Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat
The Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin. It makes grants to charitable organizations; its 2025 grants included organizations in Wisconsin and Tennessee.
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat at a glance
In short: Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat gave $486K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $54K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $486,051
- -97.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -83.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $54,006
- -85.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.
How to apply to Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat
- 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: 723 Wilder Drive, Madison, WI 53704
Phone: (608) 827-6400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 8 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Madison Community Foundation ($346K across 2 grants). Together the top 8 received $486K.
Grant Size Distribution
204 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 177 grants of 204 (87%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin and 2% to recipients in Tennessee.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat gives
- Giving fell 38% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $486K (2025) to $19.5M (2024). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $486K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Madison Community Foundation Madison, WI | Donation | $337,000 |
| Center for Black Excellence and CUL Madison, WI | To Support Center for Black Excellence and Culture | $50,000 |
| Rise Madison, WI | To Support Organization | $30,000 |
| Goodman Community Center Madison, WI | Donation | $20,000 |
| Wisconsin Watch Milwaukee, WI | Donation | $20,000 |
| Cloud Forest School Foundation Sewanee, TN | Donation | $10,000 |
| Vera Court Neighborood Association Madison, WI | Donation | $10,000 |
| Madison Community Foundation Madison, WI | Donation | $9,029 |
| Madison Community Foundationi Madison, WI | Donation | $22 |
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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 | — | $8,044 | $488,796 | $486,051 | 9 | $486,051 | $5,344 | $298 |
| 2024 | $480,752 | $3,442,183 | $19,620,381 | $19,540,359 | 54 | $19,540,359 | $3,362,186 | $785,710 |
| 2023 | $9,896,069 | $1,258,903 | $830,030 | $804,900 | 47 | $804,900 | $1,233,798 | $781,017 |
| 2022 | $9,679,895 | $770,578 | $801,668 | $782,000 | 48 | $782,000 | $501,172 | $802,914 |
| 2021 | $9,280,232 | $700,669 | $963,303 | $935,800 | 46 | $935,800 | $604,083 | $922,540 |
| 2020 | $9,847,404 | $2,147,994 | $757,043 | $742,950 | 38 | — | $1,717,087 | $706,943 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat reported a distributable amount of $298 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 mission is not stated. Its 2025 recipients included Madison Community Foundation, whose stated mission is to engage Greater Madison in philanthropy to advance a more vibrant and equitable community. Another recipient, RISE, describes its mission as creating opportunities for individuals and families to thrive through services for people with developmental disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 9 grants totaling $486,051. Awards ranged from $22 to $337,000, with a median grant of $20,000. The largest grants included $337,000 to Madison Community Foundation, $50,000 to the Center for Black Excellence and Culture, $30,000 to RISE, and $20,000 each to Goodman Community Center and Wisconsin Watch.
The foundation reported 54 grants totaling $19,540,359 in 2024 and 47 grants totaling $804,900 in 2023.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Laurits R Christensen, Scott Christensen, and Christopher Bugg as directors.
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Christopher Bugg
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Laurits R. Christensen
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Scott Christensen
Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat
How much does Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat give each year?
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat gave $486K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $19.5M across 54 grants.
What is Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's typical grant size?
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $54,006, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat give grants?
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat gives mostly in Wisconsin: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Madison, WI (7 grants).
Does Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (7 grants).
Who are Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's largest grantees?
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's largest 2025 grantees include Madison Community Foundation ($346,029 across 2 grants), Center for Black Excellence and CUL ($50,000) and Rise ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 88% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
What does Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat fund?
The foundation’s mission is not stated. Its 2025 recipients included Madison Community Foundation, whose stated mission is to engage Greater Madison in philanthropy to advance a more vibrant and equitable community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat?
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 ↑
How much is Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2025, Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat reported a distributable amount of $298 on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's EIN?
Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8837127. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat accept unsolicited proposals?
No, 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 August 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS August 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 19, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS February 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
Live grants for the work Lau & Bea Christensen Charitable Foundat funds
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