Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in La Crosse, Wisconsin. It made 17 grants totaling $419,000 in filing year 2025, supporting charitable organizations including arts, health, education, religious, and community organizations.
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc gave $419K across 17 grants in 2025 (avg $25K), top state Colorado. 12% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $419,000
- +1.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 17
- -19.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $24,647
- +25.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $6,288,203
- -3.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 12% first-time grantees (2 of 17, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Colorado (26% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation stated on its 2023 IRS filing that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 205 5Th Ave S Ste 600 PO Box 1626, La Crosse, WI 54602-1626
Phone: (608) 784-5678
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Church by the Sea ($45K). Together the top 10 received $318K.
Grant Size Distribution
118 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 116 grants of 118 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, grant dollars went to recipients in Colorado (26%), Wisconsin (20%), Florida (20%), Illinois (13%), and Maryland (10%), among other states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
12%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 17 grantees (12%) were first-time recipients. With only 17 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $26K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 59% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−13%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 95% 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 (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 $411K (2024) to $484K (2022). In 2025 it made 17 grants totaling $419K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Church by the Sea Bal Harbour, FL | General | $45,000 |
| Johns Hopkins Center for Chronic Baltimore, MD | General | $41,500 |
| MPN Research Foundation Chicago, IL | General | $41,500 |
| Florida Grand Opera Miami, FL | General | $38,000 |
| Arcs Colorado Denver, CO | General | $32,000 |
| Central Christian Church Denver, CO | General | $30,000 |
| Beacon Unitarian Congreg Summit Summit, NJ | General | $25,000 |
| Books to Kids Inc Denver, CO | General | $25,000 |
| Father Gabriel Richard High School Ann Arbor, MI | General | $20,000 |
| Immanuel Lutheran Loveland, CO | General | $20,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,288,203 | $210,592 | $467,337 | $419,000 | 17 | $419,000 | $167,394 | $439,052 |
| 2024 | $6,544,948 | $163,530 | $457,769 | $411,000 | 21 | $411,000 | $184,844 | $415,468 |
| 2023 | $6,839,187 | $276,797 | $516,755 | $450,000 | 25 | $450,000 | $230,042 | $423,423 |
| 2022 | $7,079,145 | $336,506 | $534,267 | $484,000 | 27 | $484,000 | $286,239 | $463,988 |
| 2021 | $7,276,906 | $330,871 | $483,883 | $433,790 | 28 | — | $280,778 | $457,844 |
| 2019 | $7,657,989 | $314,667 | $459,641 | $413,600 | 22 | — | $268,626 | $442,030 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $439K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The available grant records show support for organizations with varied activities. Florida Grand Opera describes its mission as enriching people’s lives through awareness and appreciation of opera, producing opera, and expanding its reach to diverse communities. Mississippi Valley Conservancy describes its mission as conserving native habitats and farmlands in the Driftless Area for the health and well-being of current and future generations. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation gave $419,000 through 17 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $45,000, with a median of $20,000. Listed grants were designated for general purposes.
Notable 2025 grants included $45,000 to Church by the Sea in Bal Harbour, Florida; $41,500 each to Johns Hopkins Center for Chronic in Baltimore, Maryland, and MPN Research Foundation in Chicago, Illinois; $38,000 to Florida Grand Opera in Miami, Florida; and $32,000 to ARCS Colorado in Denver, Colorado. Other recipients included Central Christian Church ($30,000), Books to Kids Inc. ($25,000), and Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation ($19,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Sarah J Gephart as president, treasurer, and director; Brent L Gephart Sr as vice president and director; and Marc A Lavoie as secretary and director.
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc is led by Sarah J. Gephart, President, Treasurer & D on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sarah J. Gephart
President, Treasurer & D
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Brent L. Gephart Sr.
Vice President & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Marc A. Lavoie
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
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 Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc
How much does Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc give each year?
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc gave $419K across 17 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $411K across 21 grants.
What is Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $24,647, across 17 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc that year got $12K on average.
Where does Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc give grants?
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's top state is Colorado, with 26% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Wisconsin (20%) and Florida (20%). The most frequent recipient cities were Denver, CO (3 grants), Lacrosse, WI (3 grants) and Loveland, CO (2 grants).
Does Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (17 of 17) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Church by the Sea ($45,000), Johns Hopkins Center for Chronic ($41,500) and MPN Research Foundation ($41,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 31% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc?
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc reported $6.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $419K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $439K (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 Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc fund?
The available grant records show support for organizations with varied activities. Florida Grand Opera describes its mission as enriching people’s lives through awareness and appreciation of opera, producing opera, and expanding its reach to diverse communities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc?
The foundation stated on its 2023 IRS filing that it 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 Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's EIN?
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1624154. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Gelatt-Gephart 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS December 6, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS December 7, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS January 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 10, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 25, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Other open foundation grants in Wisconsin
Wisconsin Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Wisconsin
The Chicago Community Trust
Chicago, IL
The Chicago Community Trust funds eligible nonprofits working to narrow the wealth gap and meet urgent needs, with priorities including economic mobility, education, jobs, homeownership, and community development in metropolitan Chicago and Cook County. Its 2025 grants had a median of $26,500, though amounts varied widely; the profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$7.1B
Grants
4,316
Total Given
$1.2B
WK Kellogg Foundation
Battle Creek, MI
The W.K. Kellogg Foundation funds work to help children, families, and communities thrive, including early education, health equity, food systems, family economic well-being, and racial equity. In 2025, its grants ranged from $50 to nearly $5 million, with a median of $100,000; it funds across the United States, with long-term commitments in several states and communities, as well as parts of Mexico and Haiti. It accepts unsolicited proposals online at any time.
Assets
$481.0M
Grants
1,818
Total Given
$303.9M
Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing
Appleton, WI
Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing distributes donor-directed and program donations to a broad range of causes and organizations in local, national, and global communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $11,520 and ranged from $5,006 to $5 million. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$939.7M
Grants
2,565
Total Given
$84.6M
Alliant Energy Foundation Inc
Madison, WI
Assets
$28.5M
Grants
929
Total Given
$2.4M
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
Milwaukee, WI
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation funds nonprofit programs, projects, general operations and capital needs, with priorities including early childhood education, housing, basic needs, health, arts and culture, and scientific research. Its competitive grants primarily serve Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties; in 2024, the median grant was about $27,800, though awards varied widely. It runs competitive grant cycles, but whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
838
Total Given
$66.8M
Give Back Foundation
Madison, WI
Give Back Foundation distributes donor-designated contributions through workplace giving and other giving platforms to selected 501(c)(3) charities, rather than setting its own cause areas. In 2025, grants had a median of $9,066, with recipient organizations concentrated in Virginia, California, and Washington, D.C.; it does not accept unsolicited requests or work directly with charities.
Assets
$31.3M
Grants
639
Total Given
$40.1M
More similar funders
More Funders in Wisconsin
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 20, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gelatt-gephart-foundation-inc-morg_f618f29caa6945b5b12a941b8ec64ae5
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391624154_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gelatt-gephart-foundation-inc-morg_f618f29caa6945b5b12a941b8ec64ae5},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-20. 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 Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc'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.
Gelatt-Gephart Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?