Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc. is a public charity based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. It supports nonprofits through competitive, Board-directed grant cycles and donor-recommended grants, with its competitive grantmaking focused primarily on Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc gave $66.8M across 838 grants in 2024 (avg $80K), mostly in Wisconsin. 21% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $66,778,125
- +38.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 838
- +7.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $79,688
- +29.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $27,778
- Total assets
- $1,079,014,557
- +7.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 21% first-time grantees (177 of 829, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation directs applicants to review its eligibility guidelines and application process, then use its grant application portal. Fiscal sponsors collaborate through the portal and are responsible for a fiscal sponsor agreement; during the grant period, they monitor grant finances and collaborate on required reports. The Foundation’s FAQs say applicants may request support for new or existing projects.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2153 N Dr Martin Luther King Jr Dr, Milwaukee, WI 53212
Phone: (414) 275-5805
Website: https://greatermilwaukeefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
17 open opportunities from Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
GMF: Cycle 1
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
GMF: Cycle 2 - Capital Support Grant
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $150,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
GMF: Cycle 2 - General Operating Support Grant
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
Amount
Up to US $150,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Community Development Alliance Inc ($4.6M). Together the top 10 received $15.8M.
Organizations only. It also paid 9 individual scholarships ($249,577), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
3,791 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 2,621 grants of 3,791 (69%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says its competitive grantmaking and leadership efforts focus primarily on Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington and Waukesha counties. In filing-year 2024 grant data, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin; the next-largest reported state shares were Nebraska at 3%, Ohio at 2%, and Illinois and New York at 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 838 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
21%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 177 of 829 grantees (21%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $75K; repeat grants $82K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $32K repeat.
- 66% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+14%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $48.2M (2023) to $74.0M (2022). In 2024 it made 838 grants totaling $66.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Development Alliance Inc Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted | $4,556,539 |
| Schwab Charitable Fund Omaha, NE | Martha e. Parker and peter h. Thermansen charitable fund. | $2,050,000 |
| UWM Foundation Milwaukee, WI | Shaw Scientist Program | $1,769,297 |
| The Medical College of Wisconsin Inc Wauwatosa, WI | Impacting PC Knowledge and Screening in Black Men | $1,525,016 |
| American Endowment Foundation Hudson, OH | FBL Louie and Sue Andrew Charitable Fund A24011 | $1,103,430 |
| United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County Milwaukee, WI | Unrestricted Use | $1,014,984 |
| Wispact Inc Madison, WI | 2024 Wispact Foundation Grants | $987,045 |
| Children's Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI | Gift Commitment | $967,355 |
| Housing Authority of the City of Milwaukee Milwaukee, WI | The 2023 and 2024 Funding Plan | $960,000 |
| United Community Center Milwaukee, WI | 2024 Funding Allocation | $914,619 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $1,079,014,557 | $85,176,235 | $85,506,672 | $66,778,125 | 838 | $42,929,348 |
| 2023 | $1,005,749,724 | $78,030,106 | $65,430,598 | $48,167,345 | 781 | $31,901,792 |
| 2022 | $894,352,035 | $87,591,185 | $89,876,571 | $73,995,092 | 720 | $26,752,678 |
| 2021 | $1,114,706,959 | $151,763,598 | $72,595,421 | $58,472,729 | 712 | $98,897,390 |
| 2020 | $1,002,313,148 | $102,077,452 | $70,678,205 | $57,032,914 | 740 | $52,632,729 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to inspire philanthropy, serve donors and strengthen communities now and for future generations. Its website describes priorities that include early childhood education, quality housing, scientific research, food and shelter, community wellness, and small business and entrepreneurship.
Its competitive grant cycles support programs in the four counties it primarily serves. The Foundation’s eligibility guidelines say proposals are evaluated in part on how they advance equity and inclusion, including support for policies benefiting communities of color, more representative decision-making bodies, and equitable sharing of power.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. Community Development Alliance describes its mission as advancing racial equity by working toward quality affordable homes for Milwaukeeans, with a focus on equitable homeownership for Black and Latino families. The UWM Foundation says it supports the educational, literary and scientific endeavors of the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee. United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County says it unites people to create positive, lasting change in the community. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
The Foundation reports two primary forms of grantmaking: Board-directed competitive grant cycles and donor-recommended grants made through charitable funds, including donor-advised, designated and scholarship funds. Its grantseekers page says competitive cycles are held three times a year and that charitable funds may also run their own cycles throughout the year.
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 838 grants totaling $66,778,125. Grant amounts ranged from $5,017 to $4,556,539, with a median of $27,778. The largest reported grants included $4,556,539 to Community Development Alliance Inc. for an unrestricted purpose; $1,769,297 to UWM Foundation for the Shaw Scientist Program; $1,525,016 to the Medical College of Wisconsin for work on prostate cancer knowledge and screening in Black men; and $1,014,984 to United Way of Greater Milwaukee and Waukesha County for unrestricted use.
The Foundation’s website lists project, general operating and capital support among its funding types. Its eligibility guidelines say applicants must generally be 501(c)(3) organizations, though governmental agencies may apply on occasion. An organization without 501(c)(3) status may apply with an eligible fiscal sponsor. Eligible nonprofits must have at least four unrelated board members and at least 10% people of color on their boards. The Foundation does not fund individuals, debt reduction or agency endowments, sectarian organizations for religious purposes, or partisan political activities. An organization with an open grant—one for which a final report or final meeting has not been completed before applying—is ineligible.
The Cycle 1 opportunity description lists arts and culture, basic needs, housing and physical health as funding priorities. It was marked active with a last-updated date of February 3, 2026; that date has passed.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Mary Ellen Stanek as chair and Gregory Oberland as vice chair. It also lists Cecelia Gore, Susan Ela, Pedro Colon and Thomas Florsheim as board members. Dave Drury, Paul Jones, Cory Nettles and Marie O’Brien are listed with board roles ending in June 2024.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc is led by Ellen Gilligan, President on every filing since 2020; 11 of 32 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ellen Gilligan
President
On filings since 2020
32 hrs/week
$368K (2020) → $281K (2024)
Gregory Wesley
President
Board Vice Chair → Board Member, 2023
Board Member → President, 2024
On filings since 2020
32 hrs/week
$223K (2024)
Vincent Lyles
Executive Director
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$199K (2023) → $227K (2024)
Mary Ellen Stanek
Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2023
Vice Chair → Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Jones
Chair
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathryn Dunn
Vice President of Committee Investment
On filings since 2020
32 hrs/week
$186K (2020) → $132K (2024)
Ken Robertson
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
32 hrs/week
$208K (2020) → $176K (2024)
Kristen Mekemson
Vice President Development, Phil Services & Secretary
Vice President Development & Phil Services → Vice President Development, Phil Services & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$163K (2020) → $191K (2024)
Laura Glawe
Vice President Marketing
Vice President of Marketing → Vice President Marketing, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$148K (2020) → $141K (2024)
Michael Hoffman
Vice President of Hr
Vice President of Human Resources → Vice President of Hr, 2022
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$143K (2020) → $150K (2024)
Janel Hines
Vice President of Community Impact
Vice President Community Impact → Vice President of Community Impact, 2024
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$130K (2022) → $130K (2024)
Kenyatta Sinclair
Chief Dei & Org Learning Officer
Chief Dei Officer → Chief Dei & Org Learning Officer, 2024
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$133K (2023) → $157K (2024)
Yelena Chester
CFO & Treasurer
New on the 2024 filing
32 hrs/week
$131K (2024)
Cecelia Gore
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cory Nettles
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dave Drury
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derek Tyus
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gregory Oberland
Vice Chair
Board Member → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marie O'Brien
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Pedro Colon
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Ela
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Thomas Florsheim
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Naryan Leazer
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Blaine Gibson
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cristy Garcia-Thomas
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jaqueline Ward
Board Member
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David Gay
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Derek Mosely
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Devona Wright-Cottrel
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gail Yabuki
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jim Schleif
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rebeca Lopez
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Darryl Morin (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Greg Marcus (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Dale Kent (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Danae Davis (2020–2022) — Executive Director
- Former: Dave Kundert (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Jackie Herd-Baber (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Wendy Bosworth (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Janel Hiens (2021) — Vice President Community Impact
- Former: Joseph Brooks (2021) — Senior Director-Donor Services
- Former: Wendy Pointing (2020) — Vice President of Finance
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $281K, to Ellen Gilligan (President ( End 8/24)). 11 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc
How much does Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc give each year?
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc gave $66.8M across 838 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $48.2M across 781 grants.
What is Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $27,778, and its average grant was $79,688, across 838 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc that year got $75K on average.
Where does Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc give grants?
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (399 grants), Madison, WI (18 grants), Waukesha, WI (18 grants) and Wauwatosa, WI (17 grants).
Does Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 17% of Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (144 of 838) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Sustaining Support" (202 grants), "Capital 2024" (13 grants) and "Scholarships" (7 grants).
Who are Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Community Development Alliance Inc ($4,556,539), Schwab Charitable Fund ($2,050,000) and UWM Foundation ($1,769,297), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 9 individual scholarships ($249,577), which are not listed by name. Together they received 13% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc?
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc reported $1.1B in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $85.2M.
What does Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to inspire philanthropy, serve donors and strengthen communities now and for future generations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc?
The Foundation directs applicants to review its eligibility guidelines and application process, then use its grant application portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's EIN?
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-6036407. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 7, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/greater-milwaukee-foundation-inc-morg_dfd006b2d9584e99a53ab36dfab121ae
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_396036407_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/greater-milwaukee-foundation-inc-morg_dfd006b2d9584e99a53ab36dfab121ae},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-07. 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 Greater Milwaukee 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.
Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?