Baird Foundation Inc
Baird Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It supports nonprofit organizations in areas including health and human services, education, and the arts, and provides matching gifts for associates’ personal giving as well as direct donations to organizations with which associates are actively involved.
Baird Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Baird Foundation Inc gave $7.0M across 3,862 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Wisconsin. 27% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $6,985,596
- +5.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 3,862
- +3.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,809
- +2.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $500
- Total assets
- $142,747,067
- +9.4% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (1,014 of 3,787, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (39% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Baird Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 777 East Wisconsin Avenue, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: (414) 765-3500
Website: https://seggroup.bairdwealth.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Baird Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County ($561K). Together the top 10 received $1.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
17,642 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 17,553 grants of 17,642 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing shows that Wisconsin organizations received 39% of grant dollars, followed by Kentucky at 8%, Illinois at 7%, Pennsylvania at 5%, and Indiana at 4%. The largest listed grants went primarily to organizations in Wisconsin, with additional major grants to recipients in Illinois, Washington, New York, and South Carolina.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 3,862 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Baird Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1,014 of 3,787 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $322 first-time, $680 repeat.
- 60% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 25% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 126% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.7M (2019) to $7.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 3,862 grants totaling $7.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Milwaukee, WI | Health and Human Services | $561,411 |
| United Performing Arts Fund Milwaukee, WI | ARTS | $260,817 |
| Carmen Schools of Science & Technology Milwaukee, WI | Education | $170,000 |
| United Way of Metropolitan Chicago Chicago, IL | Health and Human Services | $120,374 |
| Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School Seattle, WA | Education | $100,000 |
| Museum of American Finance New York, NY | Education | $100,000 |
| Saint John Catholic School North Charleston, SC | Education | $100,000 |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation Milwaukee, WI | Health and Human Services | $75,400 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | Education | $74,734 |
| Big Brothers Big Sisters of Metro Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | Youth Organizations | $62,531 |
Ready to take the next step with Baird Foundation Inc?
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 | $142,747,067 | $16,501,693 | $7,110,445 | $6,985,596 | 3,862 | $7,010,480 | $6,096,587 | $5,555,523 |
| 2024 | $130,491,206 | $11,335,233 | $6,557,420 | $6,620,946 | 3,751 | $6,648,108 | $2,288,405 | $4,946,036 |
| 2023 | $115,318,490 | $2,414,323 | $5,713,239 | $5,962,814 | 3,621 | $5,981,975 | $539,213 | $4,328,659 |
| 2022 | $109,446,731 | $5,710,713 | $5,301,414 | $5,569,326 | 3,401 | $5,589,904 | $4,889,457 | $4,094,656 |
| 2021 | $128,190,737 | $25,338,164 | $5,809,461 | $5,738,865 | 3,007 | $5,754,021 | $2,898,119 | $3,788,790 |
| 2020 | $102,425,034 | $29,420,885 | $4,764,309 | $4,709,671 | 7,799 | — | $1,782,614 | $2,609,611 |
| 2019 | $67,324,627 | $5,997,612 | $2,726,341 | $2,694,480 | 6,467 | — | $745,785 | $2,334,348 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Baird Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $5.6M 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 website says it supports nonprofit organizations aligned with its focus on health and human services, education, the arts, and other areas. Its filing describes the Stscherban Everett Garwood Group at Baird Private Wealth Management and its wealth-management services; it does not state a separate foundation mission.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of its giving. United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County describes its mission as uniting people to create positive, lasting change in the community. United Performing Arts Fund says it raises community resources and supports the performing arts in southeastern Wisconsin. Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation says it fundraises for Children’s Hospital and its nonprofit affiliates. Catholic Education Foundation says it advances Catholic education in the Archdiocese of Louisville, primarily through tuition assistance grants to families.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 3,862 grants totaling $6,985,596. Grant amounts ranged from $10 to $561,411, with a median grant of $500.
The largest reported grants included $561,411 to United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County for health and human services; $260,817 to United Performing Arts Fund for the arts; $170,000 to Carmen Schools of Science & Technology for education; and $120,374 to United Way of Metropolitan Chicago for health and human services. Other grants included $100,000 each to Cristo Rey Jesuit Seattle High School, Museum of American Finance, and Saint John Catholic School, all listed for education.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Michelle Skelton as vice president/tax director; Alexandria Craig as vice president; Jennifer L McCauley as treasurer; and Dawn M DeCicco as secretary. Directors listed are Steven G Booth, Rodney L Jones-Tyson, Ch Randolph Lyon, Geoffrey C Mackey, Gordon G Pan, and Michael J Schroeder. The filing notes Jones-Tyson as a director as of February 2025 and Lyon as a director through February 2025.
Baird Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 11 officers; none of the 11 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ch Randolph Lyon
Director -
Director → Director -, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Geoffrey C. Mackey
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gordon G. Pan
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Ellen Stanek
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael J. Schroeder
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Skelton
Vice President & Tax Director
Vice President → Vice President & Tax Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven G. Booth
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rodney L. Jones-Tyson
Director -
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dawn M. Decicco
Secretary
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer L. McCauley
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Alexandria Craig
Vice President
Vice President - → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2024
45 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jill E. Fox (2022–2024) — President -
- Former: Audrey J. Warner (2019–2022) — President
- Former: Leslie H. Dixon (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Paul E. Purcell (2019–2020) — Chairman
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.
Frequently asked questions about Baird Foundation Inc
How much does Baird Foundation Inc give each year?
Baird Foundation Inc gave $7.0M across 3,862 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $6.6M across 3,751 grants.
What is Baird Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Baird Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $500, and its average grant was $1,809, across 3,862 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Baird Foundation Inc that year got $1K on average.
Where does Baird Foundation Inc give grants?
Baird Foundation Inc's top state is Wisconsin, with 39% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Kentucky (8%) and Illinois (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (212 grants), Louisville, KY (159 grants), Chicago, IL (102 grants) and New York, NY (70 grants).
Does Baird Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 3,862 grants with a stated purpose on Baird Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Health and Human Services" (1398 grants), "Ethnic and Religious" (757 grants) and "Education" (735 grants).
Who are Baird Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Baird Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County ($561,411), United Performing Arts Fund ($260,817) and Carmen Schools of Science & Technology ($170,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 14% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Baird Foundation Inc?
Baird Foundation Inc reported $142.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $5.6M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Baird Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s website says it supports nonprofit organizations aligned with its focus on health and human services, education, the arts, and other areas. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Baird Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Baird Foundation Inc's EIN?
Baird Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-6107937. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Baird Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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 May 28, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Baird Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Wisconsin
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing
Appleton, WI
Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing distributes donor-directed and program donations to a broad range of causes and organizations in local, national, and global communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $11,520 and ranged from $5,006 to $5 million. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$939.7M
Grants
2,565
Total Given
$84.6M
Alliant Energy Foundation Inc
Madison, WI
Assets
$28.5M
Grants
929
Total Given
$2.4M
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
Milwaukee, WI
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation funds nonprofit programs, projects, general operations and capital needs, with priorities including early childhood education, housing, basic needs, health, arts and culture, and scientific research. Its competitive grants primarily serve Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties; in 2024, the median grant was about $27,800, though awards varied widely. It runs competitive grant cycles, but whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
838
Total Given
$66.8M
Give Back Foundation
Madison, WI
Give Back Foundation distributes donor-designated contributions through workplace giving and other giving platforms to selected 501(c)(3) charities, rather than setting its own cause areas. In 2025, grants had a median of $9,066, with recipient organizations concentrated in Virginia, California, and Washington, D.C.; it does not accept unsolicited requests or work directly with charities.
Assets
$31.3M
Grants
639
Total Given
$40.1M
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc
Milwaukee, WI
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County funds local human services and community programs focused on housing stability, digital access, employment, teen mental wellness, and community resilience. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to about $2 million, with a median of about $34,000, and most funding went to Wisconsin, especially its four-county region. It requires a Letter of Intent before a full application; the listed 2026–27 Letter of Intent deadline has passed.
Assets
$50.8M
Grants
639
Total Given
$42.7M
More similar funders
More Funders in Wisconsin
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Baird Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/baird-foundation-inc-morg_606aa94674a54a1c89d925576f3d0905
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_396107937_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Baird Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/baird-foundation-inc-morg_606aa94674a54a1c89d925576f3d0905},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-07. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Baird Foundation Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Baird Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?