Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn is a private foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations including schools, colleges, scholarship programs, health services, and community organizations.
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn at a glance
In short: Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn gave $259K across 42 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Wisconsin. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $259,000
- -0.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 42
- -10.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,167
- +11.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $2,399,196
- -1.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 40, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing lists John Karsten as the contact and says to submit materials informally. It states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations and that awards are restricted to churches and charitable, scientific, and educational organizations, preferably located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
- Contact
Application contact: John Karsten
Mailing address: 4 Fond Du Lac Street, Waupun, WI 53963
Phone: (920) 324-8658
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was YMCA of Dodge County ($26K). Together the top 10 received $138K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($12,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
227 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 227 grants of 227 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Madison, Wisconsin. In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin and 1% to recipients in Illinois. Its 2024 filing says eligible organizations are preferably located in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 42 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 40 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+0%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 78% 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 (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $240K (2023) to $298K (2020). In 2025 it made 42 grants totaling $259K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| YMCA of Dodge County Beaver Dam, WI | General Funding | $26,000 |
| St Ambrose Academy Madison, WI | General Funding | $20,000 |
| Church Health Services Beaver Dam, WI | Administrative Support Campaign | $15,000 |
| Beaver Dam Scholarship Foundation Beaver Dam, WI | Scholarship Programs | $12,500 |
| Green Valley Enterprises & Alzheimer Unit Beaver Dam, WI | General Funding - Alzheimers Unit | $12,000 |
| 1 individual scholarship Recipients not named | — | $12,000 |
| Moraine Park Technical College Beaver Dam, WI | General Funding | $12,000 |
| Charish Classical Academy Madison, WI | General Funding | $10,000 |
| Rawhide Boys Ranch New London, WI | General Funding | $10,000 |
| St Vincent Depaul Beaver Dam Beaver Dam, WI | Mortgage Reduction | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn?
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 | $2,399,196 | $240,690 | $269,614 | $259,000 | 42 | $263,314 | $240,690 | $336,323 |
| 2024 | $2,431,413 | $295,335 | $266,781 | $261,000 | 47 | $261,000 | $295,335 | $297,749 |
| 2023 | $2,414,488 | $151,897 | $245,454 | $240,000 | 47 | $240,000 | $151,371 | $256,316 |
| 2022 | $2,569,937 | $231,832 | $271,276 | $258,500 | 47 | $258,500 | $231,281 | $266,915 |
| 2021 | $2,620,151 | $412,382 | $286,340 | $280,500 | 44 | $280,500 | $411,906 | $295,911 |
| 2020 | $2,505,144 | $127,276 | $305,919 | $297,500 | 46 | — | $126,434 | $247,459 |
| 2019 | $2,689,050 | $206,596 | $257,374 | $245,000 | 48 | — | $205,289 | $242,904 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn reported a distributable amount of $336K 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
No mission statement is provided. Grant purposes reported in 2025 include general funding, scholarship programs, administrative support, and mortgage reduction. The foundation also made a grant for an Alzheimer’s unit.
Grantees’ own descriptions illustrate the kinds of organizations receiving support. The YMCA of Dodge County describes its work as building a healthy spirit, mind, and body through diversified programming. Church Health Services says it conducts dental and mental health clinics for people who are poor, uninsured, or underinsured. The Beaver Dam Scholarship Foundation says it helps young people in its community reach their potential, while an individual recipient Technical College Foundation describes its role as acquiring private funding for open-access education. Arts for All Wisconsin says it provides arts programs for children and adults with disabilities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 42 grants totaling $259,000. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $26,000, with a median of $5,000.
Among its largest 2025 grants were $26,000 to YMCA of Dodge County for general funding; $20,000 to St Ambrose Academy for general funding; $15,000 to Church Health Services for an administrative support campaign; and $12,500 to Beaver Dam Scholarship Foundation for scholarship programs. Other grants included $12,000 each to an individual recipient Technical College for scholarship programs and Moraine Park Technical College for general funding, and $10,000 each to Rawhide Boys Ranch, St Vincent de Paul Beaver Dam, and World Orphan Fund for general funding or, in St Vincent de Paul’s case, mortgage reduction.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John Karsten as president, Robert H Keller as vice president, and Wilfred E Kinney as secretary/treasurer.
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn is led by John Karsten, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John Karsten
President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert H. Keller
Vice President
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Wilfred E. Kinney
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn
How much does Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn give each year?
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn gave $259K across 42 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $261K across 47 grants.
What is Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's typical grant size?
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,167, across 42 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn give grants?
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn gives mostly in Wisconsin: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Beaver Dam, WI (21 grants), Madison, WI (6 grants), Randolph, WI (2 grants) and Juneau, WI (2 grants).
Does Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn give general operating support?
Yes: 86% of Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (36 of 42) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's largest grantees?
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's largest 2025 grantees include YMCA of Dodge County ($26,000), St Ambrose Academy ($20,000) and Church Health Services ($15,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 individual scholarship ($12,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn?
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $263K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $336K (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 Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn fund?
No mission statement is provided. Grant purposes reported in 2025 include general funding, scholarship programs, administrative support, and mortgage reduction. The foundation also made a grant for an Alzheimer’s unit. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn?
The 2024 filing lists John Karsten as the contact and says to submit materials informally. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's EIN?
Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1582654. 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. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 8, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 29, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 1, 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 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/nelson-and-vera-hicks-charitable-fdn-morg_faeb6ebfbf7e4a129c71114486cae125
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391582654_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Nelson \& Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/nelson-and-vera-hicks-charitable-fdn-morg_faeb6ebfbf7e4a129c71114486cae125},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Nelson & Vera Hicks Charitable Fdn'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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