Ellie's Foundation Inc
Ellie's Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports 16 grants totaling $550,806 to charitable organizations, with the largest awards going to organizations in Illinois.
Ellie's Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Ellie's Foundation Inc gave $551K across 16 grants in 2025 (avg $34K), mostly in Illinois. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $550,806
- +13.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 16
- +6.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $34,425
- +6.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,750
- Total assets
- $19,251,400
- +47.7% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (2 of 16, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (95% 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 Ellie's Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1200 N Mayfair Rd Ste 430, Milwaukee, WI 53226-3282
Phone: (414) 982-2873
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ellie's Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Northwestern Memorial Foundation ($269K). Together the top 10 received $545K.
Grant Size Distribution
85 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 75 grants of 85 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 95% of grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois, 3% to Florida, 1% to Wisconsin, and less than 1% to Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 16 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ellie's Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 16 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 16 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $405; repeat grants $39K. How we count
Medians: $405 first-time, $4K repeat.
- 81% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+20%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 79% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $356K (2020) to $551K (2025). In 2025 it made 16 grants totaling $551K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation Chicago, IL | Charitable Purposes | $269,324 |
| Lutheran Social Services of Illinois Des Plaines, IL | Charitable Purposes | $226,472 |
| Resurrection Lutheran Church Chicago, IL | Charitable Purposes | $12,000 |
| Greater Chicago Food Depository Chicago, IL | General Operations | $10,000 |
| NCH Healthcare System Naples, FL | Charitable Purposes | $10,000 |
| Emmanuel Lutheran Church Naples, FL | Charitable Purposes | $5,000 |
| Mercy Home for Boys and Girls Chicago, IL | Charitable Purposes | $4,000 |
| Grace Place for Children and Families Naples, FL | Charitable Purposes | $3,000 |
| Bethlehem Lutheran Church Florence, WI | Charitable Purposes | $2,500 |
| First Presbyterian Church Florence, WI | Charitable Purposes | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Ellie's 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $19,251,400 | $6,818,972 | $661,197 | $550,806 | 16 | $554,441 | $3,968,667 | $706,084 |
| 2024 | $13,031,327 | $3,778,701 | $539,836 | $483,569 | 15 | $483,569 | $1,614,946 | $558,302 |
| 2023 | $9,600,181 | $1,285,525 | $528,388 | $477,987 | 14 | $477,987 | $296,952 | $462,846 |
| 2022 | $8,689,765 | $-117,947 | $505,009 | $459,649 | 20 | $459,649 | $221,468 | $474,868 |
| 2021 | $9,173,655 | $727,193 | $484,391 | $372,125 | 20 | $372,125 | $1,598,980 | $499,496 |
| 2020 | $8,929,430 | $3,657,092 | $396,498 | $356,116 | 16 | — | $3,045,942 | $268,121 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ellie's Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $706K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including social services, health care, hunger relief, churches, and cultural organizations. These are descriptions of the grantees, not stated focus areas of the foundation.
Among the grantees, Lutheran Social Services of Illinois says it seeks to bring healing, justice, and wholeness to people and enhance quality of life through service and advocacy. The Greater Chicago Food Depository says its mission is to end hunger and that it works with community organizations and individuals. NCH Healthcare System describes its mission as helping everyone live a longer, happier, and healthier life. Grace Place for Children and Families says it educates children and families and provides pathways out of poverty through family literacy programs.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 16 grants totaling $550,806. Grant amounts ranged from $310 to $269,324, with a median grant of $2,750.
The largest grants included $269,324 to Northwestern Memorial Foundation and $226,472 to Lutheran Social Services of Illinois, both for charitable purposes. Other grants included $12,000 to Resurrection Lutheran Church for charitable purposes; $10,000 each to Greater Chicago Food Depository for general operations and NCH Healthcare System for charitable purposes; and $5,000 to Emmanuel Lutheran Church for charitable purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Ellen Bechthold as president and treasurer, Walter Dewey as vice-president, and Kurt Bechthold as secretary.
Ellie's Foundation Inc is led by Ellen Bechthold, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Ellen Bechthold
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kurt Bechthold
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Walter Dewey
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Ellie's Foundation Inc
How much does Ellie's Foundation Inc give each year?
Ellie's Foundation Inc gave $551K across 16 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $484K across 15 grants.
What is Ellie's Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Ellie's Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $2,750, and its average grant was $34,425, across 16 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ellie's Foundation Inc that year got $405 on average.
Where does Ellie's Foundation Inc give grants?
Ellie's Foundation Inc gives mostly in Illinois: 95% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (9 grants), Naples, FL (3 grants) and Florence, WI (2 grants).
Who are Ellie's Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Ellie's Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Northwestern Memorial Foundation ($269,324), Lutheran Social Services of Illinois ($226,472) and Resurrection Lutheran Church ($12,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 92% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ellie's Foundation Inc?
Ellie's Foundation Inc reported $19.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $554K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $706K (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 Ellie's Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants went to organizations including social services, health care, hunger relief, churches, and cultural organizations. These are descriptions of the grantees, not stated focus areas of the foundation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ellie's Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ellie's Foundation Inc's EIN?
Ellie's Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-0414455. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ellie's 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Ellie's Foundation Inc funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ellie's Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
AbbVie Foundation
North Chicago, IL
The AbbVie Foundation funds health equity, access to care, cancer care, community health, and related community-led programs through partnerships and employee initiatives. Its 2025 grants ranged from $8,000 to $15 million, with a median of $25,000; it supports work worldwide, with the largest share of recent grants going to Illinois. It makes grants only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$265.6M
Grants
65
Total Given
$47.1M
The Howard S Dubin Family Foundation
Evanston, IL
The Howard S Dubin Family Foundation supports a broad mix of organizations, including media and journalism, education, animal welfare, and community programs. Its 2025 grants ranged from $100 to $65,000, with a median award of $5,000; most funding went to Illinois, followed by Indiana. The foundation says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$5.9M
Grants
59
Total Given
$516K
Aetna Foundation Inc
Hartford, CT
Aetna Foundation supported health and wellness, access to health care, and related community needs; its 2021 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million, with a median of $40,000, and went to organizations across multiple states, especially in D.C. and Connecticut. Its 2021 filing was marked final, so it appears to have ended or be winding down grantmaking; that filing said there were no restrictions on who could apply and pointed applicants to its website for application materials.
Assets
—
Grants
65
Total Given
$7.2M
Motorola Solutions Foundation
Chicago, IL
The Motorola Solutions Foundation funds first-responder programs and technology and engineering education, especially for under-resourced communities; its 2025 grants had a median of $35,000. It supports organizations worldwide, with priority for communities where Motorola Solutions operates, and accepts unsolicited requests through an annual letter-of-inquiry process, with full applications by invitation.
Assets
$1.2M
Grants
213
Total Given
$12.6M
Alliant Credit Union Foundation
Chicago, IL
Assets
$6.0M
Grants
213
Total Given
$1.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in Wisconsin
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ellie's Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ellie-s-foundation-inc-morg_795ecfb522224547aadb9d01b455c436
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_200414455_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ellie's Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ellie-s-foundation-inc-morg_795ecfb522224547aadb9d01b455c436},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Ellie's 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.
Ellie's Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?