Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation
The Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin. In its 2025 filing, it reported 47 grants totaling $805,490 to charitable organizations, including recipients working in health, human services, agriculture, environmental stewardship, and community programs.
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation gave $805K across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $17K), top state Ohio. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $805,490
- +14.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- +2.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $17,138
- +12.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,500
- Total assets
- $6,813,213
- +34.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (12 of 47, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (32% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 701 Deming Way 100, Madison, WI 53717
Phone: (608) 827-6400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fidelity Charitable Gift ($255K). Together the top 10 received $613K.
Grant Size Distribution
209 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 193 grants of 209 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars by recipient state were distributed as follows: Ohio, 32%; Wisconsin, 31%; New York, 21%; Colorado, 8%; and Minnesota, 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 47 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 89% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $603K (2019) to $820K (2022). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $805K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fidelity Charitable Gift Cincinnati, OH | Donation | $255,090 |
| Juvenile Diabetes Research New York, NY | Donation | $125,000 |
| United Way of Dane County Madison, WI | Donation | $60,000 |
| CTM Madison, WI | Donations | $40,000 |
| Meriter Foundation Madison, WI | Donation | $32,000 |
| The Goodman Center Madison, WI | Donation | $25,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of WI Madison, WI | Donation | $21,000 |
| Smile Train New York, NY | Donation | $20,000 |
| Hazelden Minneapolis, MN | Donation | $20,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | Donation | $15,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,813,213 | $592,118 | $825,576 | $805,490 | 47 | $805,490 | $573,332 | $906,359 |
| 2024 | $5,082,363 | $871,092 | $718,966 | $701,950 | 46 | $701,950 | $855,376 | $805,491 |
| 2023 | $7,009,553 | $850,273 | $731,060 | $707,385 | 44 | $707,385 | $827,798 | $701,949 |
| 2022 | $6,470,808 | $563,500 | $841,042 | $820,459 | 37 | $820,459 | $507,805 | $711,560 |
| 2021 | $6,796,840 | $921,606 | $654,649 | $644,267 | 35 | $644,267 | $912,054 | $816,284 |
| 2020 | $6,478,398 | $144,664 | $629,628 | $625,474 | 37 | — | $179,190 | $644,267 |
| 2019 | $6,800,075 | $372,732 | $614,098 | $602,916 | 35 | — | $312,945 | $625,474 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $906K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations addressing health and human services, agriculture, environmental protection, public broadcasting, and community needs. For example, United Way of Dane County describes its mission as uniting the community to achieve measurable results that change lives. Friends of the Yampa says it works to protect and enhance the Yampa River and its tributaries through stewardship, advocacy, education, and partnerships.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 47 grants totaling $805,490. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $255,090, with a median of $5,500. Its largest listed grants included $255,090 to Fidelity Charitable Gift, $125,000 to Juvenile Diabetes Research, $60,000 to United Way of Dane County, $40,000 to CTM, and $32,000 to Meriter Foundation.
Other listed recipients included The Goodman Center ($25,000), Planned Parenthood of WI ($21,000), Smile Train ($20,000), Hazelden ($20,000), Doctors Without Borders ($15,000), Operation Fresh Start ($12,000), and National Resource Defense Council ($11,000). The foundation also gave $10,000 each to Community Agriculture Alliance and Mad Agriculture. Community Agriculture Alliance describes its work as preserving the Yampa Valley’s agricultural heritage by connecting producers and consumers; Mad Agriculture describes its mission as creating a regenerative revolution in agriculture.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Scott Christensen, Dianne C. Christensen, Christopher Bugg, and Bradley Christensen as directors.
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher Bugg
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Dianne C. Christensen
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Scott Christensen
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Bradley Christensen
Director
New on the 2025 filing
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation
How much does Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation give each year?
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation gave $805K across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $702K across 46 grants.
What is Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,500, and its average grant was $17,138, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation that year got $5K on average.
Where does Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation give grants?
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's top state is Ohio, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Wisconsin (31%) and New York (21%). The most frequent recipient cities were Madison, WI (20 grants), Steamboat Springs, CO (11 grants), New York, NY (4 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants).
Does Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 47 grants with a stated purpose on Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (40 grants).
Who are Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fidelity Charitable Gift ($255,090), Juvenile Diabetes Research ($125,000) and United Way of Dane County ($60,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 55% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation?
Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation reported $6.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $805K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $906K (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 Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation fund?
The available information does not state the foundation’s own mission. Its 2025 grants included support for organizations addressing health and human services, agriculture, environmental protection, public broadcasting, and community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
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 2019–2025.
Does Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 10, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 26, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 9, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 29, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 7, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/cummings-christensen-family-foundation-morg_ba3a1645a8194dac94792179ca564daf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_392041875_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/cummings-christensen-family-foundation-morg_ba3a1645a8194dac94792179ca564daf},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-07. 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 Cummings-Christensen Family Foundation'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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