Schlecht Family Foundation Inc

WAUNAKEE, WI EIN: 47-5641232 Website

Schlecht Family Foundation Inc is a private grantmaking foundation based in Waunakee, Wisconsin. Established in 2016, the foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) organization dedicated to investing in transformative organizations across five Wisconsin counties. The foundation emphasizes values of grit, growth, and breaking new ground in its philanthropic work.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$5.6M

-16.2% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.1M

+11.6% YoY

Grant Count

+71.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$31K

-34.9% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Schlecht Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $521K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation describes itself as "transformational - not transactional," seeking to support instigators and organizations bringing fresh ideas and approaches to complex community issues.

The foundation funds organizations working in three primary focus areas:

Meaningful Work — Supporting organizations dedicated to creating pathways for people who have a vision and desire to pursue it, recognizing that work gives people a sense of purpose and meaning.

Forging Character — Supporting organizations helping youth ages 12-24 develop confidence, skills, and perseverance for a purposeful life.

Connections to Nature — Enabling relationships to the natural world through education and conservation, with particular emphasis on children, recognizing the mental, physical, and spiritual health benefits of nature connections.

Grantmaking

The foundation offers four types of support:

Grant Range

s:** Awards typically range from $495 to $172,500, with a median grant amount of approximately $23,876 and an average of $37,752 for general operating support.

How to Apply

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation focuses exclusively on five Wisconsin counties: Dane, Green, Grant, Iowa, and Lafayette. The foundation occasionally makes grants at Board discretion that fall outside these geographic boundaries and focus areas.

Grant Distribution by State

Wisconsin $4.4M (96%)

Colorado $71K (2%)

Pennsylvania $36K (1%)

District of Columbia $30K (1%)

Illinois $18K (0%)

Iowa $16K (0%)

Florida $8K (0%)

New York $4K (0%)

States

Colorado District of Columbia Florida Iowa Illinois New York Pennsylvania Wisconsin

Cities

ArgyleAshlandBoca GrandeConshohockenDanvilleDodgevilleFitchburgGlencoeHarlanJanesvilleKeystoneMadisonMiddletonMilwaukeeMineral PointMononaMonroeMount HorebMt HorebNew Glarus

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets: $5.57 million (as of 2024)

Annual Giving: $1.13 million in total giving (2024)

Revenue: $506,907 (2024)

Expenses: $1.38 million (2024)

Liabilities: $0 (2024)

Giving Rate: Approximately 18.6% of assets

The foundation reported investment income and dividends of $214,055 in 2024.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$5,568,510	$6,643,840	$6,250,373
Revenue	$506,907	$1,653,056	$10,041,468
Expenses	$1,380,893	$1,259,589	$1,242,620
Qualifying Distributions	$1,313,952	$1,200,956	$1,166,478
Net Investment Income	$439,966	$1,581,692	$134,192
Distributable Amount	$521,058	$610,444	$766,768

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

127 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

4 open opportunities from Schlecht Family Foundation Inc

Show all 4 →

Foundation

SFFI: Capacity Building Grants

SCHLECHT FAMILY FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

SFFI: General Operating Grants

SCHLECHT FAMILY FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Foundation

SFFI: Impact Investments Grant

SCHLECHT FAMILY FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Community Foundation of Sourthern Wisconsin Inc ($135,000), Aldo Leopold Nature Center ($83,667), Lighthouse Christian School ($75,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALDO LEOPOLD NATURE CENTER MONONA, WI	TO SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING.	$83,667
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF DANE COUNTY MADISON, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES.	$20,000
BLACK GIRL MAGIC EDUCATION SERVICES MADISON, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$30,000
BOARD OF REGENTS MADISON, WI	TO SUPPORT CAPACITY BUILDING.	$5,000
BOCA GRANDE DISASTER FUND MT HOREB, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$30,000
BOOKWORM GARDENS SHEBOYGAN, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES.	$50,000
CAMP MANITO-WISH ARGYLE, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$7,500
CLEARWATER CAMP MADISON, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES.	$15,000
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN INC WAUSAU, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$55,000
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF SOURTHERN WISCONSIN INC JANESVILLE, WI	TO SUPPORT OPERATING ACTIVITIES	$135,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Stephen L. Schlecht — President/Director
Marianne M. Schlecht — Vice President/Director
Stephanie Schlecht — Secretary/Director (40 hours/week, compensation $140,449)
Richard W. Schlecht — Treasurer/Director

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
STEPHEN L SCHLECHT	PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR	0.1	—
MARIANNE M SCHLECHT	VICE PRESIDENT/DIRECTOR	0.1	—
STEPHANIE SCHLECHT	SECRETARY/DIRECTOR	40	$140,000
RICHARD W SCHLECHT	TREASURER/DIRECTOR	0.1	—

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Schlecht Family Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation describes itself as "transformational - not transactional," seeking to support instigators and organizations bringing fresh ideas and approaches to complex community issues. The foundation funds organizations working in three primary focus areas: **Meaningful Work** — Supporting organizations dedicated to creating pathways for people who have a vision and desire to pursue it, recognizing that work gives people a sense of purpose and meaning. **Forging Character** — Supporting org…

How do I apply for a grant from Schlecht Family Foundation Inc?

The foundation offers four types of support: • **Capacity Building Grants** — Support for activities and technical assistance that enhance organizational capabilities, knowledge, and resources to more effectively achieve mission goals • **Seed Grants** — One-time grants for nonprofit or social enterprise organizations in startup phase or established organizations launching new programs or services • **General Operating Grants** — Support for mature organizations with a track record of impact • …

Where does Schlecht Family Foundation Inc make grants?

What size grants does Schlecht Family Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Schlecht Family Foundation Inc awarded 36 grants totaling $1.1M — an average of about $31K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Schlecht Family Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Schlecht Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $521K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is Schlecht Family Foundation Inc's EIN?

Schlecht Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-5641232. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.