Richard and Ethel Herzfeld
Milwaukee, WI · EIN 23-7230686. Reported 268 grants totalling $14.2M to 92 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. Richard and Ethel Herzfeld 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 $30,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $20,000 and $50,000; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $1,000,000. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Milwaukee Repertory Theater | Milwaukee, WI | $1,344,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Milwaukee Film Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $1,196,500 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Ballet | Milwaukee, WI | $1,104,999 | 8 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra | Milwaukee, WI | $620,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Art Museum | Milwaukee, WI | $553,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Teens Grow Greens | Milwaukee, WI | $454,399 | 6 | 4 | 2024 |
| United Community Center | Milwaukee, WI | $450,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Florentine Opera Company | Milwaukee, WI | $430,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Arts at Large | Milwaukee, WI | $351,666 | 7 | 4 | 2024 |
| Imagine Mke Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $345,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Public Museum | Milwaukee, WI | $300,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Public Library Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $260,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Institute of Art & Design | Milwaukee, WI | $242,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Marcus Center for the Performing Arts | Milwaukee, WI | $225,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Conservatory of Music | Milwaukee, WI | $225,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Repertory Theather | Milwaukee, WI | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee, WI | $198,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Youth Symphony Orchestra | Milwaukee, WI | $195,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Neighborhood House of Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $190,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Coa Youth and Family Centers | Milwaukee, WI | $185,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| College Possible | Milwaukee, WI | $185,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Radio for Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $180,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| First Stage Children's Theater | Milwaukee, WI | $175,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Next Door Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $175,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Betty Brinn Children's Museum | Milwaukee, WI | $170,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| First Stage | Milwaukee, WI | $155,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Skylight Music Theatre | Milwaukee, WI | $155,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Policy Forum | Milwaukee, WI | $152,500 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Near West Side Partners | Milwaukee, WI | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Renaissance Theaterworks | Milwaukee, WI | $150,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Silver Spring Neighborhood Center | Milwaukee, WI | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| City Year Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $140,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| YMCA of Greater Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $140,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Storyville Center for the Spoken Word | New York, NY | $135,000 | 5 | 4 | 2024 |
| Next Act Theatre | Milwaukee, WI | $130,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Sharp Literacy Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $125,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Create Wi | Madison, WI | $120,000 | 4 | 3 | 2024 |
| Artists Working in Education | Milwaukee, WI | $115,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Danceworks | Milwaukee, WI | $105,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| City Year Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Next Door Foundation | Hood River, OR | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| YWCA of Southeast Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Chamber Theatre | Milwaukee, WI | $95,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Black Arts Mke | Milwaukee, WI | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Literacy Lab | Washington, DC | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Running Rebels Community Organization | Milwaukee, WI | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| True Skool | Milwaukee, WI | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Penfield Children's Center | Milwaukee, WI | $80,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Christian Center | Milwaukee, WI | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Woodland Pattern | Milwaukee, WI | $75,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Turners | Milwaukee, WI | $70,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Wild Space Dance Company | Milwaukee, WI | $65,500 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Menomonee Valley Partners | Milwaukee, WI | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Downtown Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Milwaukee Parks Foundation | Wauwatosa, WI | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Riverworks Development Corporation | Milwaukee, WI | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Lynden Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $59,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Present Music | Milwaukee, WI | $55,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| YMCA of Southeast Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| La Familia De Arte | Milwaukee, WI | $45,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Pearls for Teen Girls | Milwaukee, WI | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Islands of Brilliance | Milwaukee, WI | $42,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Charles Allis-Villa Terrace Museums | Milwaukee, WI | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Optimist Theater | Milwaukee, WI | $35,000 | 3 | 2 | 2022 |
| Early Music Now | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Historic Milwaukee Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| LEAD2CHANGE | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Lynden Sculpture Garden | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Medical College of Wisconsin - Reach Out and Read Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Pink Umbrella Theater Company | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Sculpture Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Schiltz Audubon Nature Center | Milwaukee, WI | $27,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Bradley Family Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Frank Lloyd Wright's Burnham Block Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Public Allies Wi | Milwaukee, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| John Michael Kohler Arts Center | Sheboygan, WI | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Racine Art Museum | Racine, WI | $22,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Ex Fabula | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Frank Lloyd Wright Wi Heritage Tourism Program Inc | Madison, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| La Causa | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Milwaukee World Festival Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Northwest Side Community Development Corporation | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Optimist Theatre | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| America Player's Theater | Spring Green, WI | $18,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| American Players Theatre | Spring Green, WI | $18,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Feast of Crispian | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Milwaukee Press Club Endowment | North Prairie, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Public Allies Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Studio K Flamenco | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Friends of Schlitz Audubon Nature Center | Milwaukee, WI | $14,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Friends of PBS Wisconsin Inc | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Joy Engine | Milwaukee, WI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
71 of 92 (77%) 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 90%, 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.
- United Community Center
EDUCATION - CAPITAL SUPPORT: PREPARATION OF EARLY LEARNING ACADEMY FOR APRIL 2021 OCCUPANCY - Milwaukee Repertory Theater
ARTS AND CULTURE - GENERAL OPERATIONS - Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra
ARTS AND CULTURE - 21-22 GENERAL OPERATIONS - Milwaukee Art Museum
ARTS AND CULTURE - PHOTOGRAPHY COLLECTION & JUNIOR DOCENT PROGRAM - Wisconsin Conservatory of Music
EDUCATION - GENERAL OPERATIONS - Imagine Mke Inc
ARTS AND CULTURE - $100K GENERAL OPERATIONS, $25K RESEARCH PROJECT
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 175 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 69 | $3,260,400 | $33,000 |
| 2022 | 79 | $4,490,832 | $30,000 |
| 2023 | 52 | $2,310,832 | $30,000 |
| 2024 | 68 | $4,154,500 | $30,000 |
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. 98% 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 $30,000. 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.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Richard and Ethel Herzfeld'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: 219 N Milwaukee Street 7 Fl, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. 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 23-7230686 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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