G O Forward Charitable Trust

Foundation · Grantmaker MILWAUKEE, WI EIN: 32-6331860

G O Forward Charitable Trust is a private foundation established in August 2014, operating as a trust with U.S. Bank National Association serving as trustee. The foundation is based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, and is classified as a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$310.2M

+321.5% YoY

Annual Giving

$13.0M

+208.5% YoY

Grant Count

-34.8% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$864K

+373.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, G O Forward Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $11.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include:

Environmental education and grants for science teachers
Renewable energy grants
Arts, culture, and humanities
Arts access and participation
Education and philanthropy

Grantmaking

The foundation made 22 grants in its most recent fiscal year (ending March 2024). Recent grants include:

Grant Range

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Wyoming, New York, and the District of Columbia.

Grant Distribution by State

Minnesota $6.7M (25%)

District of Columbia $5.6M (21%)

Wyoming $4.6M (17%)

Connecticut $2.4M (9%)

California $1.9M (7%)

Massachusetts $1.4M (5%)

Montana $1.3M (5%)

New York $1.2M (4%)

+3 more states

States

California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Massachusetts Maryland Minnesota Montana New York Virginia Wyoming

Cities

ArlingtonAspenAvonBaltimoreBozemanFalmouthJacksonLanderLos AngelesMinneapolisMooseNew HavenNew YorkSaint PaulSan FranciscoSheridanWashington

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year Ending March 2024:

Total Assets: $310,210,172
Total Revenues: $266,176,174
Total Expenses: $14,590,126
Total Giving: $18,625,800
Investment Income and Dividends: $7,033,324
Total Grants, Contributions, etc.: $258,110,711

Staffing: 1 employee

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$310,210,172	$73,601,409	$77,461,823
Revenue	$266,176,174	$977,041	$4,606,970
Expenses	$14,590,126	$4,837,455	$6,070,211
Qualifying Distributions	$12,977,175	$4,262,957	$5,461,031
Net Investment Income	$6,456,684	$1,580,080	$4,099,321
Distributable Amount	$11,796,910	$4,178,288	$5,023,280

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

83 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Earthjustice ($920,000), Environmental Defense Fund ($920,000), Greater Yellowstone Coalition ($920,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
EARTHJUSTICE SAN FRANCISCO, CA	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
ENVIRONMENTAL DEFENSE FUND WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
GREATER YELLOWSTONE COALITION BOZEMAN, MT	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
NATURAL RESOURCES DEFENSE COUNCIL NEW YORK, NY	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
OCEAN CONSERVANCY WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
ORDWAY CENTER FOR PERFORMING ARTS SAINT PAUL, MN	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY ARLINGTON, VA	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
THE SCHUBERT CLUB SAINT PAUL, MN	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
WILDERNESS SOCIETY WASHINGTON, DC	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000
WOODS HOLE RESEARCH CENTER FALMOUTH, MA	GENERAL OPERATING	$920,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Kristen Simon - Trustee (as of January 2025)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
US BANK NA	CORPORATE TRUSTEE	2	$1,625,029

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Mutual/Membership Benefit

Frequently Asked Questions

What does G O Forward Charitable Trust fund?

The foundation's primary funding focus areas include: • Environmental education and grants for science teachers • Renewable energy grants • Arts, culture, and humanities • Arts access and participation • Education and philanthropy

How do I apply for a grant from G O Forward Charitable Trust?

**Grant Activity:** The foundation made 22 grants in its most recent fiscal year (ending March 2024). Recent grants include: • Natural Resources Defense Council: $920,000 (General Operating) • Wilderness Society: $920,000 (General Operating) • Woodwell Climate Research Center: $920,000 (General Operating) • Ordway Center For Performing Arts (mentioned as recent grantee) **Grant Sizes:** Typical grant awards range from approximately $39,183 to $1,544,700.

Where does G O Forward Charitable Trust make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Wyoming, New York, and the District of Columbia.

What size grants does G O Forward Charitable Trust award?

In 2024, G O Forward Charitable Trust awarded 15 grants totaling $13.0M — an average of about $864K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is G O Forward Charitable Trust required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, G O Forward Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $11.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.