Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
The Fort Atkinson Community Foundation is a public charity based in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin. Founded in 1973, it pools charitable gifts and supports grants and scholarships intended to benefit the Fort Atkinson community.
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Fort Atkinson Community Foundation gave $2.8M across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $284K), mostly in Wisconsin. 40% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $2,841,850
- +591.0% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +11.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $284,185
- +521.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $54,055
- Total assets
- $41,905,451
- +5.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 40% first-time grantees (4 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
- Review Cycle
- Community grant applications are due March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15 for consideration at the following quarterly board meeting. The 2026 Educator Wish Grant application window, August 1–September 15, has passed.
- Deadline
- Community grant applications are due March 15, June 15, September 15, and December 15 for consideration at the…
- Contact
Mailing address: 244 North Main Street, Fort Atkinson, WI 53538
Phone: (920) 563-3210
Website: https://fortfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
3 open opportunities from Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
Community Grants
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Designated Fund Grant
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Designated Fund Grants
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Fort Atkinson Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Badgerland After School Enrichment Program ($2.3M). Together the top 10 received $2.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
44 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 29 grants of 44 (66%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s stated purpose is to benefit residents and improve quality of life in the Fort Atkinson area. Its website describes community and educator grant programs as serving the Fort Atkinson area. All grant dollars itemized for filing year 2025 went to Wisconsin recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Fort Atkinson Community Foundation open to new grantees?
40%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 10 grantees (40%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $613K; repeat grants $65K. How we count
Medians: $55K first-time, $54K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $218K (2023) to $2.8M (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $2.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Badgerland After School Enrichment Program Fort Atkinson, WI | Various Programs | $2,333,200 |
| City of Fort Atkinson Fort Atkinson, WI | Various City Improvement Projects | $132,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County Waukesha, WI | Various Programs | $132,000 |
| Homeless Coalition of Fort Atkinson Fort Atkinson, WI | Various Programs | $100,500 |
| Rock River Heritage Fort Atkinson, WI | Various Programs | $58,110 |
| Rock River Community Clinic Fort Atkinson, WI | Various Programs | $50,000 |
| Community Action Coalition of South Central Wisconsin Madison, WI | Various Programs | $10,000 |
| Friends of PBS Wisonsin Madison, WI | Various Programs | $10,000 |
| Fort Atkinson Beautification Council Fort Atkinson, WI | Various Programs | $9,500 |
| Evergreen Cemetery Fort Atkinson, WI | Various Programs | $6,540 |
Ready to take the next step with Fort Atkinson Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $41,905,451 | $2,882,547 | $5,465,238 | $2,841,850 | 10 | $1,042,214 |
| 2024 | $39,692,452 | $2,100,892 | $1,143,331 | $411,296 | 9 | $847,515 |
| 2023 | $34,862,486 | $1,080,379 | $942,322 | $218,215 | 7 | $748,502 |
| 2022 | $32,304,727 | $2,218,885 | $1,369,511 | $619,720 | 6 | $568,684 |
| 2021 | $35,811,479 | $2,355,590 | $957,220 | $287,444 | 12 | $550,066 |
| 2020 | $28,598,672 | $217,449 | $1,124,058 | $444,589 | 3 | $-239,054 |
| 2019 | $28,361,850 | $726,798 | $1,125,243 | $246,400 | 3 | $163,344 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated mission is to receive donations for educational, cultural, charitable, or benevolent purposes and use them to benefit residents and enhance quality of life in the Fort Atkinson area. Its website also describes its mission as improving quality of life in Fort Atkinson by inspiring and supporting enduring philanthropy.
Its community grant guidelines seek projects that benefit and improve the Fort Atkinson community. Examples among its 2025 grantees include Badgerland After School Enrichment Program, whose mission is to provide after-school and summer programs with academic and recreational components; Rock River Heritage, which says it preserves and restores significant historical sites for community use; and Rock River Community Clinic, whose mission includes improving access to healthcare and health outcomes for low-income residents. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $2,841,850. Grant amounts ranged from $6,540 to $2,333,200, with a median of $54,055.
The largest reported grants included $2,333,200 to Badgerland After School Enrichment Program for “various programs”; $132,000 to the City of Fort Atkinson for “various city improvement projects”; $132,000 to Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County for “various programs”; $100,500 to Homeless Coalition of Fort Atkinson for “various programs”; $58,110 to Rock River Heritage for “various programs”; and $50,000 to Rock River Community Clinic for “various programs.”
The foundation’s website identifies Community Grants as its main program for local nonprofit organizations, with applications considered at quarterly board meetings. Designated Fund Grants are for eligible organizations or government units identified as designees of a foundation fund; the fund creator’s terms may govern the purposes. Educator Wish Grants provide up to $500 for specific classroom equipment, materials, supplies, or programs. The website also lists 45 scholarship programs, consisting of 42 competitive and three earned scholarships.
Community grant guidelines say applicants must be nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations serving a public purpose, and projects should be educational, cultural, charitable, or benevolent. Projects are expected to be completed within a specific period, generally no more than one year. Community grants typically do not support operating or ongoing expenses, wages or salaries, annual drives, deficits or debt retirement, endowment funds, religious or sectarian purposes, individuals outside awards or pre-established scholarship funds, or lobbying and partisan political activity. The website instructs prospective community grant applicants to review the guidelines and request an application.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lisa Caras as chairman, James Schulenburg as vice chairman, Bonnie Geyer as treasurer, Robert Cassiday as secretary, and Whitney Townsend as director. It also lists Sally Koehler as past chairman. The foundation’s 2023 filing states that it has five directors serving staggered five-year terms.
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation is led by Lisa Caras, Chairman since 2025 (on filings since 2021); none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lisa Caras
Chairman
Treasurer → Vice Chairman, 2024
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Whitney Townsend
Director
New on the 2025 filing
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sally Koehler
Past Chairman
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2024
Chairman → Past Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bonnie Geyer
Treasurer
Director → Secretary, 2024
Secretary → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James Schulenburg
Vice Chairman
Secretary → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Vice Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert Cassiday
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2024
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Badger Bank (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Premier Bank (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Sue Johnson (2019–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Loren Gray (2019–2022) — Vice Chairman
- Former: Michael Bender (2019–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Scott Housley (2019–2020) — Chairman
- Former: Kristin Wallace (2019) — Chairman
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 Fort Atkinson Community Foundation
How much does Fort Atkinson Community Foundation give each year?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation gave $2.8M across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $411K across 9 grants.
What is Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $54,055, and its average grant was $284,185, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fort Atkinson Community Foundation that year got $613K on average.
Where does Fort Atkinson Community Foundation give grants?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fort Atkinson, WI (7 grants) and Madison, WI (2 grants).
Does Fort Atkinson Community Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Various Programs" (9 grants).
Who are Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Badgerland After School Enrichment Program ($2,333,200), City of Fort Atkinson ($132,000) and Habitat for Humanity of Waukesha County ($132,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 91% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fort Atkinson Community Foundation?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation reported $41.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.9M.
What does Fort Atkinson Community Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to receive donations for educational, cultural, charitable, or benevolent purposes and use them to benefit residents and enhance quality of life in the Fort Atkinson area. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fort Atkinson Community Foundation?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check fortfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's EIN?
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-6220899. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS January 6, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 1, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 22, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 16, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fort Atkinson Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fort Atkinson Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fort-atkinson-community-foundation-morg_cd806f3873d24285adb4f2fa1df22d3d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_396220899_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fort Atkinson Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fort-atkinson-community-foundation-morg_cd806f3873d24285adb4f2fa1df22d3d},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Fort Atkinson Community Foundation'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.
Fort Atkinson Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?