Ed and Darlene Lowe established the Edward Lowe Foundation in 1985 as a national nonprofit organization. Their vision was to support entrepreneurship and land stewardship as strategies to make communities more vibrant places to live, work and play. Both Ed and Darlene were entrepreneurs who believed that small businesses were the backbone of our country’s economy. They also had a great love of the land and appreciation for historic preservation. 

In contrast to nonprofits that are grant-making institutions, we use our endowment to develop and run our own programs. Some of the foundation’s services are delivered virtually, but the majority of our work is carried out at Big Rock Valley (BRV), our headquarters property in southwest Michigan.

BRV is comprised of 2,000 acres of woodlands, prairies, ponds and streams. The natural beauty found here is enhanced by the unique aesthetics Darlene has created for our facilities and grounds. It was Ed and Darlene’s hope that BRV would be a destination for entrepreneurs to convene — a place to discover new ways to grow their businesses and also where they could recharge and be inspired