Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Sheboygan, Wisconsin. In 2024, it reported 16 grants totaling $513,000, supporting organizations and programs that included education, youth and community services, food security, and operating support.
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc gave $513K across 16 grants in 2024 (avg $32K), mostly in Wisconsin. 44% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $513,000
- -25.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 16
- +23.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $32,063
- -39.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $4,448,790
- +1.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 44% first-time grantees (7 of 16, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (62% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The filing lists no application form or required materials and no deadline. Eligible recipients are organizations exempt under Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The filing names Robert Melzer as the contact.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert Melzer
Mailing address: 909 N 8Th Street Suite 100, Sheboygan, WI 53081
Phone: (920) 458-5501
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Makko Billi School ($100K). Together the top 10 received $435K.
Grant Size Distribution
79 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 79 (75%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 grant dollars were reported as 62% to Wisconsin, 19% to an unspecified state, 11% to New York, and 7% to Florida. Listed recipients also include Makko Billi School, whose location is not provided.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
44%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 16 grantees (44%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $18K; repeat grants $43K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $35K repeat.
- 50% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 77% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $484K (2021) to $696K (2022). In 2024 it made 16 grants totaling $513K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Makko Billi School | Support for Private School in Ethiopa | $100,000 |
| Lakeland University Plymouth, WI | Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Sheboygan Public Education Foundation Sheboygan, WI | Operating Support | $60,000 |
| Camp Evergreen Sheboygan, WI | Renovation of Swimming Pool and Enclosure | $50,000 |
| Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | Operating Support | $40,000 |
| Running Rebels Community Organization Inc Milwaukee, WI | Engagement for community and youth members and their families to prevent involvement in gangs, drugs, violence, and the juvenile justice system and assisting those individuals to make positive choices | $35,000 |
| Sheboygan County Food Bank Sheboygan, WI | Distribution of healthy emergency food and fostering innovative community partnerships | $30,000 |
| Girl Scouts of Manitou Council Sheboygan, WI | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| Sheboygan County YMCA Sheboygan, WI | Operating Support | $20,000 |
| University of Miami - Bascom Palmer Eye Institute Miami, FL | Operating Support | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Catharine B Stayer Family 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,448,790 | $688,574 | $635,004 | $513,000 | 16 | $544,852 | $611,422 | $704,003 |
| 2023 | $4,395,220 | $759,537 | $775,150 | $690,000 | 13 | $709,055 | $693,442 | $610,587 |
| 2022 | $4,410,833 | $-137,844 | $800,810 | $696,000 | 19 | $718,507 | $10,532 | $630,002 |
| 2021 | $5,349,487 | $849,872 | $558,218 | $484,000 | 15 | $487,013 | $778,729 | $736,252 |
| 2020 | $5,057,833 | $221,771 | $600,662 | $520,000 | 16 | — | $156,968 | $546,986 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $704K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational institutions and programs, youth organizations, a food bank, and other nonprofits. For example, the Sheboygan Public Education Foundation says it raises contributions to enhance students’ educational opportunities through facilities and programs not supported by the budget. The Sheboygan County Food Bank says it works to increase food security by distributing healthy emergency food and fostering partnerships. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $513,000. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $20,000. Its largest listed grants were $100,000 to Makko Billi School for support for a private school in Ethiopia; $60,000 each to Lakeland University and the Sheboygan Public Education Foundation for operating support; and $50,000 to Camp Evergreen for renovation of a swimming pool and enclosure.
Other listed grants included $40,000 to Stephen Siller Tunnel to Towers Foundation for operating support; $35,000 to Running Rebels Community Organization for youth and community engagement; $30,000 to Sheboygan County Food Bank for emergency food distribution and community partnerships; and $20,000 each to Girl Scouts of Manitou Council and Sheboygan County YMCA for operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ralph VK Stayer as president; Patrick S Stayer, Michael S Stayer-Suprick, Laura G Stayer, and Felma Degefa as vice presidents; Felma Degefa as treasurer; and Robert T Melzer as secretary.
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc is led by Ralph Vk Stayer, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ralph Vk Stayer
President
Vice President & Assistant Secretary → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Felma Degefa
Vice President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Laura G. Stayer
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michael S. Stayer-Suprick
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick S. Stayer
Vice President
President → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert T. Melzer
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc
How much does Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc give each year?
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc gave $513K across 16 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $690K across 13 grants.
What is Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $20,000, and its average grant was $32,063, across 16 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc that year got $18K on average.
Where does Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc give grants?
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (11%) and Florida (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Sheboygan, WI (5 grants), Plymouth, WI (2 grants) and Racine, WI (2 grants).
Does Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 75% of Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 16) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Makko Billi School ($100,000), Lakeland University ($60,000) and Sheboygan Public Education Foundation ($60,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc?
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc reported $4.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $545K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $704K (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 Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for educational institutions and programs, youth organizations, a food bank, and other nonprofits. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's EIN?
Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-2019081. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/catharine-b-stayer-family-foundation-inc-morg_05eeeba178fa4c08a1fc63f07cc632d7
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_202019081_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Catharine B Stayer Family Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/catharine-b-stayer-family-foundation-inc-morg_05eeeba178fa4c08a1fc63f07cc632d7},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 Catharine B Stayer Family 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.
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