Church Mutual Insurance Company
The Church Mutual Insurance Company Foundation Inc. (also known as CM CARES®) is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2016 and based in Merrill, Wisconsin. The foundation operates as the charitable arm of Church Mutual Insurance Company, S.I., a privately held insurance company founded in 1897 that specializes in insuring religious organizations, nonprofits, human services agencies, schools, camps, and conference centers.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$325K
-34.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$431K
-33.0% YoY
Grant Count
192
-1.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$2K
-32.3% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Church Mutual Insurance Company reported a distributable amount of $22K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
CM CARES® was established to support charitable, educational, and religious causes that advance and elevate others. The foundation focuses on:
- General fundraising efforts
- Food pantry support through annual donations
- United Way employee gift matching
- Operation Christmas Child
- Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit
- Education
- Human services
- Philanthropy and voluntarism
The foundation provides gifts to organizations including the United Way, Feeding America, the Salvation Army, and Meals on Wheels, with impact at both local and national levels.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 194 grants in 2024, with typical award amounts ranging from $30 to $122,891. Recent notable grants include:
How to Apply
** The foundation accepts applications for donations and event sponsorships through a downloadable application form. CM CARES can only donate to or sponsor verifiable 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations. The foundation no longer offers scholarships through its Religious Scholars program.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois, though it also supports causes with national impact.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $324,708
- Total Revenues: $268,936
- Total Expenses: $441,787
- Total Giving: $431,206
Cumulative Impact:
- Over $5.9 million donated to charitable organizations
- Support provided to 1,441+ organizations
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $324,708 | $497,559 | $903,616 |
| Revenue | $268,936 | $277,815 | $1,146,657 |
| Expenses | $441,787 | $683,872 | $587,621 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $442,012 | $686,972 | $587,621 |
| Net Investment Income | $18,936 | $27,815 | $6,657 |
| Distributable Amount | $22,173 | $38,434 | $35,262 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include All-in-milwaukee ($5,000), American Red Cross-wisconsin Region ($2,500), Community Food Pantry of Merrill Inc ($1,500).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| A KID AGAIN MIDLAND, MI | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $250 |
| ACTUARIAL FOUNDATION SCHAUMBURG, IL | SUPPORT OF MATH EDUCATION AND FINANCIAL LITERACY PROGRAMS AND SCHOLARSHIPS | $500 |
| ALL-IN-MILWAUKEE MILWAUKEE, WI | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $5,000 |
| ALPHA SIGMA NU MILWAUKEE, WI | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $440 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS-WISCONSIN REGION MADISON, WI | EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND | $500 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS-WISCONSIN REGION MADISON, WI | EMERGENCY RESPONSE FUND | $2,500 |
| ASCENSION LUTHERAN CHURCH BROOKINGS, SD | FEEDING BROOKINGS FOOD PANTRY | $500 |
| ASONE FELLOWSHIP INC FAYETTEVILLE, NC | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $400 |
| ASPIRUS HEALTH FOUNDATION WAUSAU, WI | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $500 |
| BALD KNOB CROSS OF PEACE ALTO PASS, IL | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT | $500 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ALAN S OGILVIE | PRESIDENT | 0.1 | — |
| PAMELA J RUSHING | EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | 0.1 | — |
| DWAYNE A GANTZ | TREASURER | 0.25 | — |
| MICHAEL M SMITH | SECRETARY | 0.25 | — |
| STEPHANIE I LYNN | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| KEVIN D ROOT | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| JANET L SELNES | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| PAMELA W STAMPEN | DIRECTOR | 0.1 | — |
| ANDREW J BLOECHL | DIRECTOR | 0.25 | — |
| ELIZABETH L HANS | FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATOR | 2 | — |
| HEATHER A RENZELMANN | FOUNDATION ADMINISTRATOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In January 2026, Church Mutual donated $45,000 to 14 nonprofits through the CM CARES Employee-led Giving Program.
Church Mutual Donates $45,000 to 14 Nonprofits Through CM ...Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Church Mutual Insurance Company fund?
CM CARES® was established to support charitable, educational, and religious causes that advance and elevate others. The foundation focuses on: • General fundraising efforts • Food pantry support through annual donations • United Way employee gift matching • Operation Christmas Child • Midwest Gospel Preaching Summit • Education • Human services • Philanthropy and voluntarism The foundation provides gifts to organizations including the United Way, Feeding America, the Salvation Army, and Meals o…
How do I apply for a grant from Church Mutual Insurance Company?
The foundation made 194 grants in 2024, with typical award amounts ranging from $30 to $122,891. Recent notable grants include: • Merrill Area United Way: $93,637 (Matching United Way Employee Gift) • Northcentral Technical College Foundation: $50,000 (General Operating Support) • Marquette University: $49,000 (General Operating Support) Total giving in 2024 was $431,206. **Application Process:** The foundation accepts applications for donations and event sponsorships through a downloadable app…
Where does Church Mutual Insurance Company make grants?
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Wisconsin, Indiana, and Illinois, though it also supports causes with national impact.
What size grants does Church Mutual Insurance Company award?
In 2024, Church Mutual Insurance Company awarded 192 grants totaling $431K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Church Mutual Insurance Company required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Church Mutual Insurance Company reported a distributable amount of $22K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Church Mutual Insurance Company's EIN?
Church Mutual Insurance Company's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-4690250. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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