Gillen Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Neenah, WI EIN: 20-1647436

Gillen Family Foundation is a private foundation, based in Neenah, WI. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $2.1M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $3K. Net investment income was $81K.

Gillen Family Foundation at a glance

In short: Gillen Family Foundation gave $3K across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $3K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$3,000
-94.2% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
1
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$3,000
-94.2% vs 2024
Median grant
$3,000
Total assets
$2,067,144
+256.8% vs 2024
Primary geography
Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Gillen Family Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top recipient in 2025

The Press Connection Foundation Inc: $3KThe Press ConnectionFoundation Inc$3K

The largest 2025 recipient was The Press Connection Foundation Inc ($3K).

Grant Size Distribution

5 grants across all recorded years

2<$50K3$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 3 grants of 5 (60%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.

States

Cities

AppletonMadison

How Gillen Family Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 95% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 14% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$20K$40K$60K1 grant2020 1 grant2021 1 grant2022 1 grant2023 1 grant2024 1 grant2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3K (2025) to $57K (2022). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $3K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
The Press Connection Foundation Inc Madison, WIFunds were used to purchase new books for wi kettle moraine prison for the inmates book club$3,000
Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Gillen Family Foundation?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$2,067,144$1,510,589$22,869$3,0001$11,295$81,149$82,753
2024$579,424$75,972$68,315$52,0001$60,498$69,783$37,276
2023$571,767$48,000$72,965$54,6001$66,708$43,978$35,510
2022$596,732$13,118$78,361$56,6001$67,729$7,890$39,683
2021$661,975$109,660$68,223$37,0001$58,723$96,160$44,893
2020$620,538$11,601$52,453$35,0001—$11,698$40,878

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gillen Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $83K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Gillen Family Foundation is led by John F. Gillen Jr., Vice Chairman & Chairman since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • John F. Gillen Jr.

    Vice Chairman & Chairman

    Director → Vice Chairman, 2022

    Vice Chairman → Vice Chairman & Chairman, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • John F. Gillen Sr.

    Chairman

    New on the 2025 filing

    5 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • David Gillen

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Greg Gillen

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kenneth Gillen

    Director & Vice Chairman

    Director → Director & Vice Chairman, 2025

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lisa Murphy

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jeffrey L. Hesson

    Secretary

    Treasurer & Secretary → Secretary, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    $995 (2020) → $0 (2025)

  • Laura Jankowski

    Treasurer

    Director → Treasurer, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: John F. Gillen (2020–2024) — Chairman
  • Former: Jeffry Knezel (2020–2022) — Emeritus 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.

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

Frequently asked questions about Gillen Family Foundation

How much does Gillen Family Foundation give each year?

Gillen Family Foundation gave $3K across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $52K across 1 grant.

How large is Gillen Family Foundation?

Gillen Family Foundation reported $2.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $11K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $83K (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.

Where does Gillen Family Foundation operate?

Gillen Family Foundation has awarded grants in Wisconsin.

What is Gillen Family Foundation's EIN?

Gillen Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1647436. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

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

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 20, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Live grants for the work Gillen Family Foundation funds

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Gillen Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Similar funders in Wisconsin

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.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$939.7M

Grants

2,565

Total Given

$84.6M

Dane Buy Local Foundation Inc

Madison, WI

Dane Buy Local Foundation supports buy-local education, collaboration, and programs that strengthen locally owned businesses and communities in Dane County and South Central Wisconsin; it also offers scholarships to area high school seniors pursuing post-secondary business or entrepreneurship studies. No typical award amount is stated, and the information does not say whether the Foundation accepts unsolicited funding requests.

Community Improvement & Capacity Building

Assets

$16K

Grants

1

Total Given

$136K

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.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

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

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc

Milwaukee, WI

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County funds local human services and community programs focused on housing stability, digital access, employment, teen mental wellness, and community resilience. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to about $2 million, with a median of about $34,000, and most funding went to Wisconsin, especially its four-county region. It requires a Letter of Intent before a full application; the listed 2026–27 Letter of Intent deadline has passed.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$50.8M

Grants

639

Total Given

$42.7M

More similar funders

More Funders in Wisconsin

The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Gillen Family 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.

Gillen Family Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?