Michels Family Foundation
Michels Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Brownsville, Wisconsin. It supports charitable organizations through grants; its 2024 filing says it makes contributions only to preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Michels Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Michels Family Foundation gave $3.2M across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $97K), mostly in Wisconsin. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,198,150
- +45.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $96,914
- +45.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $5,132,520
- -17.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (12 of 33, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (96% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated November 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Michels Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: Post Office Box 414, Brownsville, WI 53006-0414
Phone: (920) 583-3132
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Michels Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was St Francis De Sales Seminary ($1.0M). Together the top 10 received $3.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
164 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 133 grants of 164 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing reports that 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin, with 0% reported for Indiana and 0% for Arizona.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Michels Family Foundation open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 12 of 33 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $100K; repeat grants $95K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $10K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 43% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 833% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2021) to $3.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $3.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| St Francis De Sales Seminary St Francis, WI | General Support | $1,000,000 |
| Agnesian Healthcare Foundation Fond Du Lac, WI | General Support | $600,000 |
| St Mary's Springs Academy Fond Du Lac, WI | General Support | $530,000 |
| Fond Du Lac Family YMCA Fond Du Lac, WI | General Support | $370,000 |
| Marian University Fond Du Lac, WI | General Support | $200,000 |
| Unlimited Play St Peters, MO | General Support | $120,000 |
| St Lawrence Seminary Mt Calvary, WI | General Support | $100,000 |
| Holy Family Catholic Church Fond Du Lac, WI | General Support | $60,000 |
| St Mary's Catholic Church Lomira, WI | General Support | $40,000 |
| St Paul's Evangelical Brownsville, WI | General Support | $20,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,132,520 | $2,138,508 | $3,261,657 | $3,198,150 | 33 | $3,206,278 | $2,117,128 | $385,025 |
| 2024 | $6,252,160 | $1,542,187 | $2,234,216 | $2,203,000 | 33 | $2,211,377 | $1,519,348 | $426,876 |
| 2023 | $6,940,954 | $79,482 | $2,124,969 | $2,094,250 | 36 | $2,102,345 | $178,920 | $426,341 |
| 2022 | $8,983,386 | $457,075 | $2,307,522 | $2,241,000 | 32 | $2,249,547 | $405,363 | $553,617 |
| 2021 | $10,831,002 | $925,008 | $1,704,522 | $1,654,000 | 30 | $1,659,385 | $881,560 | $646,024 |
| 2020 | $11,610,516 | $7,268,924 | $2,781,827 | $2,734,510 | 26 | — | $283,283 | $360,245 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Michels Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $385K 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 available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. For example, Agnesian Healthcare Foundation describes its work as developing and managing philanthropic support for a group of hospitals and care organizations. The Arc Fond du Lac says it empowers people with intellectual and developmental disabilities through advocacy, education, training, and support. St. Mary’s Springs Academy says it manages and distributes funds for Catholic elementary and secondary education in the Fond du Lac area.
Other 2024 recipients included Special Olympics Wisconsin, which says it provides year-round sports training and competition for people with intellectual disabilities, and Fondy Food Pantry, which says it provides supplemental healthy food and education for families in need in Fond du Lac County.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation gave $2,203,000 through 33 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $1,000,000, with a median grant of $10,000. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 33 grants totaling $3.2 million.
The largest listed grants were $1,000,000 to Marquette University Law School and $600,000 to Agnesian Healthcare Foundation, both for general support. Other notable grants included $100,000 each to Holy Family Catholic Church and St. Lawrence Seminary; $55,000 to The Arc Fond du Lac; and $50,000 to Waupun Youth Hockey Association. These grants were listed for general support except where otherwise noted. St. Vincent de Paul Society received $20,000 for the St. Katharine Drexel Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists the following trustees: Patrick D. Michels, Timothy J. Michels, Steven R. Michels, and Kevin P. Michels.
Michels Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Kevin P. Michels
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Patrick D. Michels
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven R. Michels
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy J. Michels
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Ruth L. Michels (2020) — Trustee -
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 Michels Family Foundation
How much does Michels Family Foundation give each year?
Michels Family Foundation gave $3.2M across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.2M across 33 grants.
What is Michels Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Michels Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $96,914, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Michels Family Foundation that year got $100K on average.
Where does Michels Family Foundation give grants?
Michels Family Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Fond Du Lac, WI (16 grants), Lomira, WI (3 grants), Mt Calvary, WI (2 grants) and Mequon, WI (2 grants).
Does Michels Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 97% of Michels Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (32 of 33) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Michels Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Michels Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include St Francis De Sales Seminary ($1,000,000), Agnesian Healthcare Foundation ($600,000) and St Mary's Springs Academy ($530,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 67% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Michels Family Foundation?
Michels Family Foundation reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $3.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $385K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Michels Family Foundation fund?
The available information does not state a mission for the foundation. Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supported. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Michels Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Michels Family Foundation's EIN?
Michels Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1949453. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Michels Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated November 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
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS September 16, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 1, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 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 7, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 29, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Michels Family Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in Michels Family Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Michels Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved November 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/michels-family-foundation-morg_0af5be25b6c743f191059f8352b83107
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391949453_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Michels Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/michels-family-foundation-morg_0af5be25b6c743f191059f8352b83107},
note = {Accessed 2026-11-15. 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 Michels Family Foundation'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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