- $5,000
Bonifas Fine Art Center · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Building improvements
- $5,000
Community Foundation of Marquette County · Marquette, MI · 2025
Operating endowment fund
- $5,000
Delta County Cancer Alliance · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Escanaba Township · Gladstone, MI · 2025
Equipment for fire department
- $5,000
Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp · Crystal Falls, MI · 2025
Charitable support - camp
- $5,000
Holy Name Catholic School · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Endowment fund
- $5,000
Lakestate Industries · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Northern Michigan University Foundation · Marquette, MI · 2025
Scholarship fund
- $5,000
St Vincent Depaul of Escanaba · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
St Vincent Depaul of Gladstone · Marquette, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Tri-County Safe Harbor · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
United Way of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Up State Fair Authority · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Military museum operations
- $5,000
Ymca Northern Lights of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Youth Empowering Services · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $5,000
Baraga County Community Foundation · Barage, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Bay College Foundation · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Operations
- $5,000
Community Foundation of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Community Foundation of Marquette County · Marquette, MI · 2024
Endowment fund
- $5,000
Escanaba Fire Department · Gladstone, MI · 2024
Charitable support - equipment
- $5,000
Fortune Lake Lutheran Camp · Crystal Falls, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Holy Name Catholic School · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Lakestate Industries · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Endowment fund
- $5,000
Northern Michigan University Foundation · Marquette, MI · 2024
Educational
- $5,000
Superior Health Foundation · Marquette, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Tri-County Safe Harbor · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
United Way of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Up State Fair Authority · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $5,000
Baraga County Community Foundation · Baraga, MI · 2023
Charitable
- $5,000
Pregnancy Services of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2023
Charitable support
- $3,000
Redeemer Lutheran Church · Marquette, MI · 2025
Donation
- $3,000
Redeemer Lutheran Church · Marquette, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $2,500
Barron County Pro Rodeo · Ladysmith, WI · 2022
Charitable operations
- $1,500
Trees for Tomorrow · Eagle River, WI · 2023
Educational
- $1,500
Trees for Tomorrow · Eagle River, WI · 2022
Operations
- $1,000
Gladstone Rapid River Kiwanis · Gladstone, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $1,000
Michigamme - Spurr · Michigamme, MI · 2024
Equipment
- $1,000
Up Power Pink · Gwinn, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $1,000
Youth Empowering Services · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $800
Gladstone Schools · Gladstone, MI · 2025
Robotics team & senior party donation
- $500
Community Thanksgiving of Delta County · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Donation
- $500
Michigamme - Spurr · Michigamme, MI · 2025
July 4th donation
- $350
Rotary Club of Escanaba · Escanaba, MI · 2025
Charitable support
- $350
Rotary Club of Escanaba · Escanaba, MI · 2024
Charitable support
- $350
Rotary Club of Escanaba · Escanaba, MI · 2023
Support
- $350
Rotary Club of Escanaba · Escanaba, MI · 2022
Support
- $300
Gladstone Schools · Gladstone, MI · 2024
Educational
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Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: IRS Form 990-PF, Part XV, as filed by the foundation. These are grants already paid — a record of what this funder backs, not an open call.