Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee Inc

Cedar Street Charitable Foundation Inc

Milwaukee, WI

Cedar Street Charitable Foundation supports a broad range of qualified 501(c)(3) organizations through donor-advised funds, with grants spanning education, animal welfare, arts, and other causes. In 2024, grants ranged from $5,750 to $1.1 million, with a median of $20,000; Wisconsin received the largest share, followed by Connecticut, Florida, Pennsylvania, and North Carolina. No application process is specified in the available information.

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc

Milwaukee, WI

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County funds local human services and community programs focused on housing stability, digital access, employment, teen mental wellness, and community resilience. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to about $2 million, with a median of about $34,000, and most funding went to Wisconsin, especially its four-county region. It requires a Letter of Intent before a full application; the listed 2026–27 Letter of Intent deadline has passed.

Joseph and Vera Zilber Family

Milwaukee, WI

The Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation funds work that expands social and economic opportunity, including economic stability, basic needs, and nonprofit-sector support, primarily in Milwaukee and Oahu, Hawaii. Its 2025 grants had a median size of $7,500, though awards ranged from $250 to $3.5 million. It does not accept unsolicited requests; aligned organizations may introduce their work for consideration, and invited groups receive application instructions.

Ralph Evinrude Foundation Inc

Milwaukee, WI

The Ralph Evinrude Foundation supports community services, education, health, arts and culture, and capital projects, primarily in Greater Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,500 to $100,000, with a median of $7,250. It accepts requests by letter and does not limit giving to preselected organizations; applications are due quarterly.

Maihaugen Foundation Inc Agency

La Crosse, WI

The foundation primarily funds cultural, environmental, and historic-preservation work, with some support for education, libraries, and human services. Recent grants ranged from $2,500 to $25,000, with a median of $5,000; it mainly supports organizations in Door County and Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and also funds recipients in Colorado. It accepts proposals; applicants should submit a one- to two-page request with the organization’s IRS determination letter.

Gardner Foundation

Milwaukee, WI

Gardner Foundation supports operating costs for Wisconsin nonprofits, including work in hunger relief, homelessness, mental health, education, and family services, with awards restricted to the Greater Milwaukee area. Its 2025 grants ranged from $1,000 to $10,000, with a median of $3,000. The 2024 filing says giving is not limited to preselected organizations and instructs applicants to submit the foundation’s form with an IRS 501(c)(3) determination letter.

Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc

Milwaukee, WI

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation funds nonprofit programs, projects, general operations and capital needs, with priorities including early childhood education, housing, basic needs, health, arts and culture, and scientific research. Its competitive grants primarily serve Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties; in 2024, the median grant was about $27,800, though awards varied widely. It runs competitive grant cycles, but whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.

Youth Foundation Inc

Milwaukee, WI

Youth Foundation Inc supports children and young people through grants to organizations and college scholarships, with 2025 grants going to Wisconsin recipients. Organization grants typically are small: the 2025 median was $1,000, with awards from $300 to $3,800; its separate Hadden Scholarship offers up to $10,000 per scholar. It accepts grant applications through its application process and does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.

Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing

Appleton, WI

Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing distributes donor-directed and program donations to a broad range of causes and organizations in local, national, and global communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $11,520 and ranged from $5,006 to $5 million. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Alliant Energy Foundation Inc

Madison, WI

Give Back Foundation

Madison, WI

Give Back Foundation distributes donor-designated contributions through workplace giving and other giving platforms to selected 501(c)(3) charities, rather than setting its own cause areas. In 2025, grants had a median of $9,066, with recipient organizations concentrated in Virginia, California, and Washington, D.C.; it does not accept unsolicited requests or work directly with charities.