Stella H Jones Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Milwaukee, WI EIN: 39-6630656

The STELLA H JONES FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In 2025, it reported 21 grants totaling $138,000 to charitable organizations, with recipients in Wisconsin and California.

Key facts about Stella H Jones Foundation

In short: Stella H Jones Foundation gave $138K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Wisconsin. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
39-6630656
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$138,000
Grants made (2025)
21
Average grant
$6,571
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
5% first-time grantees (1 of 21, 2025)
Total assets
$3,050,869
Primary geography
Wisconsin (93% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; 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.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$3.1M

+16.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$138K

-6.8% YoY

Grant Count

21

+0.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$7K

-6.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Stella H Jones Foundation reported a distributable amount of $131K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Stella H Jones Foundation open to new grantees?

5%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 1 of 21 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count

Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 130% 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.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants included organizations whose stated missions address library resources and programs, domestic violence, youth mentoring, science and technology education, food access, assistance to people in need, and support for children affected by abuse and neglect. These are the grantees’ missions, not stated priorities of the foundation.

For example, Milwaukee Public Library Foundation says it supports books, materials, programs, and library facilities. Sojourner Family Peace Center says it works to transform lives impacted by domestic violence. Hunger Task Force says it works to prevent hunger and malnutrition by providing food and promoting policies toward a hunger-free community.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation gave $138,000 through 21 grants. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median of $5,000. The largest listed grant was $35,000 to Medical College of Wisconsin for “SUPPORT FOR 2025.” Other notable grants included $15,000 to Milwaukee Public Library Foundation, $10,000 each to Sojourner Family Peace Center and Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance, and $5,000 each to American Red Cross, Discovery World, Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin, Hope Center, Hunger Task Force, Kids Matter, Milwaukee Homeless Veterans Initiative, and Milwaukee Rescue Mission. The listed 2025 grant purposes are “SUPPORT FOR 2025.”

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin and 7% to recipients in California. The listed grants include organizations in Milwaukee and other Wisconsin communities, as well as Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance in Sonoma, California.

Grant Distribution by State

3states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.

Cities

MilwaukeeWauwatosaSonomaWaukeshaPortageSilver Spring

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K17 grants2020 21 grants2021 22 grants2022 23 grants2023 21 grants2024 21 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $116K (2020) to $154K (2021). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $138K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Medical College of Wisconsin: $35KMedical College of Wisconsin$35KMilwaukee Public Library Foundation: $15KMilwaukee Public LibraryFoundation$15KSojourner Family Peace Center: $10KSojourner Family Peace Center$10KSonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance: $10KSonoma Valley MentoringAlliance$10KAmerican Red Cross: $5KAmerican Red Cross$5KDiscovery World: $5KDiscovery World$5KFeeding America Eastern Wisconsin: $5KFeeding America EasternWisconsin$5KHope Center: $5KHope Center$5KHunger Task Force Inc: $5KHunger Task Force Inc$5KKids Matter Inc: $5KKids Matter Inc$5K

The largest 2025 recipient was Medical College of Wisconsin ($35K). Together the top 10 received $100K.

Grant Size Distribution

108 grants across all recorded years

108<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 108 grants of 108 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$35,000
Milwaukee Public Library Foundation Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$15,000
Sojourner Family Peace Center Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$10,000
Sonoma Valley Mentoring Alliance Sonoma, CASupport for 2025$10,000
American Red Cross Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$5,000
Discovery World Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$5,000
Feeding America Eastern Wisconsin Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$5,000
Hope Center Waukesha, WISupport for 2025$5,000
Hunger Task Force Inc Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$5,000
Kids Matter Inc Milwaukee, WISupport for 2025$5,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $3,050,869 $662,631 $223,622 $138,000
2024 $2,611,860 $160,850 $238,733 $148,000
2023 $2,689,743 $145,596 $219,577 $129,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$200K$400K$600K$800K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$3,050,869$2,611,860$2,689,743
Revenue$662,631$160,850$145,596
Expenses$223,622$238,733$219,577
Qualifying Distributions$170,375$180,350$161,562
Net Investment Income$609,384$102,467$87,581
Distributable Amount$130,974$129,127$133,075

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 26, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 14, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists J Lewis Perlson, James C Bourne, Richard P Bourne, and Gregory A Jeske as trustees.

Stella H Jones Foundation's 2025 filing lists 4 officers; all 4 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Gregory A. Jeske

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    3.5 hrs/week

    $15K (2020) → $15K (2025)

  • J. Lewis Perlson

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    $15K (2020) → $15K (2025)

  • Richard P. Bourne

    Trustee

    On filings since 2020

    2 hrs/week

    $15K (2020) → $15K (2025)

  • James C. Bourne

    Trustee

    New on the 2025 filing

    1.5 hrs/week

    $15K (2025)

Former officers (1)
  • Former: Carol A. Bourne (2020–2024) — 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.

Compensation Overview

From 2025 IRS filing

J Lewis Perlson — Trustee: $15KJ Lewis PerlsonTrustee$15KJames C Bourne — Trustee: $15KJames C BourneTrustee$15KRichard P Bourne — Trustee: $15KRichard P BourneTrustee$15KGregory a Jeske — Trustee: $15KGregory a JeskeTrustee$15K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $15K, to J Lewis Perlson (Trustee). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 790 N Water St 2500, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone: (414) 271-6560

Frequently asked questions about Stella H Jones Foundation

How much does Stella H Jones Foundation give each year?

Stella H Jones Foundation gave $138K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $148K across 21 grants.

What is Stella H Jones Foundation's typical grant size?

Stella H Jones Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,571, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Stella H Jones Foundation that year got $3K on average.

Where does Stella H Jones Foundation give grants?

Stella H Jones Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (16 grants) and Waukesha, WI (2 grants).

Does Stella H Jones Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Stella H Jones Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Support for 2025" (21 grants).

Who are Stella H Jones Foundation's largest grantees?

Stella H Jones Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Medical College of Wisconsin ($35,000), Milwaukee Public Library Foundation ($15,000) and Sojourner Family Peace Center ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Stella H Jones Foundation?

Stella H Jones Foundation reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $170K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $131K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Stella H Jones Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Stella H Jones Foundation?

The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Stella H Jones Foundation's EIN?

Stella H Jones Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-6630656. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Stella H Jones Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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