Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation is a private foundation, based in Milwaukee, WI. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $1.6M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 7 grants totaling $65K. Net investment income was $90K.
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation at a glance
In short: Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation gave $65K across 7 grants in 2025 (avg $9K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $65,117
- -9.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 7
- -46.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $9,302
- +68.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,636,852
- +4.7% 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 September 2026.
Who Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 7 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Frank Lloyd Wright Burnham Block ($45K). Together the top 7 received $65K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 58 grants of 58 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 7 itemized grants.
Cities
How Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation gives
- Giving grew 58% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 $41K (2022) to $83K (2021). In 2025 it made 7 grants totaling $65K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Frank Lloyd Wright Burnham Block Madison, WI | Burnham Block Project | $44,625 |
| Wisconsin Historical Society Madison, WI | General Support | $7,292 |
| Milwaukee Art Museum Milwaukee, WI | General Support | $6,750 |
| Museum of Wisconsin Art West Bend, WI | General Support | $5,000 |
| Wild Space Dance CO Milwaukee, WI | General Support | $1,000 |
| Glacial Lakes Conservancy Sheboygan, WI | General Support | $250 |
| PBS Milwaukee, WI | General Support | $200 |
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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 | $1,636,852 | $105,153 | $81,344 | $65,117 | 7 | $65,835 | $89,894 | $73,911 |
| 2024 | $1,563,215 | $68,878 | $93,621 | $71,993 | 13 | $79,549 | $54,806 | $69,794 |
| 2023 | $1,402,020 | $29,272 | $79,970 | $67,022 | 13 | $67,565 | $16,867 | $61,687 |
| 2022 | $1,278,876 | $26,383 | $57,147 | $41,250 | 15 | $41,767 | $13,133 | $64,051 |
| 2021 | $1,587,984 | $95,363 | $99,534 | $82,500 | 10 | $84,138 | $81,434 | $73,545 |
| 2020 | $1,478,591 | $62,751 | $87,192 | $73,150 | 23 | — | $50,530 | $64,866 |
| 2019 | $1,523,745 | $64,481 | $71,610 | $55,098 | 26 | — | $51,880 | $65,238 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation reported a distributable amount of $74K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation is led by Robert Elsner III, President & Treasurer since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Elsner III
President & Treasurer
President → President & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Barbara Elsner
Member
Treasurer → Member, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Margaret Howland
Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kate Lilek
Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Kathryn Lilek (2019–2020) — Secretary
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 Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation
How much does Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation give each year?
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation gave $65K across 7 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $72K across 13 grants.
What is Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's typical grant size?
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $9,302, across 7 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation give grants?
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (3 grants) and Madison, WI (2 grants).
Does Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (6 of 7) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's largest grantees?
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Frank Lloyd Wright Burnham Block ($44,625), Wisconsin Historical Society ($7,292) and Milwaukee Art Museum ($6,750), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 90% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation?
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $66K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $74K (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 is Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's EIN?
Barbara Meyer Elsner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1710863. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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 July 13, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS August 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS September 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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