Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family

Private foundation · Grantmaker Prairie Du Chien, WI EIN: 39-1936484

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family is a private foundation based in Prairie du Chien, Wisconsin. It reported 15 grants totaling $52,744 in filing year 2025.

Key facts about Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family

In short: Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family gave $53K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state Wisconsin. 47% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
39-1936484
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$52,744
Grants made (2025)
15
Average grant
$3,516
Median grant
$3,199
New grantees (estimate)
47% first-time grantees (7 of 15, 2025)
Total assets
$360,307
Primary geography
Wisconsin (46% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$360K

-8.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$53K

+17.2% YoY

Grant Count

15

+25.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$4K

-6.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family reported a distributable amount of $51K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family open to new grantees?

47%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 7 of 15 grantees (47%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $4K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.

  • 47% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+1%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The available statements do not specify a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. For example, Southwest Options for Women describes its work as providing care and support to women facing unplanned pregnancies; Wisconsin Waterfowl Association says it works to restore and conserve Wisconsin’s waterfowl and wetlands; and Rivers and Bluffs Animal Shelter describes its work as caring for companion animals and helping them find homes.

Other 2025 grantees include Fireweed Community Woodshop, which says it empowers women and non-binary people through woodworking education, and Allegro Organizational Solutions, which describes its mission as providing relief and development assistance in difficult and often hostile parts of the world.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $52,744 through 15 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,549 to $5,549, with a median grant of $3,199.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The 2025 grant-dollar shares by recipient state were Wisconsin 46%, Minnesota 21%, Florida 11%, Virginia 10%, and Texas 9%. These figures describe the states of recipients, not necessarily the locations served by the grantees.

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.

Cities

Prairie Du ChienSt CloudNaplesCross PlainsEden PrairieHoustonLand O LakesFredericksburgWaunakeeBonita SringsBoyertownBradentonBrookfieldCollegevilleFort MyersLa CrosseMadisonMiddletonMinneapolisMinnetonka

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K13 grants2021 12 grants2022 14 grants2023 12 grants2024 15 grants2025

From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $45K (2024) to $54K (2023). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $53K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Agrace Foundation: $6KAgrace Foundation$6KCovenant Church of Naples: $6KCovenant Church of Naples$6KSouthwest Options for Women: $5KSouthwest Options for Women$5KStudents for Life of America: $5KStudents for Life of America$5KAllegro Organizational Solutions: $5KAllegro OrganizationalSolutions$5KPrairie Mason: $4KPrairie Mason$4KWisconsin Waterfowl Association: $4KWisconsin WaterfowlAssociation$4KCross Plains Baseball: $3KCross Plains Baseball$3KFather Fagan: $3KFather Fagan$3KFort Fun Park: $3KFort Fun Park$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was Agrace Foundation ($6K). Together the top 10 received $43K.

Grant Size Distribution

66 grants across all recorded years

66<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 66 grants of 66 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Agrace Foundation La Crosse, WIGeneral Contribution$5,549
Covenant Church of Naples Naples, FLGeneral Donation$5,549
Southwest Options for Women Eden Prairie, MNGeneral Donation$5,274
Students for Life of America Fredericksburg, VAGeneral Donation$5,274
Allegro Organizational Solutions Houston, TXGeneral Contribution$5,000
Prairie Mason Prairie Du Chien, WIGeneral Donation$4,000
Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Wales, WIGeneral Donation$3,850
Cross Plains Baseball Cross Plains, WIGeneral Donation$3,199
Father Fagan Prairie Du Chien, WIGeneral Donation$2,500
Fort Fun Park Prairie Du Chien, WIGeneral Donation$2,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants Grant count
2025 $360,307 $30,687 $65,916 $52,744 15
2024 $395,536 $19,126 $58,081 $45,016 12
2023 $434,491 $9,063 $66,262 $54,190 14
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$20K$40K$60K$80K2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$360,307$395,536$434,491
Revenue$30,687$19,126$9,063
Expenses$65,916$58,081$66,262
Qualifying Distributions$52,744$45,016$54,190
Net Investment Income$20,672$12,464$16,143
Distributable Amount$50,932$49,297$47,655

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 13, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 16, 2023)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 15, 2024)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 14, 2026)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Carole Sayer, Joe Mullen, Thomas F Peterson, Mary Jo Ruhl, and John L Peterson as directors.

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Carole Sayer

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • Joe Mullen

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • John L. Peterson

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • Mary Jo Ruhl

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

  • Thomas F. Peterson

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    $2K (2021) → $2K (2025)

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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

Carole Sayer — Director: $2KCarole SayerDirector$2KJoe Mullen — Director: $2KJoe MullenDirector$2KThomas F Peterson — Director: $2KThomas F PetersonDirector$2KMary Jo Ruhl — Director: $2KMary Jo RuhlDirector$2KJohn L Peterson — Director: $2KJohn L PetersonDirector$2K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $2K, to Carole Sayer (Director). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 110 East Haydn St, Prairie Du Chien, WI 53821
Phone: (608) 326-6496

Frequently asked questions about Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family

How much does Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family give each year?

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family gave $53K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $45K across 12 grants.

What is Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's typical grant size?

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's median grant in 2025 was $3,199, and its average grant was $3,516, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family that year got $3K on average.

Where does Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family give grants?

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's top state is Wisconsin, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Minnesota (21%) and Florida (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Prairie Du Chien, WI (4 grants) and St Cloud, MN (2 grants).

Does Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (15 of 15) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's largest grantees?

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's largest 2025 grantees include Agrace Foundation ($5,549), Covenant Church of Naples ($5,549) and Southwest Options for Women ($5,274), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family?

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family reported $360K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $53K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $51K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family fund?

The available statements do not specify a mission for the foundation. Its 2025 grants went to organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family?

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's EIN?

Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1936484. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Does Carolyn M & Leary E Peterson Family accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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