Engelke Family Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Madison, WI EIN: 46-1474140

Engelke Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in several states, including Georgia, New York, Washington, D.C., Wisconsin, and Illinois.

Key facts about Engelke Family Foundation Inc

In short: Engelke Family Foundation Inc gave $3.5M across 21 grants in 2024 (avg $166K), mostly in Georgia. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
46-1474140
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$3,476,308
Grants made (2024)
21
Average grant
$165,538
Median grant
$10,000
New grantees (estimate)
29% first-time grantees (6 of 21, 2024)
Total assets
$107,278,277
Primary geography
Georgia (51% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$107.3M

+19.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.5M

+41.5% YoY

Grant Count

21

-58.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$166K

+237.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Engelke Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $4.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Engelke Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

29%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 6 of 21 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $179K; repeat grants $160K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $10K repeat.

  • 71% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 76% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 77% 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.

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 grantees include organizations whose own stated missions address health, humanitarian relief, education, and support for children and veterans. For example, Helen Keller International says it partners with communities to address poverty through health, nutrition, and vision services. The International Rescue Committee says it responds to humanitarian crises and helps people affected by conflict and disaster survive and recover. Rubin for Kids says it recognizes economically disadvantaged young people who achieve personal goals despite adversity.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation gave $3,476,308 across 21 grants. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $1,753,425, with a median grant of $10,000. Its largest grants included $1,753,425 to The Carter Center for an unrestricted charitable grant; $854,433 to the Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo for its Communication and Assistive Device Laboratory; and $375,000 to Gallaudet University for an unrestricted charitable grant. Other grants included $207,450 to Madison Metropolitan School District and $100,000 to the Obama Foundation, both for unrestricted charitable grants.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 51% of grant dollars went to recipients in Georgia, 27% to New York, 11% to Washington, D.C., 8% to Wisconsin, and 3% to Illinois.

Grant Distribution by State

15states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.

Cities

MadisonNew YorkAtlantaMilwaukeeWashingtonBrunswickChicagoMemphisPhoenixTriangleAlbert LeaAlexandriaBostonErlangerFitchburgGreenvilleNYCAlbanyBrooklynFish Creek

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M44 grants2020 38 grants2021 13 grants2022 50 grants2023 21 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2020) to $3.5M (2022). In 2024 it made 21 grants totaling $3.5M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

The Carter Center Inc: $1.8MThe Carter Center Inc$1.8MThe Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo: $854KThe Research Foundation forthe State University of New…$854KGallaudet University: $375KGallaudet University$375KMadison Metropolitan School District: $207KMadison Metropolitan SchoolDistrict$207KObama Foundation: $100KObama Foundation$100KHelen Keller International: $50KHelen Keller International$50KUNICEF: $30KUNICEF$30KAmerican Red Cross: $25KAmerican Red Cross$25KSafe Harbor Children's Alliance: $20KSafe Harbor Children'sAlliance$20KRubin for Kids: $10KRubin for Kids$10K

The largest 2024 recipient was The Carter Center Inc ($1.8M). Together the top 10 received $3.4M.

Grant Size Distribution

166 grants across all recorded years

139<$50K10$50–100K7$100–250K1$250–500K5$500K–1M4$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 139 grants of 166 (84%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Carter Center Inc Atlanta, GAUnrestricted Charitable Grant$1,753,425
The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo Albany, NYFunds for the Communication and Assistive Device Laboratory$854,433
Gallaudet University Washington, DCUnrestricted Charitable Grant$375,000
Madison Metropolitan School District Madison, WIUnrestricted Charitable Grant$207,450
Obama Foundation Chicago, ILUnrestricted Charitable Grant$100,000
Helen Keller International New York, NYUnrestricted Charitable Grant$50,000
UNICEF New York City, NYUnrestricted Charitable Grant$30,000
American Red Cross Madison, WIUnrestricted Charitable Grant$25,000
Safe Harbor Children's Alliance Madison, WIUnrestricted Charitable Grant$20,000
Rubin for Kids Madison, WIUnrestricted Charitable Grant$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grants given Number of grants
2024 $3,476,308 21
2023 $2,456,313 50
2022 $3,548,939 13
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$10M$20M$30M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$107,278,277$89,742,876$69,284,191
Revenue$19,225,237$19,083,279$12,074,232
Expenses$3,614,341$2,558,257$3,622,642
Qualifying Distributions$3,480,453$2,460,511$3,549,987
Net Investment Income$3,439,349$2,202,332$1,462,628
Distributable Amount$4,500,894$3,493,509$3,088,361

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists Robert M. Engelke as president, treasurer, and director; Susan L. Engelke as vice president, secretary, and director; and Timothy W. Engelke and Christopher R. Engelke as directors.

Engelke Family Foundation Inc is led by Robert M. Engelke, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • Robert M. Engelke

    President, Treasurer & Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christopher R. Engelke

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.3 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Susan L. Engelke

    Vice President & Secretary Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Timothy W. Engelke

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    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.

Contact

Mailing address: 450 Science Drive, Madison, WI 53711-1166
Phone: (608) 238-5400

Frequently asked questions about Engelke Family Foundation Inc

How much does Engelke Family Foundation Inc give each year?

Engelke Family Foundation Inc gave $3.5M across 21 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $2.5M across 50 grants.

What is Engelke Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Engelke Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $165,538, across 21 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Engelke Family Foundation Inc that year got $179K on average.

Where does Engelke Family Foundation Inc give grants?

Engelke Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Georgia: 51% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were New York (27%) and District of Columbia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Madison, WI (6 grants) and New York, NY (4 grants).

Does Engelke Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 95% of Engelke Family Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 21) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Engelke Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Engelke Family Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include The Carter Center Inc ($1,753,425), The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo ($854,433) and Gallaudet University ($375,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is Engelke Family Foundation Inc?

Engelke Family Foundation Inc reported $107.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $4.5M (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 Engelke Family Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grantees include organizations whose own stated missions address health, humanitarian relief, education, and support for children and veterans. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Engelke Family Foundation Inc?

The foundation 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 ↑

What is Engelke Family Foundation Inc's EIN?

Engelke Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-1474140. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does Engelke Family 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.

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