Philanthropic private equity firm
Spring Arbor Group
- HeadquartersWest Bloomfield, MI S4
- Founded2020 S2
- Websitespringarborgroup.com
- Last verifiedNovember 5, 2026
At a glance
| Deal types | Platform, Add-on S4 |
|---|---|
| Sectors | Distribution, Industrial & Manufacturing |
What Spring Arbor Group buys
Spring Arbor Group is a West Bloomfield, Michigan firm, founded in 2020 by a group of Christian entrepreneurs, that buys controlling stakes in lower middle market service, manufacturing and distribution businesses. It calls itself a philanthropic private equity firm. Each investor names a 501(c)(3) charity when subscribing, and part of that investor's distributions then goes directly to that charity. The firm puts the total so far at roughly $700,000.
It invests through numbered vehicles. Freedom Partners No. 1 owns New Image Building Services, a commercial cleaning company. Freedom Partners No. 2 owns Quality Hardware, a Michigan commercial hardware distributor. Freedom Partners No. 3 bought Think Patented, a Dayton area print and marketing company, in late 2025, then added Clark & Riggs Printing of Louisville in 2026. The firm publishes no revenue, EBITDA or check size range. A smaller printer or marketing services company could meet it as an add-on to Think Patented, as Clark & Riggs did.
Recent deals
Announced in the 24 months before November 5, 2026.
| Date | Company | Type | Sector | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 2026 | Clark & Riggs PrintingLouisville commercial printer founded in 1992, tucked into Think Patented through Freedom Partners No. 3; both founders stay in leadership roles | Add-on | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
| 2025 | Think PatentedFirst investment of Freedom Partners No. 3, made in late 2025; a Dayton area print and marketing execution company | Platform | Industrial & Manufacturing | Source |
Portfolio by sector
From the firm's portfolio page S3.
Freedom Partners No. 1
- New Image Building Services
Freedom Partners No. 2
- Quality Hardware
Freedom Partners No. 3
- Think Patented
- Clark & Riggs Printing
Greymont’s take
How Spring Arbor Group fits a seller
Spring Arbor suits the owner of a service, manufacturing or distribution business who wants a smaller, values-driven buyer and is comfortable with its Christian roots and charity-linked model. The Clark & Riggs deal shows what a sale can look like: the company kept its name in Louisville, and both founders stayed on as President and Vice President.
The charity link sits on the investor side, because the giving comes out of investor distributions rather than from the company. Even so, an owner should ask how that structure affects the price the firm can pay, since neither its return targets nor the charitable share are published. Because the firm raises money from supporters of its charitable partners, it is also fair to ask how much capital is committed to a given deal and how long it expects to hold the business.
Questions owners ask
How does Spring Arbor Group's charitable model work?
When investors subscribe, each one names a 501(c)(3) charity. When the investments pay out, a portion of that investor's distributions goes directly to the chosen charity. The firm does not publish what percentage is shared.
Which Spring Arbor fund owns Think Patented?
Think Patented is held by Freedom Partners No. 3, LLC, and was that vehicle's first investment in late 2025. Clark & Riggs Printing was then bought through the same vehicle and folded into Think Patented's operations.
What size company does Spring Arbor Group buy?
It describes its targets as lower middle market businesses but publishes no revenue, EBITDA or check size range, so an owner should ask directly whether their company fits.
Do owners stay on after selling to Spring Arbor Group?
They can. In the Clark & Riggs deal, founders Robert Riggs and Gary Clark stayed in leadership roles as President and Vice President to support the transition, and the company kept its own name.
Sources
- S1Spring Arbor Group home page Accessed November 5, 2026
- S2Spring Arbor Group: About Accessed November 5, 2026
- S3Spring Arbor Group: Funds Accessed November 5, 2026
- S4Spring Arbor Group Acquires Clark & Riggs Printing, Inc. (August 13, 2026) Accessed November 5, 2026
- S5Spring Arbor Group News Accessed November 5, 2026
- S6Think Patented Welcomes Clark & Riggs Printing to the Think Patented Family (August 4, 2026) Accessed November 5, 2026
- S7Think Patented: 2025 Year in Review (January 8, 2026) Accessed November 5, 2026
- S8New Image Building Services home page Accessed November 5, 2026
Compiled by Greymont Advisors from public sources, including the firm’s own website and press releases. Greymont is not affiliated with Spring Arbor Group. Figures are as reported on the dates shown and may have changed. Request a correction