Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Lake Geneva, Wisconsin. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations working in areas including medical care and research, education, and the environment.
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc gave $434K across 44 grants in 2024 (avg $10K), top state Wyoming. 25% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $433,500
- +146.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 44
- +29.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $9,852
- +90.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $8,528,730
- +4.2% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 25% first-time grantees (11 of 44, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wyoming (23% 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 Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: C/O Mr Walter Bell 410 Hunt Club, Lake Geneva, WI 53147
Phone: (312) 453-9183
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Brain Chemistry Labs ($100K). Together the top 10 received $365K.
Grant Size Distribution
194 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 187 grants of 194 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in Wyoming (23%), Illinois (19%), Wisconsin (17%), Connecticut (12%), and Virginia (9%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 44 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
25%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 44 grantees (25%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $10K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 70% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 199% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 91% 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 (2019–2024). 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 2019 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $121K (2019) to $434K (2024). In 2024 it made 44 grants totaling $434K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Brain Chemistry Labs Jackson, WY | Medical | $100,200 |
| AmeriCares Stamford, CT | Charitable | $51,000 |
| Katie Flowers Endowment Cable, WI | Charitable | $50,000 |
| Rainforest Trust Warrenton, VA | Charitable | $40,000 |
| Chicago Botanical Garden Glencoe, IL | Environmental | $35,500 |
| Everglades Foundation Palmetto Bay, FL | Charitable | $30,000 |
| Mayo Clinic Rochester, MN | Medical | $25,000 |
| Deerfield Academy Deerfield, MA | Education | $12,500 |
| Northshore University Healthcare Evanston, IL | Medical | $11,000 |
| Northwestern University Evanston, IL | Education | $10,000 |
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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 | $8,528,730 | $509,071 | $528,346 | $433,500 | 44 | $438,062 | $422,787 | $482,160 |
| 2023 | $8,182,741 | $196,141 | $264,295 | $175,700 | 34 | $180,119 | $248,529 | $438,711 |
| 2022 | $8,881,847 | $285,456 | $402,874 | $271,950 | 38 | $275,544 | $198,187 | $448,212 |
| 2021 | $9,078,720 | $842,910 | $239,124 | $145,000 | 38 | $149,222 | $753,008 | $488,361 |
| 2020 | $8,710,313 | $1,214,556 | $404,543 | $323,449 | 40 | — | $1,138,523 | $396,223 |
| 2019 | $7,900,300 | $311,894 | $202,627 | $120,501 | 40 | — | $236,844 | $393,574 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $482K 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for medical, educational, environmental, and other charitable purposes. Grantees describe their own work in varied ways: Rainforest Trust says it protects endangered wildlife and creates rainforest reserves; Mayo Clinic describes its work as providing patient care, education, and research; and Northwestern University says it is committed to teaching, research, and student growth. The Katie Flowers Endowment says it manages funds exclusively for the Forest Lodge Public Library in Cable, Wisconsin.
Other 2024 grantees include PAWS Chicago, which describes its work as animal welfare and spay/neuter, medical, and adoption programs; Wayside House, which says it works to break cycles of addiction and trauma for women, children, and families; and Save the Chimps, which says it provides sanctuary and care to chimpanzees.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 44 grants totaling $433,500 in 2024. Grants ranged from $200 to $100,200, with a median grant of $2,500. Among the largest were $100,200 to Brain Chemistry Labs for medical purposes, $51,000 to AmeriCares for charitable purposes, $50,000 to the Katie Flowers Endowment, $40,000 to Rainforest Trust, and $35,500 to Chicago Botanical Garden for environmental purposes. Other notable grants included $30,000 to the Everglades Foundation, $25,000 to Mayo Clinic, and $12,500 to Deerfield Academy.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Josephine P Louis as president; Walter W Bell as vice president and secretary; and Kimberly Louis Stewart and Tracy Louis Merrill as directors.
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc is led by Josephine P Louis, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 4 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Josephine P Louis
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Kimberly Louis Stewart
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Tracy Louis Merrill
Director
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Walter W Bell
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2024. "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 Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc
How much does Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc give each year?
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc gave $434K across 44 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $176K across 34 grants.
What is Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $2,500, and its average grant was $9,852, across 44 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.
Where does Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc give grants?
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's top state is Wyoming, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Illinois (19%) and Wisconsin (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (10 grants), Cable, WI (6 grants), Evanston, IL (2 grants) and Winnetka, IL (2 grants).
Does Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 44 grants with a stated purpose on Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Charitable" (23 grants), "Education" (7 grants) and "Environmental" (5 grants).
Who are Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Brain Chemistry Labs ($100,200), AmeriCares ($51,000) and Katie Flowers Endowment ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc?
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc reported $8.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $438K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $482K (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 Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants include support for medical, educational, environmental, and other charitable purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc?
The foundation states that it 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 Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's EIN?
Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3837993. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Does Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS January 13, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 22, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 1, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 27, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Josephine P & John J Louis Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/josephine-p-and-john-j-louis-foundation-inc-morg_4951e7297389407f98b42a9e212f18bf
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363837993_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Josephine P \& John J Louis Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/josephine-p-and-john-j-louis-foundation-inc-morg_4951e7297389407f98b42a9e212f18bf},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 Josephine P & John J Louis 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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