James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Waukesha, WI EIN: 27-1561234

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.

Key facts about James & Leigh Peterson Family Foundation

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.

EIN
27-1561234
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$176,500
Grants made (2024)
38
Average grant
$4,645
Median grant
$2,500
New grantees (estimate)
29% first-time grantees (11 of 38, 2024)
Total assets
$2,901,334
Primary geography
Wisconsin (83% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$2.9M

+4.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$177K

+0.3% YoY

Grant Count

38

+26.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$5K

-20.8% YoY

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.

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.

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.

How to Apply

The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.

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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

13states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.

Cities

MilwaukeeWaukeshaPewaukeeBrookfieldFond Du LacOconomowocWest BendOceansideRockwallTopekaGraftonKansas CityTampaWest MilwaukeeWillistonChicagoJeffersonMadisonMontello WiWauwatosa

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K26 grants2020 23 grants2021 29 grants2022 30 grants2023 38 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $138K (2021) to $180K (2022). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $177K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

St Augustine Preparatory Academy Inc: $50KSt Augustine PreparatoryAcademy Inc$50KSt Ann Center for Intergen Care: $20KSt Ann Center for IntergenCare$20KMilwaukee Rescue Mission: $10KMilwaukee Rescue Mission$10KPius XI Catholic High School: $10KPius XI Catholic High School$10KPathfinders Milwaukee Inc: $5KPathfinders Milwaukee Inc$5KPatriot Paws Service Dogs: $5KPatriot Paws Service Dogs$5KDogs to Dog Tags: $5KDogs to Dog Tags$5KTunnel to Towers Foundation: $5KTunnel to Towers Foundation$5KLadies Auxiliary of Arlington: $5KLadies Auxiliary of Arlington$5KMilwaukee Repertory Theatre: $5KMilwaukee Repertory Theatre$5K

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

145<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 145 grants of 146 (99%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
St Augustine Preparatory Academy Inc Milwaukee, WIEducation$50,000
St Ann Center for Intergen Care Milwaukee, WIPublic Welfare$20,000
Milwaukee Rescue Mission Milwaukee, WIPublic Welfare$10,000
Pius XI Catholic High School Milwaukee, WIEducation$10,000
Pathfinders Milwaukee Inc Milwaukee, WIPublic Welfare$5,000
Patriot Paws Service Dogs Rockwall, TXPublic Welfare$5,000
Dogs to Dog Tags Plymouth, WIPublic Welfare$5,000
Tunnel to Towers Foundation Staten Island, NYPublic Welfare$5,000
Ladies Auxiliary of Arlington Arlington, TXPublic Charity$5,000
Milwaukee Repertory Theatre Milwaukee, WIPublic Welfare$5,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2024 $2,901,334 $321,980 $210,847 $176,500
2023 $2,790,201 $116,146 $210,071 $175,888
2022 $2,884,126 $88,521 $218,495 $180,050
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$2,901,334$2,790,201$2,884,126
Revenue$321,980$116,146$88,521
Expenses$210,847$210,071$218,495
Qualifying Distributions$176,500$178,916$184,078
Net Investment Income$271,448$88,491$63,013
Distributable Amount$204,340$176,597$179,610

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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.

Contact

Mailing address: W240 N2385 Pewaukee Road, Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: (262) 691-2242

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.

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