Nicholas Family Foundation Trust
Mequon, WI · EIN 39-6589261. Reported 208 grants totalling $13.0M to 82 organizations across tax years 2021-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Nicholas Family Foundation Trust did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $25,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $20,000 and $60,800; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $500,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rockford Park District Foundation | Rockford, IL | $2,000,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Macc Fund | Milwaukee, WI | $898,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| United Way of Greater Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $775,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Children's Hospital & Health System Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $750,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Historic Haymarket Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $600,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| The Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation Inc | Madison, WI | $557,800 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Kathy's House | Milwaukee, WI | $500,001 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Children's Hospoital of Wi Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $400,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Uw Foundation - Guarding Against Cancer | Madison, WI | $375,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Prevent Blindness Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $360,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Lad Lakest Rose Center | Milwaukee, WI | $300,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Humane Society | Milwaukee, WI | $295,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| American Red Cross Greater Milw Chapter | Milwaukee, WI | $260,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Rawhide Boys Ranch | New London, WI | $250,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Als Association Se Wi Chapter | Wauwatosa, WI | $205,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Madison Area Music Association | Madison, WI | $200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Nativity Jesuit Academy | Milwaukee, WI | $200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Versiti Blood Research Institute | Milwaukee, WI | $200,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Family Promise of Ozaukee County | Port Washington, WI | $170,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ascension Columbia St Mary's Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation | Oconomowoc, WI | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Vision Forward Association | Milwaukee, WI | $150,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Zoological Society of Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $150,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Gathering of Southeastern Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $140,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Sojourner Family Peace Center | Milwaukee, WI | $135,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Peninsula School of Art | Fish Creek, WI | $130,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Exceptional Children's Foundation | Culver City, CA | $105,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Delta Gamma Foundation - Omega House Corporation | Columbus, GA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| First Stage Children's Theater | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Public Museum | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Omega House Corp - Delta Gamma Foundation | Columbus, GA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Our Next Generation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Peninsula Golf Associates | Ephriam, WI | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| The Dove Project | Los Angeles, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The La Belle Foundation | Los Angeles, CA | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Salvation Army | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Uwm Foundation Inc - Becky Blank Classroom | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Uwm Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $90,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Make-a-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin | Butler, WI | $85,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Peninsula Players Theater Foundation | Fish Creek, WI | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| St Coletta Day School of Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Ridges Sanctuary | Baileys Harbor, WI | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Balance Inc | Grafton, WI | $70,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Birch Creek Music Performance Center Inc | Egg Harbor, WI | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Gibraltar Fire & Rescue Association | Fish Creek, WI | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Haws of Waukesha County | Waukesha, WI | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Film | Milwaukee, WI | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Oshkosh Area Humane Society | Oshkosh, WI | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| St Ann Center for Intergenerational Care | Milwaukee, WI | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Northwest Dog Project | Eugene, OR | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Wags and Walks | Los Angeles, CA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Waunakee Hoops Club | Waunakee, WI | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Discovery World | Milwaukee, WI | $40,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Elmbrook Humane Society | Brookfield, WI | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Judith Ann Griese Foundation | Greenwood Village, CO | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Women's Center | Waukesha, WI | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Milwaukee Art Museum | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Little Warrior Foundation | Brookfield, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| The Occupaws Guide Dog Association | Madison, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| College Possible Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Economics Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Milwaukee College Prep | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Grand Avenue Club | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Uwm Foundation - Athletics | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Breckenridge Outdoor Education Center | Breckenridge, CO | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Door County YMCA | Fish Creek, WI | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Green Tree Garden Club | Mequon, WI | $20,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Pearls for Teen Girls Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Coa Youth and Family Centers | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Literacy Services of Wisconsin Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Neighborhood House of Milwaukee Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Next Door Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Penfield Children's Center | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sixteenth Street Community Health Center Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| United Community Center | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Walker's Point Youth & Family Center Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Bridge to Brighter | Elm Grove, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mequon-Thiensville Education Foundation | Mequon, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Uw - Parkside | Kenosha, WI | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
60 of 82 (73%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 75%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Rockford Park District Foundation
ANNUAL ENDOWMENT. SUPPORTS ENHANCEMENTS AND PROGRAMMING AT THE NICHOLAS CONSERVATORY AND GARDENS. - Children's Hospoital of Wi Foundation
ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. ADVANCE THE WORK OF PEDIATRIC PATIENT CARE, REASEARCH AND TEACHING. - United Way of Greater Milwaukee
ANNUAL CAMPAIGN. SERVES THE COMMUNITY BY DEVELOPING AND MAXIMIZING RESOURCES TO ENABLE POSITIVE CHANGE IN THE LIVES OF PEOPLE IN MILWAUKEE. - Macc Fund
ANNUAL CAMPAIGN AND HOPE TEAM. SUPPORTS RESEARCH, EFFECIVE TREATMENT AND CURE FOR CHILDHOOD CANCER. - The Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation Inc
SUPPORT PROGRAM FOR PSYCHO THERAPY AT UW MADISON. COMMITTED TO SERVING INDIVIDUALS, FAMILIES AND ORGANIZATIONS THROUGH WHOLE PERSON WELLNESS SERVICES INCLUDING COACHING, CONSULTATION AND PSYCHO THERAPY. - Historic Haymarket Milwaukee
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. SUPPORTS PERMANENT OR SPECIAL EXHIBIT HABITATS, EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS, OR NAMES FOR A CURATORIAL CHAIR FOR THE MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 114 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 60 | $2,954,467 | $25,000 |
| 2022 | 49 | $3,372,167 | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 50 | $3,371,167 | $27,500 |
| 2024 | 49 | $3,352,000 | $35,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 80% of this one's giving went to organizations in Wisconsin. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $25,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Wisconsin.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Nicholas Family Foundation Trust's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2021-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 10309 N River Rd, Mequon, WI, 53092. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 39-6589261 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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