Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation
The AB Nicholas Scholarship Foundation is a private foundation based in Mequon, Wisconsin. It supports need-based scholarships for Wisconsin high school students who have participated in their school’s basketball program as players or managers and plan to attend a University of Wisconsin System institution.
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation at a glance
In short: Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation gave $3.5M across 445 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,465,000
- +1.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 445
- +6.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $7,787
- -4.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $56,932,501
- -1.1% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website says applications are submitted online. Applicants register and submit an application and financial-aid worksheet; the website also directs applicants to complete the FAFSA and submit it to their chosen UW System school. The stated application period is February 1 through April 30 during senior year.
- Review Cycle
- April 30, 2027.
- Deadline
- April 30, 2027.
- Next open deadline
- April 30, 2027 (Ab Nicholas Scholarship)
- Contact
Application contact: Lynn Nicholas
Mailing address: 10309 North River Road, Mequon, WI 53092
Phone: (262) 242-3040
Email: info@abnsf.org
Website: https://abnicholasscholars.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation
Who Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Christian Thompson ($10K).
Organizations only. It also paid 444 individual scholarships ($3,455,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
2,004 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,004 grants of 2,004 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s scholarship program serves Wisconsin students attending University of Wisconsin System institutions. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2025 went to recipients in Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 445 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+14%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.5M (2019) to $3.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 445 grants totaling $3.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 50 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $525,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $56,932,501 | $3,054,797 | $3,687,078 | $3,465,000 | 445 | $3,574,803 | $3,073,738 | $3,744,856 |
| 2024 | $57,564,782 | $2,886,438 | $3,609,439 | $3,415,000 | 420 | $3,525,069 | $2,873,808 | $3,543,555 |
| 2023 | $58,289,861 | $2,991,399 | $3,455,225 | $3,242,500 | 400 | $3,373,833 | $2,929,629 | $3,243,831 |
| 2022 | $58,753,687 | $6,013,180 | $3,254,412 | $3,047,500 | 387 | $3,178,833 | $6,083,111 | $3,425,450 |
| 2021 | $55,994,948 | $4,129,781 | $2,990,873 | $2,707,000 | 352 | — | $4,350,258 | $3,289,303 |
| 2020 | $54,856,040 | $4,019,830 | $2,672,092 | $2,462,500 | 321 | — | $4,135,009 | $2,754,896 |
| 2019 | $53,508,302 | $4,467,761 | $2,686,130 | $2,460,000 | 315 | — | $4,560,588 | $2,779,162 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to increase access to higher education for Wisconsin high school students who have participated in their school’s basketball program. Its website describes its scholarships as need-based and annually renewable. The current program description specifies four-year degree programs at University of Wisconsin System institutions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 445 grants totaling $3,465,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The listed largest grants were to individual recipients for college scholarships at University of Wisconsin campuses, including $25,000 for a University of Wisconsin–Madison scholarship and $15,000 for scholarships at UW–Madison and UW–Platteville.
The foundation’s website describes an award of $10,000 per year for students in four-year programs, potentially renewable for up to four years if the recipient maintains a cumulative GPA of at least 2.0. Applicants must complete the FAFSA, be Wisconsin high school seniors who participated in their school’s basketball program as a player or manager, and plan to attend a UW System institution. The eligibility requirements also specify Wisconsin residency and full-time enrollment of at least 12 credits per semester. The 2023 filing states that applicants participating in NCAA Division I, II, or III athletics are ineligible.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lynn S. Nicholas, David O. Nicholas, Susan Nicholas Fasciano, and Nancy J. Nicholas as trustees.
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lynn S. Nicholas
Trustee
On filings since 2019
20 hrs/week
$120K (2019) → $120K (2025)
David O. Nicholas
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Nancy J. Nicholas
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Susan Nicholas Fasciano
Trustee
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $120K, to Lynn S Nicholas (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation
How much does Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation give each year?
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation gave $3.5M across 445 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.4M across 420 grants.
What is Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation's typical grant size?
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $7,787, across 445 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation give grants?
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.
Does Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 445 grants with a stated purpose on Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "University of Wisconsin - Madison College Scholarship" (92 grants), "University of Wisconsin - La Crosse College Scholarship" (85 grants) and "University of Wisconsin - Platteville College Scholarship" (37 grants).
How large is Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation?
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation reported $56.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to increase access to higher education for Wisconsin high school students who have participated in their school’s basketball program. Its website describes its scholarships as need-based and annually renewable. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation?
The foundation’s website says applications are submitted online. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation's EIN?
Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-6194488. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 3, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 31, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation funds
Education Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?