Community Foundation of Southern
The Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin (CFSW) is a 501(c)(3) public charity and community foundation established in 1991. Based in Janesville, Wisconsin, with additional offices in Monroe and Platteville, CFSW serves as a philanthropic grantmaking organization that administers charitable funds for individuals, families, and corporations. The foundation operates as a repository for over 870 component funds and serves as a vehicle for donors to direct charitable giving to support community needs.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$92.3M
+12.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$2.6M
+27.1% YoY
Grant Count
108
+33.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$24K
-4.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: Matching Personal Philanthropy With Community Need.
CFSW supports a broad range of charitable interests including:
- Education
- Arts and culture
- Health and human services
- The environment
- Historic preservation
- Animal welfare
- Public safety
- Community development
- Economic development
Grantmaking
CFSW administers approximately 35 competitive grant programs alongside donor-advised and non-competitive grants directed by donors.
Review Cycle
May 1 and September 15 (timing varies by specific fund)
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation of Southern?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
CFSW serves a nine-county region of Southern Wisconsin:
- Crawford
- Grant
- Green
- Iowa
- Lafayette
- Rock
- Sauk
- Vernon
- Walworth
Primary grantmaking focuses on Wisconsin, with some activity in Illinois and New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $92,270,332–$105,461,928 (varies by reporting year)
Annual Activity:
- Total revenues: $8.82M–$9,712,688
- Total expenses: $5,366,566–$6,343,362
- Component funds: 821–871 funds
Staffing: 13–15 employees
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $92,270,332 | $81,784,950 | $72,404,533 |
| Revenue | $9,712,688 | $8,816,357 | $12,866,517 |
| Expenses | $6,343,362 | $5,442,482 | $4,893,247 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $3,498,982 | $1,505,171 | $5,296,548 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
Open Grants
74 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Southern
Albrecht Memorial Scholarship Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Argyle Community Fund Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Argyle Excellence In Education Fund Grant
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOUTHERN
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include City of Platteville ($103,000), Fiscc Inc - Friends of the Woodman's Center ($102,000), Green County Family Ymca Inc ($60,501).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADVANCE SHULLSBURG SHULLSBURG, WI | PARK FUND SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| AGRACE HOSPICE & PALLIATIVE CARE JANESVILLE, WI | GENERAL SUPPORT, FUNDRAISING SUPPORT | $12,927 |
| ARGYLE SCHOOL DISTRICT ARGYLE, WI | AUTO SHOP WORK STATIONS, 3D PRINT LAB UPGRADE, SPRING PLAY/MUSICAL | $5,213 |
| BEHRING SENIOR CENTER OF MONROE MONROE, WI | GENERAL SUPPORT, FEASIBILTY STUDY | $23,836 |
| BETHANY HOME - RETIREMENT CENTER DUBUQUE, IA | GENERAL SUPPORT | $25,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF GREEN COUNTY MONROE, WI | GENERAL SUPPORT, PROGRAM SUPPORT, FUNDRAISING SUPPORT | $6,100 |
| BLACK HAWK SCHOOL DISTRICT SOUTH WAYNE, WI | CLASSROOM SUPPLIES, LIBRARY FURNITURE, COMPUTER PROGRAMS | $8,335 |
| BLUEBIRD RESTORATION ASSOCIATION OF WISCONSIN INC MADISON, WI | BLUEBIRD BOXES, SPEAKER SYSTEM | $6,740 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF JANESVILLE JANESVILLE, WI | BUILDING SUPPORT, GENERAL OPERATIONS | $55,184 |
| CHILDREN'S MUSEUM OF ROCK COUNTY JANESVILLE, WI | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN SUPPORT, BUILDING SUPPORT | $40,250 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| TODD SCHLUESCHE | CHAIR | 2 | — |
| MARY JO VILLA | VICE CHAIR | 2 | — |
| FRED KOSTER | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| GINNY BEAN | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| TIM MIDDLETON | IMMEDIATE PAST CHAIR | 2 | — |
| ELLE SWART | MEMBER AT LARGE | 1 | — |
| KELLY BAUER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERIN OGDEN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JIM CRIPE | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DAN WINTER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| RON SPIELMAN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| PAUL MAIR | DIRECTOR (THRU NOV 2023) | 2 | — |
| NANCY NELSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| KIM MARKHAM | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| JENNIFER PALZKILL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| SCOTT GELZER | DIRECTOR (BEG NOV 2023) | 1 | — |
| WYATT JACKSON | PRESIDENT/CEO | 40 | $129,583 |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Recent grant distributions include awards exceeding $735,000 to nonprofit organizations in the service region, demonstrating continued active grantmaking to support charitable activities across the nine-county area.
Finding Solutions: Community Foundation awards more than $735,000 to nonprofitsSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Community Foundation of Southern fund?
**Mission:** Matching Personal Philanthropy With Community Need. CFSW supports a broad range of charitable interests including: • Education • Arts and culture • Health and human services • The environment • Historic preservation • Animal welfare • Public safety • Community development • Economic development
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Southern?
CFSW administers approximately 35 competitive grant programs alongside donor-advised and non-competitive grants directed by donors. **Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $5,012–$795,429 • 76 live grant opportunities available • Approximately 292–342 nonprofit organizations receive grants annually • 410 students receive scholarships for post-secondary education annually **Application Process:** • Competitive programs typically accept applications once per year • Common application de…
Where does Community Foundation of Southern make grants?
CFSW serves a nine-county region of Southern Wisconsin: • Crawford • Grant • Green • Iowa • Lafayette • Rock • Sauk • Vernon • Walworth Primary grantmaking focuses on Wisconsin, with some activity in Illinois and New York.
What size grants does Community Foundation of Southern award?
In 2024, Community Foundation of Southern awarded 108 grants totaling $2.6M — an average of about $24K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Community Foundation of Southern's EIN?
Community Foundation of Southern's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1711388. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Southern's focus areas in our free grants database
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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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