Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc is a private foundation, based in Madison, WI. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $5.2M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $225K. Net investment income was $536K.
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc gave $225K across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $113K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $225,000
- +2.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- -33.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $112,500
- +53.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $112,500
- Total assets
- $5,201,281
- +13.2% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Saving Grace Animal Rescue Inc ($175K). Together the top 2 received $225K.
Grant Size Distribution
15 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 10 grants of 15 (67%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc gives
- Giving grew 463% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 91% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2021) to $225K (2025). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $225K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Saving Grace Animal Rescue Inc Winter, WI | Pet rescueUnrestricted charitable | $175,000 |
| Ocooch Mountain Humane Society Richland Center, WI | Pet rescueUnrestricted charitable | $50,000 |
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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 | $5,201,281 | $591,739 | $311,535 | $225,000 | 2 | $225,000 | $535,727 | $246,098 |
| 2024 | $4,594,967 | $1,258,747 | $262,239 | $220,000 | 3 | $220,000 | $1,216,508 | $227,584 |
| 2023 | $3,735,842 | $123,728 | $182,202 | $135,000 | 6 | $135,000 | $79,641 | $213,799 |
| 2022 | $3,705,418 | $209,206 | $71,206 | $40,000 | 2 | $40,000 | $183,960 | $205,487 |
| 2021 | $3,546,922 | $3,237,301 | $37,962 | $30,000 | 2 | $30,000 | $184,565 | $96,394 |
| 2020 | $350,617 | $7,047 | $38,449 | $35,000 | 2 | — | $29,797 | $30,575 |
| 2019 | $356,711 | $9,043 | $37,907 | $35,200 | 2 | — | $28,326 | $27,096 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $246K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc is led by Bradley D Ellefson co Axley, Director & President since 2021 (on filings since 2019); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Bradley D Ellefson co Axley
Director & President
Director & Treasurer → Director & President, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Ellefson co Axley
Director & Vice President
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven E Grimm
Director & Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Melissa K Warner (2019–2022) — Director & Secretary
- Former: Donald E Weig (2019–2020) — Director & President
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 Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc
How much does Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc give each year?
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc gave $225K across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $220K across 3 grants.
How large is Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc?
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc reported $5.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $225K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $246K (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.
Where does Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc operate?
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc has awarded grants in Wisconsin.
What is Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN?
Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 45-5507760. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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 July 12, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 12, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 20, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Donald E Weig Charitable Foundation Inc funds
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