Curt and Sue Culver
Curt and Sue Culver is a private foundation based in Nashotah, Wisconsin. Its 2024 grants supported charitable organizations and initiatives including human services, treatment for women experiencing addiction, a museum project, scholarships, University of Wisconsin professorships and athletics, social services, financial literacy, and childhood cancer research.
Curt and Sue Culver at a glance
In short: Curt and Sue Culver gave $630K across 36 grants in 2024 (avg $17K), mostly in Wisconsin. 28% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $629,800
- +14.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 36
- +16.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $17,494
- -1.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $19,203,990
- +26.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (9 of 32, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Curt and Sue Culver
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4724 N Pinecrest Drive, Nashotah, WI 53058-9709
Phone: (262) 369-5526
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Curt and Sue Culver funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was University of Wisconsin Foundation ($200K across 4 grants). Together the top 10 received $600K.
Grant Size Distribution
154 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 154 (84%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin, 11% to Illinois, 5% to Florida, 1% to Indiana, and less than 1% to Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 36 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Curt and Sue Culver open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 9 of 32 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 66% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 80% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 76% 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 (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $350K (2021) to $630K (2024). In 2024 it made 36 grants totaling $630K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| United Way Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc Milwaukee, WI | Human Services | $107,000 |
| Meta House Inc Milwaukee, WI | Compassionate Treatment for Women Struggling with Addiction | $100,000 |
| Historic Haymarket Milwaukee I Inc Milwaukee, WI | Developing and Constructing a Permanent Museum Building | $75,000 |
| Evans Scholars Foundation Glenview, IL | Scholarship Support | $62,500 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | Curt and Sue Culver Professorship in Economics | $50,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | Curt and Sue Culver Professorship in Economics | $50,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | Uw Athletics | $50,000 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WI | Curt and sue culver professorship in public policy education (la follette school) | $50,000 |
| Immokolee Foundation Naples, FL | Social Services Support | $25,000 |
| Securefutures Foundation Inc Milwaukee, WI | Financial Literacy Programs and Resources for Students | $10,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $19,203,990 | $2,895,495 | $765,188 | $629,800 | 36 | $629,825 | $2,828,620 | $828,550 |
| 2023 | $15,156,961 | $3,820,952 | $612,681 | $549,425 | 31 | $549,450 | $1,541,481 | $567,487 |
| 2022 | $10,474,269 | $231,277 | $537,034 | $475,653 | 32 | $475,653 | $181,487 | $550,485 |
| 2021 | $12,018,818 | $3,889,978 | $461,922 | $350,050 | 23 | $350,050 | $926,600 | $479,190 |
| 2020 | $8,252,198 | $391,861 | $410,466 | $350,200 | 32 | — | $274,584 | $345,876 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Curt and Sue Culver reported a distributable amount of $829K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as human services, addiction treatment, education and scholarships, public policy education, athletics, social services, financial literacy, and scientific research.
Among its grantees, Meta House says its mission is to end the generational cycle of addiction by healing women and strengthening families. Evans Scholars Foundation says it provides scholarships and other educational opportunities for caddies and promotes recipients’ social and educational welfare. SecureFutures Foundation says it provides financial literacy programs and resources to empower students to make sound financial decisions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 36 grants totaling $629,800. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $107,000, with a median of $2,500. Among the largest were $107,000 to United Way Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County for human services; $100,000 to Meta House for treatment for women struggling with addiction; $75,000 to Historic Haymarket Milwaukee for a permanent museum building; and $62,500 to Evans Scholars Foundation for scholarship support.
The foundation also made four $50,000 grants to the University of Wisconsin Foundation. The stated purposes included support for the Curt and Sue Culver Professorship in Economics, UW athletics, and the Curt and Sue Culver Professorship in Public Policy Education at the La Follette School. Other listed awards included $25,000 to the Immokolee Foundation for social services support and $10,000 to SecureFutures Foundation for financial literacy programs and resources for students.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Christine Culver as president and director; Patrick Culver as vice president and director; Curt Culver as treasurer and director; and Sue Culver as secretary and director.
Curt and Sue Culver is led by Christine Culver, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Christine Culver
President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Curt Culver
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patrick Culver
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sue Culver
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Curt and Sue Culver
How much does Curt and Sue Culver give each year?
Curt and Sue Culver gave $630K across 36 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $549K across 31 grants.
What is Curt and Sue Culver's typical grant size?
Curt and Sue Culver's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $17,494, across 36 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Curt and Sue Culver that year got $3K on average.
Where does Curt and Sue Culver give grants?
Curt and Sue Culver gives mostly in Wisconsin: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (11%) and Florida (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (12 grants), Madison, WI (4 grants), Naples, FL (4 grants) and Glenview, IL (2 grants).
Does Curt and Sue Culver give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 36 grants with a stated purpose on Curt and Sue Culver's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Support" (3 grants).
Who are Curt and Sue Culver's largest grantees?
Curt and Sue Culver's largest 2024 grantees include University of Wisconsin Foundation ($200,000 across 4 grants), United Way Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc ($107,000) and Meta House Inc ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 65% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Curt and Sue Culver?
Curt and Sue Culver reported $19.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $630K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $829K (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 Curt and Sue Culver fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas such as human services, addiction treatment, education and scholarships, public policy education, athletics, social services, financial literacy, and scientific research. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Curt and Sue Culver?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Curt and Sue Culver's EIN?
Curt and Sue Culver's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3543553. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Curt and Sue Culver 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Curt and Sue Culver funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Curt and Sue Culver's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Curt and Sue Culver funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/curt-and-sue-culver-morg_ce065422190b460b847a845a638638cd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_823543553_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Curt and Sue Culver funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/curt-and-sue-culver-morg_ce065422190b460b847a845a638638cd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Curt and Sue Culver'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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