Sommer Family Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker Milwaukee, WI EIN: 36-3218800 Website

Sommer Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. The foundation operates as a scholarship-granting organization dedicated to supporting deserving students facing significant personal challenges.

Key facts about Sommer Family Foundation Inc

EIN: 36-3218800
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $68,000
Grants made (2024): 43
Average grant: $1,581
Median grant: $1,000
New grantees (estimate): 14% first-time grantees (6 of 43, 2024)
Total assets: $1,386,081
Primary geography: Florida (17% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply: The foundation maintains Scholarship Rules and Statement of Financial Policies available to applicants. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Sommer Family Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Sommer Family Foundation Inc's 43 itemized 2024 grants were Florida (17%), Oregon (13%) and Michigan (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (6 grants), Venice, FL (2 grants), Englewood, FL (2 grants) and New York, NY (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Is Sommer Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

14%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 6 of 43 grantees (14%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $2K. How we count

Medians: $2K first-time, $1K repeat.

86% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−14%). Method
In 2024 it paid out 98% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Next steps with Sommer Family Foundation Inc

How to evaluate Sommer Family Foundation Inc as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.4M

+0.0% YoY

Annual Giving

$68K

-6.0% YoY

Grant Count

-4.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$2K

-1.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Sommer Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $69K 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 mission of the Sommer Foundation is to provide college or university scholarships to deserving high school seniors who have experienced the death of a parent and, despite the resulting emotional trauma, have performed in an exemplary manner during their high school career.

Grantmaking

How to Apply

** The foundation maintains Scholarship Rules and Statement of Financial Policies available to applicants. For additional information concerning the foundation's annual report or to obtain a complete copy of the tax return, interested parties may contact the foundation directly.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, Massachusetts, and Florida.

Grant Distribution by State

Florida $12K (17%)

Oregon $9K (13%)

Michigan $8K (12%)

Illinois $7K (10%)

Massachusetts $7K (10%)

All other $27K (39%)

Share of all 43 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California Colorado Connecticut Florida Illinois Massachusetts Michigan Minnesota Missouri North Carolina New York Ohio Oregon Tennessee Vermont Washington Wisconsin Wyoming

Cities

ChicagoBostonEnglewoodVeniceKenoshaOaklandGlenviewArapahoeBeverlyBrightonBristolBrookfieldConcordDanvilleDexterGlencoeGranvilleHamiltonLincolnMemphis

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $1,385,985
Total Giving (2023): $72,308

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,386,081	$1,385,985	$1,359,244
Revenue	$-11,724	$18,199	$89,698
Expenses	$81,707	$87,847	$91,486
Qualifying Distributions	$68,000	$72,308	$82,508
Net Investment Income	$28,170	$22,746	$84,144
Distributable Amount	$69,498	$67,837	$72,308

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

March 2, 2026 IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

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

238 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Applegate Regional Theatre Inc ($9,000), White Lake Sailing School ($4,000), Bristol Fire Department ($3,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
APPLEGATE REGIONAL THEATRE INC Veneta, OR	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$9,000
WHITE LAKE SAILING SCHOOL Whitehall, MI	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$4,000
BRISTOL FIRE DEPARTMENT Bristol, WI	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$3,000
MARIE SELBY BOTANICAL GARDE Sarasota, FL	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$3,000
VENICE SYMPHONY (FLORIDA) Venice, FL	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$3,000
DENSION UNIVERSITY Granville, OH	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$2,500
SUNCOAST HUMANE SOCIETY Englewood, FL	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$2,500
MIAMI UNIVERSITY Oxford, OH	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$2,500
UNIVERSITY OF COLORADO Boulder, CO	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$2,500
COLGATE UNIVERSITY Hamilton, NY	GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT TO PROMOTE CHARITABLE PURPOSE.	$2,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.

From 2024 IRS filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
Karen Sommer	President / Director	—	—
Scott Sommer	Secretary / Director	—	—
Erich Sommer	Director	—	—
Jeffrey Sommer	Director	—	—
Erin Sommer	Trustee / Director	—	—

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Sommer Family Foundation Inc fund?

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

The foundation maintains Scholarship Rules and Statement of Financial Policies available to applicants. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

Where does Sommer Family Foundation Inc make grants?

The foundation's grantmaking focuses primarily on Illinois, Massachusetts, and Florida.

What size grants does Sommer Family Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Sommer Family Foundation Inc awarded 43 grants totaling $68K — an average of about $2K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

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

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Sommer Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $69K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.