Friendship House of Milwaukee

MILWAUKEE, WI EIN: 39-0837518

Friendship House of Milwaukee is a private foundation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, established in 1946. The organization operates a transitional living facility and temporary housing program for single women and families through a partnership with Cathedral Center Inc.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

—

Annual Giving

$276K

-16.9% YoY

Grant Count

-18.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$31K

+1.6% YoY

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary purpose is to operate transitional living and temporary housing programs while supporting related community initiatives. Key funding areas include:

Rehabs and construction of homes
Case management services
Transitional and temporary housing for single women and families
Eviction defense and legal services
COVID-19 emergency response and urgent needs funding
Support for low-income families pursuing homeownership

Grantmaking

Friendship House of Milwaukee made 23 grants in the most recent reporting period. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $125,000.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is primarily focused in Wisconsin, with particular emphasis on the Milwaukee area.

Grant Distribution by State

Wisconsin $1.8M (100%)

States

Tennessee Wisconsin

Cities

BROOKFIELDFITCHBURGMEMPHISMILWAUKEEWALWORTHWAUKESHAWAUWATOSA

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $22,452,802 to $23,182,763
Total Revenues: $1,277,644
Total Expenses: $1,080,308
Number of Employees: 0

The foundation maintains substantial assets relative to its annual giving, indicating a long-term commitment to grantmaking in the community.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	—	—	—
Revenue	—	—	—
Expenses	—	—	—
Qualifying Distributions	—	—	—
Net Investment Income	—	—	—
Distributable Amount	—	—	—

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

58 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Habitat for Humanity ($125,000), Cathedral Center ($60,000), Legal Action of Wisconsin ($25,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALL-IN MILWAUKEE MILWAUKEE, WI	COLLEGE SCHOLARSHIP	$6,250
CATHEDRAL CENTER MILWAUKEE, WI	CASE MANAGEMENT SERVICES	$60,000
FRANCISCAN PEACEMAKERS MILWAUKEE, WI	CLARE COMMUNITY HOUSING	$10,000
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY MILWAUKEE, WI	REHABS AND CONSTRUCTION OF HOMES	$125,000
LEGAL ACTION OF WISCONSIN MILWAUKEE, WI	EVICTION DEFENSE PROJECT	$25,000
NEW BEGINNINGS - A HOME FOR MOTHERS MILWAUKEE, WI	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
SAFE FAMILIES FOR CHILDREN BROOKFIELD, WI	GENERAL SUPPORT	$10,000
ACTS HOUSING MILWAUKEE, WI	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
EXPLOIT NO MORE MILWAUKEE, WI	GENERAL SUPPORT	$5,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
LAURIE SMITH	PAST PRESIDENT	2	—
JOY KOOPS	PRESIDENT	2	—
MARY KAY MARK	VICE PRESIDENT	2	—
AMY JENINGA	TREASURER	2	—
SARAH SEITZ	SECRETARY	2	—
NANCY VANDER VELDE	DIRECTOR	2	—
JANE BRASSER	DIRECTOR	2	—
JENNIFER SHILLER	DIRECTOR	2	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Friendship House of Milwaukee fund?

The foundation's primary purpose is to operate transitional living and temporary housing programs while supporting related community initiatives. Key funding areas include: • Rehabs and construction of homes • Case management services • Transitional and temporary housing for single women and families • Eviction defense and legal services • COVID-19 emergency response and urgent needs funding • Support for low-income families pursuing homeownership

How do I apply for a grant from Friendship House of Milwaukee?

**Grant Activity:** Friendship House of Milwaukee made 23 grants in the most recent reporting period. Typical grant awards range from $1,000 to $125,000. **Recent Grants (2024):** • Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity: $125,000 (Rehabs and Construction of Homes) • Cathedral Center: $60,000 (Case Management Services) • Legal Action of Wisconsin: $25,000 (Eviction Defense Project) **Total Giving:** $295,000 (most recent fiscal year)