The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation

The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation

The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation was created in 1936 by Grace A. Dow following the death of her husband, Herbert H. Dow, the chemist who established Dow Chemical Company. The Midland, Michigan entity remains the oldest charitable funding body in the city and confines its grant-making to organizations serving Michigan residents. Grant activity centers on education, health, and community infrastructure within the state. The foundation holds limited partner interests in vehicles including PEG Global Private Equity, RCP Direct III, and Renaissance Venture Capital Fund. It also maintains direct ownership of Dow Gardens, a 110-acre botanical property, and The Pines, the former family residence designated a National Historic Landmark. Geographic scope stays fixed on Michigan with no disclosed activity outside the state. Assets total approximately $597 million. Leadership consists of President Ruth A. Doan, Vice President Michael L. Dow, and Executive Director Jenee Velasquez. The foundation occupies a single administrative building at 1018 West Main Street in Midland and maintains related philanthropic entities such as the Herbert H. and Barbara C. Dow Foundation established in 1957. No operational events from the past 24 months appear in available records. A structural distinction lies in the direct ownership and stewardship of multiple historic Dow family properties and collections alongside conventional grant-making. This architecture ties investment and operational decisions to preservation of the original wealth source rather than external manager delegation.