Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker Madison, WI EIN: 39-2041875

The Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation is a private family foundation established in 2001 and based in Madison, Wisconsin. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on education, philanthropy, voluntarism, and human services.

Key facts about Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation

EIN
39-2041875
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$701,950
Grants made (2024)
46
Average grant
$15,260
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
9% first-time grantees (4 of 46, 2024)
Primary geography
Wisconsin (31% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Who Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's 46 itemized 2024 grants were Wisconsin (31%), Ohio (25%) and New York (22%). The most frequent recipient cities were Madison, WI (22 grants), Steamboat Springs, CO (8 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Washington, DC (2 grants). None of its 46 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (36 grants).

Is Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation open to new grantees?

9%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 4 of 46 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $15K. How we count

Medians: $13K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 87% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+9%). Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2019–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$702K

-0.8% YoY

Grant Count

46

+4.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$15K

-5.1% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding interests include:

  • Education
  • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
  • Human Services
  • Community and Civic Engagement
  • Local Government
  • Community and School Gardens

Grantmaking

The foundation makes grants to charitable, educational, religious, and scientific organizations and entities.

Grant Range

Range:** $500 to $285,059

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

11states

Share of all 46 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

Cities

MadisonSteamboat SpringsNew YorkWashingtonButlerCincinnatiLanderLelandWhitesboroBostonEastpointWaunakeeBoulderFitchburgLos AngelesOconomowocSanta RosaWhitefish

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $5,082,363

Total Annual Giving: $701,950

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$0.275$0.55$0.8250000000000001$1.1201920202021202220232024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets———
Revenue———
Expenses———
Qualifying Distributions———
Net Investment Income———
Distributable Amount———

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$205K$410K$615K$820K35 grants201937 grants202035 grants202137 grants202244 grants202346 grants2024

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Fidelity Charitable Gift: $174KFidelity Charitable Gift$174KJuvenile Diabetes Research: $125KJuvenile Diabetes Research$125KSonoma County Vintners Foundation: $60KSonoma County VintnersFoundation$60KChildren's Theater of Madison: $40KChildren's Theater of Madison$40KMeriter Foundation: $36KMeriter Foundation$36KThe Goodman Center: $25KThe Goodman Center$25KOverture Center for the Arts: $25KOverture Center for the Arts$25KPlanned Parenthood of WI: $21KPlanned Parenthood of WI$21KRoutt County Humane Society: $20KRoutt County Humane Society$20KDoctors Without Borders: $15KDoctors Without Borders$15K

Grant Size Distribution

199 grants across all recorded years

182<$50K7$50–100K9$100–250K1$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Fidelity Charitable Gift ($174,350), Juvenile Diabetes Research ($125,000), Sonoma County Vintners Foundation ($60,000).

RecipientPurposeAmount
FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT Cincinnati, OHDONATION$174,350
JUVENILE DIABETES RESEARCH New York, NYDONATION$125,000
SONOMA COUNTY VINTNERS FOUNDATION Santa Rosa, CADONATION$60,000
CHILDREN'S THEATER OF MADISON Madison, WIDONATION$40,000
MERITER FOUNDATION Madison, WIDONATION$36,000
THE GOODMAN CENTER Madison, WIDONATION$25,000
OVERTURE CENTER FOR THE ARTS Madison, WIDONATION$25,000
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF WI Madison, WIDONATION$21,000
ROUTT COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY Steamboat Springs, CODONATION$20,000
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS New York, NYDONATION$15,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

NameTitleHoursCompensation
Scott ChristensenDirector——
Dianne C ChristensenDirector——
Christopher BuggDirector——

Contact Information

Address: 701 Deming Way Suite 100, Madison, WI 53717-2916

Phone: 608-827-6400

EIN: 39-2041875

Tax-Exempt Status: Since May 2002

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation fund?

The foundation's primary funding interests include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Human Services • Community and Civic Engagement • Local Government • Community and School Gardens

How do I apply for a grant from Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation?

**Grant Size Range:** $500 to $285,059 **Total Annual Giving:** $701,950 (based on most recent filing) **Geographic Focus:** Primarily Wisconsin, Colorado, and New York The foundation makes grants to charitable, educational, religious, and scientific organizations and entities.

What size grants does Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation award?

In 2024, Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation awarded 46 grants totaling $702K — an average of about $15K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

What is Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's EIN?

Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-2041875. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.

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

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