The William Davidson Foundation, which was established in a Detroit suburb in 2005, is poised to receive a bequest from its founder that will transform it from a small family foundation into one the state's most influential grantmakers, Crain's Detroit Business reports.

Davidson, the owner and chairman of Guardian Industries Corp., died on March 13 at the age of 86. During his lifetime, he and his wife, Karen, donated more than $200 million to Jewish and Israeli communities; the fine arts, education, sports, and wellness causes; and to create opportunities for the less fortunate locally, nationally, and internationally. Major gifts made by the couple included $75 million to the Hadassah Medical Center in Jerusalem; $60 million to the University of Michigan, Davidson's alma mater; and $15 million to the Jewish Theological Seminary in New York City to establish a graduate school of Jewish education.

The three largest family foundations in Michigan — the Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation, the Max M. and Marjorie S. Fisher Foundation, and the Ruth Mott Foundation — reported assets of $517 million, $259 million, and $253 million, respectively, in 2007. The three largest foundations in the state — the Kellogg, Kresge, and Charles Stewart Mott foundations — had assets in 2007 of $8.1 billion, $3.8 billion, and $2.7 billion, respectively.

According to Davidson's son-in-law, Jonathan Aaron, the foundation will continue to make large grants, favor grants for programs and operation, and work with organizations that share its commitment to Davidson's interests. "To the very end," Aaron said, "he was focused on making sure the foundation would be a family foundation and would continue to support those causes that were near and dear to him."