Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation is a private foundation, based in Dundee, IL. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $47.8M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 2 grants totaling $5.0M. Net investment income was $288K.
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation at a glance
In short: Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation gave $5.0M across 2 grants in 2025 (avg $2.5M), mostly in Colorado. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $5,011,349
- +344.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 2
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,505,675
- +344.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,505,675
- Total assets
- $47,762,995
- +1.5% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Colorado (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
Who Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 2 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Mission Partners Entertainment Group ($4.9M). Together the top 2 received $5.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
11 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 5 grants of 11 (45%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 2 itemized grants.
Cities
How Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation gives
- Giving grew 1985% from 2022 to 2025. 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $126K (2019) to $5.0M (2025). In 2025 it made 2 grants totaling $5.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Mission Partners Entertainment Group Greenwood Village, CO | Conservation Communications and Education Support | $4,875,000 |
| Ohio State University Foundation Columbus, OH | Research | $136,349 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $47,762,995 | $13,861,898 | $13,640,843 | $5,011,349 | 2 | $10,420,787 | $288,057 |
| 2024 | $47,041,231 | $11,261,435 | $9,263,289 | $1,126,856 | 2 | $5,262,824 | $817,887 |
| 2023 | $37,713,268 | $10,674,076 | $7,958,959 | $207,858 | 3 | $4,215,559 | $639,856 |
| 2022 | $32,711,789 | $8,149,591 | $7,136,368 | $240,334 | 2 | $3,378,209 | $149,099 |
| 2021 | $31,238,913 | $10,078,461 | $6,191,338 | $239,115 | 2 | — | $2,951,653 |
| 2019 | $28,105,958 | $7,254,090 | $7,058,386 | $126,446 | 2 | — | $133,952 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation is led by Charles S. Potter, President & CEO on every filing since 2019; 4 of 19 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Charles S. Potter
President & CEO
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$446K (2019) → $569K (2025)
Christopher Burke
Chairman
Vice Chairman → Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allen Turner
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Plote
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas Oberhelman
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glenn Reed
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James Dimatteo
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Wegner
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard T. Schroeder
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen Golan
Director
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jake Pepper
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Devon Bruce
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey Walters
Director
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kerry Luft
Executive Vice President & Assistant Secretary
Executive Vice President & Assistant Secretary → Executive Vice President, 2021
Executive Vice President → Executive Vice President & Assistant Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$246K (2019) → $291K (2025)
Crystal Curfman
COO & Assistant Treasurer
Senior Vice President → COO & Assistant Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$53K (2021) → $282K (2025)
Gindi Orloff
Vice President Finance
New on the 2025 filing
40 hrs/week
$162K (2025)
David M. Keller
Secretary
Director → Treasurer, 2021
Treasurer → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark Hamilton
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2021
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael C. Hillstrom
Vice Chairman
Treasurer → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Vice Chairman, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (11)
- Former: W. Sandford Kasten (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Crystal Curfman Shaw (2022–2024) — Chief Operating Officer
- Former: Dean Fischer (2022–2024) — Director
- Former: Terrence Graunke (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Stanley J. Pepper (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Bruce Crowther (2019–2021) — Director
- Former: Clark E. Ganshirt (2019–2021) — Vice President & Assistant Treasurer
- Former: David Van Zelst (2019) — Director
- Former: Duncan Alexander (2019) — Director
- Former: Joseph Slawek (2019) — Secretary
- Former: Scott Elrod (2019) — Director
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 $569K, to Charles S Potter (President & CEO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation
How much does Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation give each year?
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation gave $5.0M across 2 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.1M across 2 grants.
How large is Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation?
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation reported $47.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $13.9M.
Where does Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation operate?
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation has awarded grants in Colorado, Kansas, Minnesota, North Dakota, Ohio, Tennessee.
What is Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation's EIN?
Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-2519612. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.
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 December 17, 2019)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS January 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS January 26, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 5, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 16, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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