Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd is a private foundation based in Janesville, Wisconsin, that supports historic preservation in small towns and cities across eight Midwestern states. Established in 1979 by Bruce and Eleanor Jeffris and their son Tom, the foundation’s stated mission is to preserve the cultural history and heritage of the Midwest through preservation of regionally and nationally important historic buildings and decorative arts projects.
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd at a glance
In short: Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd gave $1.0M across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $85K), mostly in Wisconsin. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,023,725
- -32.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $85,310
- -32.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $26,625
- Total assets
- $15,455,038
- +9.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (7 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (66% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- Invitation Only
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Applicants should submit an inquiry and consult with a foundation director; applications are provided when the foundation considers a project appropriate. Heartland Fund applications are accepted at any time once invited. Challenge Grant proposals are by invitation.
- Review Cycle
- For the annual Challenge Grant cycle, invitations are issued on or about May 15, draft proposals are due July 1, and final proposals are due August 1. These dates have passed for the 2026 cycle.
- Deadline
- For the annual Challenge Grant cycle, invitations are issued on or about May 15, draft proposals are due July 1, and…
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1160, Janesville, WI 53547-1160
Phone: (608) 757-1039
Website: https://jeffrisfoundation.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 Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd
Who Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Kenosha County Wisconsin ($675K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 58 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website identifies its service area as Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois, Indiana, Ohio, and Michigan. Its 2025 grants went to recipients in Wisconsin, Michigan, Ohio, Illinois, Indiana, and Minnesota. The filing reports that grant dollars were distributed by recipient state as follows: Wisconsin 66%, Michigan 15%, Ohio 9%, Illinois 5%, and Indiana 3%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 12 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $140K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $30K first-time, $1K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 48% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 87% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $356K (2021) to $1.5M (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Kenosha County Wisconsin Kenosha, WI | Restoration of Courtroom | $675,000 |
| Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association Ludington, MI | Restoration of Light Station | $150,000 |
| The Hegeler Carus Foundation Peru, IL | Restoration of Hegeler Carus Mansion | $55,575 |
| Foundation for Appalachian Ohio Nelsonville, OH | Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church | $36,500 |
| Overfield Tavern Museum Troy, OH | Restoration of Overfield Tavern | $29,500 |
| City of Logansport Indiana Logansport, IN | Restoration of Kendrick-Baldwin House | $28,250 |
| Edison Birthplace Association Inc Milan, OH | Restoration of Thomas Alva Edison Birthplace | $25,000 |
| New ULM Turnverein New ULM, MN | Restoration of New ULM Turner Hall | $20,000 |
| Friends of PBS Wisconsin Inc Madison, WI | General Operating Support | $1,000 |
| Rock County Historical Society Janesville, WI | Holiday Tree Sponsorship | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd?
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 | $15,455,038 | $3,028,682 | $1,729,838 | $1,023,725 | 12 | $1,668,331 | $2,660,756 | $1,925,303 |
| 2024 | $14,156,192 | $2,293,653 | $2,142,781 | $1,509,315 | 12 | $2,808,268 | $1,934,040 | $1,853,231 |
| 2023 | $14,005,320 | $986,440 | $1,419,292 | $838,150 | 10 | $2,524,254 | $658,402 | $2,651,285 |
| 2022 | $14,438,172 | $756,792 | $1,345,006 | $691,425 | 13 | $957,827 | $426,613 | $2,819,167 |
| 2021 | $15,025,386 | $2,892,686 | $1,030,300 | $356,175 | 11 | $2,987,079 | $2,548,478 | $2,548,062 |
| 2020 | $13,173,988 | $1,628,405 | $1,516,216 | $954,456 | 11 | — | $1,340,014 | $1,535,051 |
| 2019 | $13,063,565 | $1,097,542 | $1,865,218 | $1,298,192 | 9 | — | $809,758 | $1,541,401 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd reported a distributable amount of $1.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated priorities include supporting the preservation of history, culture, and a sense of place in small Midwestern communities; developing significant historic sites; promoting research and planning for sustainable, high-quality restoration; and encouraging local support for historic preservation.
Its 2025 grants illustrate support for restoration projects involving historic buildings and sites. For example, the Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association describes its mission as preserving, promoting, educating about, and making lighthouses accessible. The Hegeler Carus Foundation says it seeks to preserve and use the Hegeler Carus Mansion and its stories to foster appreciation of its heritage, architecture, and design. The Overfield Tavern Museum describes its work as preserving the museum and its history and offering the community a window into Troy’s early life.
The foundation’s website says eligible applicants for Heartland Fund grants include established 501(c)(3) organizations and government agencies partnered with a 501(c)(3) organization. Capital Campaign Challenge Grants are for invited projects; only sites of national or statewide significance are considered.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 12 grants totaling $1,023,725. Individual grants ranged from $900 to $675,000, with a median of $26,625. The largest awards included $675,000 to Kenosha County, Wisconsin, for courtroom restoration; $150,000 to Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association for light station restoration; and $55,575 to the Hegeler Carus Foundation for restoration of the Hegeler Carus Mansion. Other 2025 awards included $36,500 to the Foundation for Appalachian Ohio for Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church and $29,500 to the Overfield Tavern Museum for tavern restoration.
The Jeffris Heartland Fund offers grants of $5,000 to $50,000 toward 50% of the cost of a Historic Structure Report (HSR), with a dollar-for-dollar cash match from sources unrelated to the foundation. For capital improvement projects, the foundation requires an HSR. The website says an HSR should document a property’s historic context and current conditions, recommend treatments and priorities, and estimate costs. Heartland Fund applicants must consult with a foundation director before receiving an application form; once invited, applications are accepted at any time. Projects completing a quality study may be invited to propose for a Challenge Grant.
Capital Campaign Challenge Grants are made to invited projects with completed planning that are ready to launch a campaign. Requests should equal 33% of the campaign goal and be based on cost estimates in a current HSR. Grants can range from $50,000 to $1 million; the website says awards more commonly range from $250,000 to $500,000.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas M. Jeffris as president, treasurer, and director; Peggy J. Sheridan as vice president, secretary, and assistant treasurer; and Royce Yeater and Nancy Finegood as directors and field representatives. The foundation’s website identifies Thomas M. Jeffris as president and Royce Yeater and Nancy Finegood as directors.
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd is led by Thomas M. Jeffris, President, Treasurer & Director on every filing since 2019; 3 of 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Thomas M. Jeffris
President, Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$138K (2019) → $145K (2025)
Royce Yeater
Director & Field Representative
Director & Preservation Consultant → Director & Field Representative, 2021
On filings since 2019
23 hrs/week
$66K (2019) → $91K (2025)
Nancy Finegood
Director & Field Representative
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$11K (2021) → $55K (2025)
Peggy J. Sheridan
Vice President, Secretary & Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2019
8 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Roman Vetter (2019–2021) — Director & Field Representative
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "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 $145K, to Thomas M Jeffris (President/Treasurer/Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd
How much does Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd give each year?
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd gave $1.0M across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.5M across 12 grants.
What is Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's typical grant size?
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's median grant in 2025 was $26,625, and its average grant was $85,310, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd that year got $140K on average.
Where does Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd give grants?
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd gives mostly in Wisconsin: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Michigan (15%) and Ohio (9%). The most frequent recipient cities were Janesville, WI (2 grants).
Does Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd give general operating support?
Yes: 17% of Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 12) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's largest grantees?
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's largest 2025 grantees include Kenosha County Wisconsin ($675,000), Sable Points Lighthouse Keepers Association ($150,000) and The Hegeler Carus Foundation ($55,575), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 86% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd?
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd reported $15.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.7M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.9M (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 Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd fund?
The foundation’s stated priorities include supporting the preservation of history, culture, and a sense of place in small Midwestern communities; developing significant historic sites; promoting research and planning for sustainable, high-quality restoration; and encouraging local support for historic preservation. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's EIN?
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1281879. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd 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 October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS August 19, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/jeffris-family-foundation-ltd-morg_d7630b02fb1b47f886bed2e5c5468834
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391281879_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/jeffris-family-foundation-ltd-morg_d7630b02fb1b47f886bed2e5c5468834},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd'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.
Jeffris Family Foundation Ltd down — hundreds of funders to go?