Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Grafton, WI EIN: 39-1777930

Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc is a private foundation located in Grafton, Wisconsin. Its stated activities include animal welfare and grant awards benefiting foster children and people aged out of foster care, as well as work related to domestic violence, clean water for the poor, and assistance for disabled and mentally ill people.

Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc gave $507K across 1 grant in 2026 (avg $507K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2026)
$506,745
+42.7% vs 2025
Grants made (2026)
1
+0.0% vs 2025
Average grant
$506,745
+42.7% vs 2025
Median grant
$506,745
Total assets
$1,723,735
-6.8% vs 2025
Primary geography
Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc

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: 2020 Lake Shore Road, Grafton, WI 53024
Phone: (414) 232-0554

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

55 grants across all recorded years

52<$50K$50–100K$100–250K2$250–500K1$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 52 grants of 55 (95%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars reported for filing year 2026 went to a recipient in Wisconsin.

Grant Distribution by State

4states

Share of the 2026 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

Cities

MilwaukeeBrookfieldWest MilwaukeeMukwonagoRiver HillsGraftonKenoshaMadisonEvanstonMendhamChicagoCincinnatiSommersWest Allis

How Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc gives

  • Giving grew 37% from 2023 to 2026. Method
  • In 2026 it paid out 228% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$200K$400K$600K20 grants2020 22 grants2021 23 grants2022 29 grants2023 1 grant2024 1 grant2025 1 grant2026

From 2020 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $266K (2022) to $507K (2026). In 2026 it made 1 grant totaling $507K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
See Statement Attached Grafton, WISee Statement Attached$506,745
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2026$1,723,735$388,679$513,526$506,7451$509,354$72,589$223,376
2025$1,848,582$52,900$363,918$355,0001$358,639$67,091$220,579
2024$2,159,600$129,022$317,416$305,0001$308,041$119,647$193,052
2023$2,347,994$119,501$408,179$369,70029$372,324$83,646$193,475
2022$2,636,672$170,800$312,875$265,50023$274,961$132,886$225,816
2021$2,778,747$107,783$323,405$288,50022—$75,604$199,718
2020$2,994,369$257,874$327,572$270,80020—$214,438$196,274

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $223K for 2026 — 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 foundation states that its activities include protecting and promoting animal welfare and benefiting the general public through grant awards for foster children and people aged out of foster care. It also identifies reducing domestic violence, providing clean water for the poor, and assisting disabled and mentally ill people.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2026, the foundation reported one grant totaling $506,745. That was also the smallest, largest, and median grant reported for the year. The listed recipient was “SEE STATEMENT ATTACHED” in Grafton, Wisconsin; the stated purpose was “SEE STATEMENT ATTACHED.”

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2026 filing lists Robert W Chernow as President/Director, John C Dowd as Treasurer/Director, and Jo Ellen Chernow and Kathy Massy as Directors.

Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc is led by Robert W. Chernow, President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.

Officers on the 2026 filing

  • Robert W. Chernow

    President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Jo Ellen Chernow

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • John C. Dowd

    Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Kathy Massy

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2026. "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 Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc

How much does Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc give each year?

Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc gave $507K across 1 grant in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $355K across 1 grant.

How large is Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc?

Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $509K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $223K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation states that its activities include protecting and promoting animal welfare and benefiting the general public through grant awards for foster children and people aged out of foster care. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc?

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 ↑

Where does Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc make grants?

All grant dollars reported for filing year 2026 went to a recipient in Wisconsin.

What is Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc's EIN?

Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1777930. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2026.

Does Elizabeth J Tellier Foundation Inc 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 October 2026.

Data update history

(8)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 8, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 26, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 25, 2022)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 24, 2023)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 15, 2024)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 14, 2025)
  7. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 12, 2026)
  8. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Elizabeth J Tellier 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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