Fotsch Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Nashotah, WI EIN: 46-2601906

The Fotsch Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Nashotah, Wisconsin. Its filings show charitable grantmaking to organizations in Wisconsin and other states, including universities, schools, health and human-services organizations, and religious organizations.

Key facts about Fotsch Family Foundation

In short: Fotsch Family Foundation gave $3.5M across 55 grants in 2025 (avg $63K), top state Wisconsin. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
46-2601906
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$3,477,379
Grants made (2025)
55
Average grant
$63,225
Median grant
$20,000
New grantees (estimate)
20% first-time grantees (11 of 55, 2025)
Total assets
$31,367,102
Primary geography
Wisconsin (46% of itemized 2025 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, 2025; updated September 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$31.4M

-5.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$3.5M

+5.8% YoY

Grant Count

55

+5.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$63K

+0.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fotsch Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.5M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Fotsch Family Foundation open to new grantees?

20%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 11 of 55 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $155K; repeat grants $40K. How we count

Medians: $25K first-time, $18K repeat.

  • 78% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 21% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 100% 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.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations working in varied areas. For example, Marquette University describes its mission as Catholic and Jesuit higher education, while Kathy’s House describes its work as providing affordable lodging and caring support to patients and families traveling to Milwaukee for medical care. The Wisconsin Humane Society says its mission is to make a difference for animals and the people who love them.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 55 grants totaling $3,477,379. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $1,275,000, with a median of $20,000. The largest listed grants included $1,275,000 to St Paul the Apostle in New York, $336,000 to Marquette University in Milwaukee, $175,000 to The Cardinal’s Appeal in New York, and $170,100 to Camp One Step in Chicago. Each was listed as a charitable contribution.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 46% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin and 44% to recipients in New York. Smaller shares went to Illinois (5%), Indiana (2%), and Virginia (1%).

Grant Distribution by State

10states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 55 itemized grants.

Cities

MilwaukeeManitowish WatersElm GroveWaukeshaBrookfieldNew YorkMadisonBaltimoreChicagoDallasPewaukeePrairie Du SacSouth BendSt FrancisBoys TownMenomonee FallsWest AllisWauwatosaAlexandriaChester

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M$4M53 grants2020 53 grants2021 52 grants2022 55 grants2023 52 grants2024 55 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2020) to $3.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 55 grants totaling $3.5M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

St Paul the Apostle: $1.3MSt Paul the Apostle$1.3MMarquette University: $336KMarquette University$336KThe Cardinal's Appeal: $175KThe Cardinal's Appeal$175KCamp One Step: $170KCamp One Step$170KWomens Care Center: $149KWomens Care Center$149KRonald McDonald Charities-Eastern WI: $126KRonald McDonaldCharities-Eastern WI$126KChildren's WI Foundation: $112KChildren's WI Foundation$112KThe Salvation Army: $100KThe Salvation Army$100KCristo Rey Jesuit High School: $85KCristo Rey Jesuit High School$85KPaulist Fathers: $75KPaulist Fathers$75K

The largest 2025 recipient was St Paul the Apostle ($1.3M). Together the top 10 received $2.6M.

Grant Size Distribution

267 grants across all recorded years

196<$50K36$50–100K25$100–250K6$250–500K2$500K–1M2$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 196 grants of 267 (73%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
St Paul the Apostle New York, NYCharitable Contribution$1,275,000
Marquette University Milwaukee, WICharitable Contribution$336,000
The Cardinal's Appeal New York, NYCharitable Contribution$175,000
Camp One Step Chicago, ILCharitable Contribution$170,100
Womens Care Center Milwaukee, WICharitable Contribution$149,029
Ronald McDonald Charities-Eastern WI Milwaukee, WICharitable Contribution$126,000
Children's WI Foundation Milwaukee, WICharitable Contribution$112,000
The Salvation Army Milwaukee, WICharitable Contribution$100,000
Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, WICharitable Contribution$85,000
Paulist Fathers New York, NYCharitable Contribution$75,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grant sum Grant count
2025 $31,367,102 $1,717,336 $3,515,362 $3,477,379 55
2024 $33,165,128 $6,325,398 $3,394,178 $3,286,475 52
2023 $30,233,908 $1,631,486 $2,881,333 $2,843,377 55
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$31,367,102$33,165,128$30,233,908
Revenue$1,717,336$6,325,398$1,631,486
Expenses$3,515,362$3,394,178$2,881,333
Qualifying Distributions$3,481,071$3,289,925$2,846,827
Net Investment Income$1,680,328$6,311,815$1,618,423
Distributable Amount$3,492,876$3,221,663$2,886,451

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 May 10, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 21, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 7, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 2, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Geraldine D Fotsch as president; Thomas A Fotsch as vice president, secretary, and treasurer; and James P Fotsch and Dr Colleen Lawton as directors.

Fotsch Family Foundation is led by Geraldine D. Fotsch, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Geraldine D. Fotsch

    President

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Colleen Lawton

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • James P. Fotsch

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Thomas A. Fotsch

    Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

    Vice President, Secretary & T → Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Donald J. Fotsch (2020) — Director

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 3101 Seminary Ridge Ln, Nashotah, WI 53058
Phone: (262) 361-4993

Frequently asked questions about Fotsch Family Foundation

How much does Fotsch Family Foundation give each year?

Fotsch Family Foundation gave $3.5M across 55 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.3M across 52 grants.

What is Fotsch Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Fotsch Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $63,225, across 55 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fotsch Family Foundation that year got $155K on average.

Where does Fotsch Family Foundation give grants?

Fotsch Family Foundation's top state is Wisconsin, with 46% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was New York (44%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (21 grants), Manitowish Waters, WI (8 grants), Waukesha, WI (4 grants) and Elm Grove, WI (4 grants).

Who are Fotsch Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Fotsch Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Paul the Apostle ($1,275,000), Marquette University ($336,000) and The Cardinal's Appeal ($175,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 51% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Fotsch Family Foundation?

Fotsch Family Foundation reported $31.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.5M (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 Fotsch Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants include support for organizations working in varied areas. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Fotsch Family Foundation?

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 Fotsch Family Foundation's EIN?

Fotsch Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-2601906. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Fotsch Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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