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The series titled Combined Administrative and Executive Office Files (1933-1950; 4 linear feet) is an amalgam of records received and combined from the Detroit offices of Fund trustees and the Ann Arbor offices of the Fund directors. How these records came together is not clear. Probably after the Fund dissolved, the Detroit records were transferred to Ann Arbor to be stored with the executive office files in the Rackham Building, and with movement the distinction between the files was lost. This series provides the clearest overview of the work of the Fund, especially through the minutes of the trustees and the director's reports. The chronological files have value for their insight into the relationship between the trustees and the director in Ann Arbor, who, with his/her staff, prepared the reports, made the recommendations, and acted as buffer between the trustees and those seeking funds. A significant portion of this series pertains to the relationship with University of Michigan administrators and faculty over the different grants made. The different building projects underwritten by the Fund are documented in this series. There are also financial records indicating the size and complexity of the Fund's operation.

The series Project applications/grants (1934-1940; 10 linear feet) is an alphabetical series of correspondence, reports, grant proposals, and other materials from those groups and individuals seeking money. Though many of these individual files are slight containing only a letter requesting funds and a form response from the Fund director, this series contains the records of the agencies that were successful in obtaining money for their projects. These files are fuller and document the continuing relationship between the Fund and the recipient of a grant. These files document some of the accomplishments of the Fund and the impact it made in different communities within the state and on individual lives. A key to these fuller files may be found on pp. ii-iii of this finding aid. Except for the University of Michigan grants, documentation about each of the organizations listed on those pages will be found in the Project applications/grants series.