James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation
The James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Its 2024 grants supported organizations in education, public welfare, and public charity, with most grant dollars going to recipients in Wisconsin.
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation at a glance
In short: James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation gave $177K across 38 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Wisconsin. 29% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $176,500
- +0.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- +26.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $4,645
- -20.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $2,901,334
- +4.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (11 of 38, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: W240 N2385 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: (262) 691-2242
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was St Augustine Preparatory Academy Inc ($50K). Together the top 10 received $120K.
Grant Size Distribution
146 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 146 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 83% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin. Other recipient states were Texas (6%), Florida (3%), New York (3%), and California (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 38 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $7K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 68% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 28% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 86% 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 (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 $138K (2021) to $180K (2022). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $177K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Augustine Preparatory Academy Inc Milwaukee, WI | Education | $50,000 |
| St Ann Center for Intergen Care Milwaukee, WI | Public Welfare | $20,000 |
| Milwaukee Rescue Mission Milwaukee, WI | Public Welfare | $10,000 |
| Pius XI Catholic High School Milwaukee, WI | Education | $10,000 |
| Pathfinders Milwaukee Inc Milwaukee, WI | Public Welfare | $5,000 |
| Patriot Paws Service Dogs Rockwall, TX | Public Welfare | $5,000 |
| Dogs to Dog Tags Plymouth, WI | Public Welfare | $5,000 |
| Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NY | Public Welfare | $5,000 |
| Ladies Auxiliary of Arlington Arlington, TX | Public Charity | $5,000 |
| Milwaukee Repertory Theatre Milwaukee, WI | Public Welfare | $5,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $2,901,334 | $321,980 | $210,847 | $176,500 | 38 | $176,500 | $271,448 | $204,340 |
| 2023 | $2,790,201 | $116,146 | $210,071 | $175,888 | 30 | $178,916 | $88,491 | $176,597 |
| 2022 | $2,884,126 | $88,521 | $218,495 | $180,050 | 29 | $184,078 | $63,013 | $179,610 |
| 2021 | $3,014,100 | $406,940 | $173,784 | $138,098 | 23 | $139,304 | $374,460 | $191,972 |
| 2020 | $2,780,944 | $150,590 | $192,459 | $165,000 | 26 | — | $125,242 | $159,828 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $204K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for schools, social-service organizations, and organizations serving veterans and people with disabilities. For example, St. Augustine Preparatory Academy describes its mission as developing students into future leaders through a Christian-based K–12 education. Pathfinders Milwaukee says it provides safety, hope, and healing to youth in crisis. Patriot Paws Service Dogs says it trains and provides service dogs to disabled veterans and others with mobile disabilities at no cost. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the foundation’s.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 38 grants totaling $176,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $50,000, with a median of $2,500. Its largest listed grants were $50,000 to St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, $20,000 to St. Ann Center for Intergenerational Care, and $10,000 each to Milwaukee Rescue Mission and an individual recipient Catholic High School. Other listed grants included $5,000 to Pathfinders Milwaukee, Patriot Paws Service Dogs, Dogs to Dog Tags, Tunnel to Towers Foundation, Ladies Auxiliary of Arlington, and Milwaukee Repertory Theatre.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Leigh Peterson as president/treasurer and Patricia Ahnert as director.
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation is led by Leigh Peterson, President & Treasurer since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Leigh Peterson
President & Treasurer
President, Treasurer & Director → President & Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Ahnert
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Katherine Menacher (2020) — Secretary & Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation
How much does James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation give each year?
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation gave $177K across 38 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $176K across 30 grants.
What is James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's typical grant size?
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $4,645, across 38 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation give grants?
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Texas (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (13 grants), Waukesha, WI (3 grants) and Pewaukee, WI (3 grants).
Does James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 38 grants with a stated purpose on James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Public Welfare" (30 grants), "Religious" (4 grants) and "Education" (3 grants).
Who are James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's largest grantees?
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include St Augustine Preparatory Academy Inc ($50,000), St Ann Center for Intergen Care ($20,000) and Milwaukee Rescue Mission ($10,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 45% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation?
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation reported $2.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $177K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $204K (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 James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for schools, social-service organizations, and organizations serving veterans and people with disabilities. For example, St. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's EIN?
James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-1561234. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation 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
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-and-leigh-peterson-family-foundation-morg_5f13684a135e4d8caa5a8ef7b383cde2
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_271561234_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James \& Leigh Peterson Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-and-leigh-peterson-family-foundation-morg_5f13684a135e4d8caa5a8ef7b383cde2},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 James & Leigh Peterson 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.
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