Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Mequon, WI EIN: 87-1448491

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation, based in Mequon, WI. IRS filing data is available from 2021 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $48.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $2.0M. Net investment income was $3.8M.

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc at a glance

In short: Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc gave $2.0M across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $228K), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$2,050,000
+7.9% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
9
+50.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$227,778
-28.1% vs 2024
Median grant
$200,000
Total assets
$48,773,053
+3.5% vs 2024
Primary geography
Wisconsin (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2025

Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation: $500KChildren's Hospital ofWisconsin Foundation$500KRogers Behavioral Health Foundation: $400KRogers Behavioral HealthFoundation$400KUWM Foundation: $400KUWM Foundation$400KMacc Fund: $300KMacc Fund$300KMedical College of Wisconsin: $200KMedical College of Wisconsin$200KWatertown Humane Society: $100KWatertown Humane Society$100KLafd Foundation: $50KLafd Foundation$50KPasadena Humane: $50KPasadena Humane$50KWorld Central Kitchen: $50KWorld Central Kitchen$50K

The largest 2025 recipient was Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation ($500K). Together the top 9 received $2.0M.

Grant Size Distribution

48 grants across all recorded years

12<$50K8$50–100K12$100–250K12$250–500K4$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 12 grants of 48 (25%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

5states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.

Cities

MilwaukeeLos AngelesOconomowocWatertownWauwatosaMadisonBaileys HarborBrookfieldColumbusMemphisOshkoshPasadenaSanta MonicaWashingtonWaukeshaWaunakeeWest AllisWest Milwaukee

How Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−18%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 79% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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

$0$1M$2M$3M0 grants2021 24 grants2022 9 grants2023 6 grants2024 9 grants2025

From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.9M (2024) to $2.5M (2022). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $2.0M.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation Milwaukee, WIAdvance the work of pediatric patient care, research and teaching by children's hospitals.$500,000
Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation Oconomowoc, WITo help support the new research center and mental health treatments in general. To create awareness around mental health$400,000
UWM Foundation Milwaukee, WISupporting uw milwaukee students, faculty, community programs, and the community.$400,000
Macc Fund Milwaukee, WISupports research into the effective treatment and cure for childhood cancer.$300,000
Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WISupporting a private medical school, pharmacy, and graduate school in milwaukee, Wisconsin.$200,000
Watertown Humane Society Watertown, WIProvide for the lost, homeless, neglected animals. Provide help for animals in need regardless of age, health, or background.$100,000
Lafd Foundation Los Angeles, CATo impact every firefighter by providing them with the equipment and tools they need to save lives.$50,000
Pasadena Humane Pasadena, CATo provide shelter, dedicated care and new beginnings for animals in pasadena ca.$50,000
World Central Kitchen Washington, DCFirst to the frontlines, providing fresh meals in response to human itarian, climate an community crises.$50,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$48,773,053$3,974,794$2,312,709$2,050,0009$2,163,033$3,847,640$2,746,599
2024$47,130,205$2,467,869$2,216,777$1,900,0006$2,013,033$2,263,293$2,785,491
2023$46,879,113$1,685,354$2,595,435$2,150,0009$2,263,033$1,365,340$2,445,822
2022$47,790,194$50,515,854$2,748,335$2,510,00024$2,566,517$1,134,936$2,130,337

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $2.7M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc is led by Lynn S. Nicholas, President on every filing since 2021 — the only officer listed, and compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Lynn S. Nicholas

    President

    On filings since 2021

    10 hrs/week

    $75K (2022) → $150K (2025)

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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

Lynn S Nicholas — President: $150KLynn S NicholasPresident$150K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $150K, to Lynn S Nicholas (President).

Frequently asked questions about Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc

How much does Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc give each year?

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc gave $2.0M across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.9M across 6 grants.

What is Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $200,000, and its average grant was $227,778, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc give grants?

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (4 grants).

Does Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 11% of Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 9) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation ($500,000), Rogers Behavioral Health Foundation ($400,000) and UWM Foundation ($400,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 63% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc?

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc reported $48.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $2.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.7M (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 is Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's EIN?

Lynn S Nicholas Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 87-1448491. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(2)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
  2. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Lynn S Nicholas Family 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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