Direct Supply Foundation Inc
Direct Supply Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its 2024 filing reports 55 grants totaling $283,571, with most grant dollars going to Wisconsin recipients.
Direct Supply Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Direct Supply Foundation Inc gave $284K across 55 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Wisconsin. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $283,571
- +0.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 55
- -14.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $5,156
- +17.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,544,055
- +5.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (8 of 55, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (80% 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 Direct Supply Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing says applications are available on the foundation’s website and that applications are open to any 501(c)(3) in good standing with the IRS. It lists John Walter as the contact for applications. The filing also says the foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The filing lists January of each calendar year. The January 2026 cycle is past; the filing does not give a specific date for a future cycle.
- Deadline
- The filing lists January of each calendar year.
- Contact
Application contact: John Walter
Mailing address: 7301 W Champions Way, Milwaukee, WI 53223
Phone: (414) 358-2805
Website: https://directsupply.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Direct Supply Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee ($39K). Together the top 10 received $183K.
Grant Size Distribution
299 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 299 grants of 299 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, Wisconsin recipients received 80% of grant dollars, followed by Illinois at 10%, Texas at 6%, Nevada at 2%, and New York at 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Direct Supply Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 8 of 55 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $481; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $3K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 422% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $233K (2020) to $284K (2024). In 2024 it made 55 grants totaling $284K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $39,000 |
| Alzheimer's Association Chicago, IL | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $27,000 |
| Milwaukee World Festival Inc Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $22,636 |
| Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee Inc West Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $17,500 |
| Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin Inc Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $15,000 |
| Melanin Minded Foundation Irving, TX | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $14,000 |
| Havenwoods Economic Development Corp Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $13,500 |
| Community Advocates Inc Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $12,000 |
| Silver Spring Neighborhood Center Inc Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $12,000 |
| Northcott Neighborhood House Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Charitable Grant | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Direct Supply Foundation Inc?
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 | $1,544,055 | $382,100 | $296,658 | $283,571 | 55 | $294,501 | $68,955 | $69,826 |
| 2023 | $1,458,613 | $238,118 | $293,591 | $281,098 | 64 | $291,832 | $24,859 | $70,437 |
| 2022 | $1,513,936 | $262,000 | $247,239 | $234,182 | 67 | $247,239 | — | $72,616 |
| 2021 | $1,499,175 | $946,000 | $257,397 | $250,893 | 56 | $257,397 | — | $55,534 |
| 2020 | $811,572 | $333,358 | $240,909 | $233,411 | 57 | — | — | $40,821 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Direct Supply Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $70K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. For example, Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee describes serving youth through programming that includes meals; Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin says it provides opportunities and services to adults 50 and better; and Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee is among the listed grant recipients. These are grantee missions and activities, not stated foundation priorities.
Direct Supply’s community-involvement page describes company-wide support for partners serving seniors, advancing racial and social justice, and supporting health. The page does not specify that these are the foundation’s grantmaking focus areas.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation gave $283,571 through 55 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $30 to $39,000, and the median grant was $2,000. The largest awards included $39,000 to Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee, $27,000 to the Alzheimer’s Association, $22,636 to Milwaukee World Festival, $17,500 to Hunger Task Force of Milwaukee, and $15,000 to Serving Older Adults of Southeast Wisconsin. Each of these grants was listed as an unrestricted charitable grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Robert J Hillis as chairman and president; Genevieve Hillis as vice president and director; Robert H Klein Jr as director; Matt Koch as secretary; John Walter as treasurer; and John Lewis as vice-chairman and senior vice president.
Direct Supply Foundation Inc is led by Robert J. Hillis, Chairman & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Robert J. Hillis
Chairman & President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Genevieve Hillis
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert H. Klein Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Lewis
Vice Chairman & Senior Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Matt Koch
Secretary
Secretary & Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Walter
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.3 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 Direct Supply Foundation Inc
How much does Direct Supply Foundation Inc give each year?
Direct Supply Foundation Inc gave $284K across 55 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $281K across 64 grants.
What is Direct Supply Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Direct Supply Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,000, and its average grant was $5,156, across 55 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Direct Supply Foundation Inc that year got $481 on average.
Where does Direct Supply Foundation Inc give grants?
Direct Supply Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (10%) and Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (31 grants), Waukesha, WI (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants).
Does Direct Supply Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Direct Supply Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (55 of 55) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Direct Supply Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Direct Supply Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Boys and Girls Club of Greater Milwaukee ($39,000), Alzheimer's Association ($27,000) and Milwaukee World Festival Inc ($22,636), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Direct Supply Foundation Inc?
Direct Supply Foundation Inc reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $295K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $70K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Direct Supply Foundation Inc fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Direct Supply Foundation Inc?
The filing says applications are available on the foundation’s website and that applications are open to any 501(c)(3) in good standing with the IRS. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Direct Supply Foundation Inc's EIN?
Direct Supply Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-4303631. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 25, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 25, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Direct Supply Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Direct Supply Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/direct-supply-foundation-inc-morg_14836b6a1afd4c98a1116c86ea0f8c89
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_454303631_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Direct Supply Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/direct-supply-foundation-inc-morg_14836b6a1afd4c98a1116c86ea0f8c89},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Direct Supply Foundation Inc'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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