James E Dutton Foundation Inc
The James E. Dutton Foundation, Inc. is a private foundation based in Merrill, Wisconsin. Established in 2005 to honor Jim Dutton, it provides grants for projects benefiting wildlife, animal causes, environmental preservation, and outdoor education.
James E Dutton Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: James E Dutton Foundation Inc gave $184K across 35 grants in 2025 (avg $5K), mostly in Wisconsin. 51% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $184,459
- +12.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 35
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $5,270
- -10.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,900
- Total assets
- $2,701,473
- -1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 51% first-time grantees (18 of 35, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (90% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to James E Dutton Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests and has no formal application form. Requests should be written and include a cover letter with full contact information; a description of the organization, its mission, and general operating budget; a detailed project or program description; the project budget and schedule; and an explanation of how success will be measured and evaluated. Grant periods may extend over two or more years. Grantees must submit a report on results after the project is completed. The Foundation generally awards grants to an organization no more than once every three years. It considers projects benefiting wildlife, animal causes, environmental preservation, and outdoor education.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists submission deadlines of March 25, 2026, for an April 8, 2026 board meeting; July 7, 2026, for a July 21, 2026 board meeting; and October 21, 2026, for a November 4, 2026 board meeting.
- Deadline
- The website lists submission deadlines of March 25, 2026, for an April 8, 2026 board meeting; July 7, 2026, for a July…
- Contact
Application contact: James E Dutton Foundation
Mailing address: 6655 Rainbow Dr, Merrill, WI 54452
Phone: (414) 640-0523
Website: https://jameseduttonfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from James E Dutton Foundation Inc
Who James E Dutton Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Pineview Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ($13K). Together the top 10 received $93K.
Grant Size Distribution
148 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 148 grants of 148 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation states that it has no geographic boundaries for awards, but primarily supports organizations located in or benefiting Wisconsin and the local Midwest; awards outside Wisconsin are described as rare. In 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to Wisconsin recipients, with 5% to Virginia, 3% to California, and 2% to Minnesota.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 35 itemized grants.
Cities
Is James E Dutton Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
51%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 18 of 35 grantees (51%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $5K; repeat grants $6K. How we count
Medians: $4K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 23% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 32% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 152% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $128K (2020) to $184K (2025). In 2025 it made 35 grants totaling $184K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Pineview Wildlife Rehabilitation Center Fredonia, WI | Construction of a New Reptile Enclosure | $12,500 |
| Driftless Area Land Conservancy Inc Dodgeville, WI | Restoration of Spring Valley Wetland Complex | $10,000 |
| Friends of the Cedarburg Bog Inc Saukeville, WI | Curbing the Spread of Invasive Buckthorn to Protect Wildlife Habitat | $10,000 |
| Raptor Education Group Inc Antigo, WI | Education Vehicle | $10,000 |
| Urban Ecology Center Milwaukee, WI | Research and Community Services | $10,000 |
| Wisconsin Humane Society Milwaukee, WI | Pets for Life Program and the Wildlife Rehabilitation Center | $10,000 |
| Rock River Coalition Jefferson, WI | Collaboration with Small Watershed and Producer-led Groups | $8,778 |
| Carroll University Waukesha, WI | Animal Behavior Program | $7,500 |
| Lake Michigan Bird Observatory Port Washington, WI | Every Tree Counts: Improving Green Space for Birds and People | $7,068 |
| Friends of Wisconsin Camp Tapawingo Mishicot, WI | Naturalist Intern and Development of Long-term Sustainable Program | $7,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,701,473 | $246,552 | $283,125 | $184,459 | 35 | $257,600 | $227,972 | $169,139 |
| 2024 | $2,737,705 | $352,004 | $261,873 | $164,190 | 28 | $239,770 | $329,901 | $166,420 |
| 2023 | $2,646,502 | $37,250 | $239,059 | $145,857 | 34 | $218,333 | $65,251 | $157,221 |
| 2022 | $2,847,738 | $91,157 | $233,867 | $139,800 | 29 | $178,807 | $74,590 | $164,354 |
| 2021 | $2,988,647 | $304,232 | $233,919 | $145,550 | 22 | $185,023 | $301,395 | $192,786 |
| 2020 | $2,918,584 | $45,901 | $214,640 | $127,500 | 24 | — | $48,486 | $170,669 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, James E Dutton Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $169K 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 Foundation’s stated mission is to make grants to organizations for programs benefiting wildlife, domestic animal causes, the environment, and natural resources. Its interests include animal care and rescue, habitat conservation and restoration, responsible land management, conservation awareness, and environmental education. It also supports projects that help people enjoy or care for wildlife, domestic animals, the outdoors, and natural resources.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for habitat restoration, wildlife rehabilitation, animal welfare, research, and education. Among the grantees, Driftless Area Land Conservancy describes its mission as protecting and restoring southwest Wisconsin’s natural and agricultural landscape and connecting people to the land. Wisconsin Humane Society says its mission is to make a difference for animals and the people who love them. Raptor Education Group says it promotes awareness and respect for native birds and develops rehabilitation practices informed by their natural history. Urban Ecology Center describes its mission as connecting people in cities to nature and one another. Lake Michigan Bird Observatory describes its mission as bird research and conservation in the western Lake Michigan region.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation made 35 grants totaling $184,459. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $12,500, with a median of $4,900. Recent grant totals and counts are shown below.
Notable 2025 awards included $12,500 to Pineview Wildlife Rehabilitation Center for construction of a new reptile enclosure; $10,000 each to Driftless Area Land Conservancy for wetland restoration, Friends of the Cedarburg Bog for invasive buckthorn control, Raptor Education Group for an education vehicle, Urban Ecology Center for research and community services, and Wisconsin Humane Society for its Pets for Life Program and Wildlife Rehabilitation Center. Other awards included $8,778 to Rock River Coalition for collaboration with watershed and producer-led groups; $7,500 to Carroll University for its Animal Behavior Program; and $7,068 to Lake Michigan Bird Observatory for its “Every Tree Counts” project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dean W. Fenske as President/Treasurer, John Dutton as Vice President, and J. Lewis Perlson as Secretary.
James E Dutton Foundation Inc is led by Dean W Fenske, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dean W Fenske
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
7 hrs/week
$40K (2020) → $44K (2025)
J Lewis Perlson
Secretary
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$12K (2020) → $13K (2025)
John Dutton
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$8K (2020) → $9K (2025)
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
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $44K, to Dean W Fenske (President/Treas). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about James E Dutton Foundation Inc
How much does James E Dutton Foundation Inc give each year?
James E Dutton Foundation Inc gave $184K across 35 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $164K across 28 grants.
What is James E Dutton Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
James E Dutton Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $4,900, and its average grant was $5,270, across 35 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from James E Dutton Foundation Inc that year got $5K on average.
Where does James E Dutton Foundation Inc give grants?
James E Dutton Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Virginia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (3 grants) and Waukesha, WI (2 grants).
Does James E Dutton Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 35 grants with a stated purpose on James E Dutton Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are James E Dutton Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
James E Dutton Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Pineview Wildlife Rehabilitation Center ($12,500), Driftless Area Land Conservancy Inc ($10,000) and Friends of the Cedarburg Bog Inc ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 18% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is James E Dutton Foundation Inc?
James E Dutton Foundation Inc reported $2.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $258K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $169K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does James E Dutton Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to make grants to organizations for programs benefiting wildlife, domestic animal causes, the environment, and natural resources. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from James E Dutton Foundation Inc?
The Foundation accepts unsolicited requests and has no formal application form. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is James E Dutton Foundation Inc's EIN?
James E Dutton Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 71-0985492. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does James E Dutton Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 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 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 1, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS July 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 12, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). James E Dutton Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 9, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/james-e-dutton-foundation-inc-morg_0ec581e799f44654a4c84c57c7c5ced9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_710985492_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{James E Dutton Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/james-e-dutton-foundation-inc-morg_0ec581e799f44654a4c84c57c7c5ced9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-09. 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 E Dutton 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.
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