About

The Richard and Helen DeVos Foundation, with assets worth over $97 million as of the end of 2010, is a conservative Grand Rapids-based charitable organization. In addition to funding educational and artistic ventures in Michigan and around the country, the DeVos Foundation directs a significant portion of its grants to conservative outfits, especially ones focused on socially or religiously conservative causes.

At least $10 million each has gone to the Heritage Foundation and Young America’s Foundation, both of which are important parts of the conservative institutional structure, with the former producing studies and papers to bolster a right-wing perspective on public policy and the latter working to spread conservative values among America’s high school and college students. Over $5 million has been given to Focus on the Family, James Dobson’s socially conservative venture that has long been at the forefront of anti-LGBT activism. Another couple of million dollars has been given out among several groups that oppose abortion rights, including notoriously deceptive crisis pregnancy centers.

The foundation’s namesakes, Richard and Helen DeVos, derive their fortune from Amway, a direct selling company Richard co-founded in 1959. Tied for 205^th on Forbes’ list of billionaires, Richard is worth $5 billion, and the DeVos family owns the Orlando Magic. They also contribute generously to Republican candidates and campaigns from their personal funds, most notably pouring over $35 million into son Dick DeVos’ unsuccessful 2006 quest to become Governor of Michigan. In 2012, Richard Devos donated $250,000 to help Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker win his recall election.