The Cudahy Foundation
The Cudahy Foundation is a private foundation based in Mequon, Wisconsin. It is organized and operated solely to make cash donations to qualifying charities and does not engage in other direct charitable activities.
The Cudahy Foundation at a glance
In short: The Cudahy Foundation gave $7.1M across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $396K), mostly in Wisconsin. 28% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $7,120,500
- +181.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- -14.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $395,583
- +228.6% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $35,250
- Total assets
- $16,046,928
- -26.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 28% first-time grantees (5 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (100% 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 The Cudahy 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: PO Box 307, Mequon, WI 53092
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Cudahy Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Discovery World ($6.3M). Together the top 10 received $7.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
78 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 43 grants of 78 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing data reports that 100% of grant dollars went to Wisconsin recipients and less than 1% to Massachusetts recipients. Separately, a 2025 grantee entry identifies World Ocean School as being in Boston, Massachusetts, and reports a $10,000 grant.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Cudahy Foundation open to new grantees?
28%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 5 of 18 grantees (28%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $541K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $75K repeat.
- 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 1242% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 655% 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 $160K (2021) to $7.1M (2025). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $7.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Discovery World Milwaukee, WI | Education/Community | $6,270,000 |
| St Augustine Preparatory Academy Milwaukee, WI | Education | $120,000 |
| United Community Center Milwaukee, WI | Community | $110,000 |
| Acts Milwaukee, WI | Community | $100,000 |
| Milwaukee Academy of Science Milwaukee, WI | Education | $100,000 |
| Wisconsin Women's Health Foundation Madison, WI | Community | $100,000 |
| Milwaukee Ballet Milwaukee, WI | Community/Arts | $75,000 |
| St Marcus School Milwaukee, WI | Community | $60,000 |
| Cudahy Family Library Cudahy, WI | Community | $50,000 |
| Milwaukee Repertory Theater Milwaukee, WI | Community/Arts | $20,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Cudahy Foundation?
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 | $16,046,928 | $1,508,270 | $7,413,995 | $7,120,500 | 18 | $7,189,304 | $1,153,265 | $1,097,701 |
| 2024 | $21,952,654 | $1,410,041 | $2,841,691 | $2,527,900 | 21 | $2,604,664 | $1,237,217 | $1,328,543 |
| 2023 | $23,726,455 | $1,461,472 | $2,563,340 | $1,286,942 | 21 | $1,385,529 | $883,893 | $1,282,564 |
| 2022 | $24,828,323 | $18,063,592 | $909,394 | $530,424 | 9 | $580,775 | $86,842 | $512,021 |
| 2021 | $7,674,125 | $698,066 | $345,903 | $159,770 | 9 | $229,100 | $529,953 | $452,418 |
| 2020 | $7,321,962 | $260,161 | $436,346 | $226,290 | 14 | — | $39,343 | $424,903 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Cudahy Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.1M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s stated purpose is to make cash donations to qualifying charities. Its 2025 grants included schools, cultural organizations, community-service organizations, and groups focused on health and workforce development. These examples describe the grantees’ work, not a separate set of stated foundation priorities.
Discovery World describes its mission as connecting innovation, science, and technology with exploration, the environment, and Great Lakes freshwater resources through exhibits and experiential learning. United Community Center says it provides education, human services, health, community development, and cultural arts services, with a focus on strengthening families and community. Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation says it works to innovate, impact, and improve women’s health in Wisconsin. Milwaukee Repertory Theater says it creates theater experiences intended to contribute to the cultural, social, and economic vitality of its community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $7,120,500. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $6,270,000, with a median of $35,250. The largest grant was $6,270,000 to Discovery World in Milwaukee for education/community purposes. Other large grants included $120,000 to St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, $110,000 to United Community Center, and $100,000 each to ACTS, Milwaukee Academy of Science, and Wisconsin Women’s Health Foundation.
Other listed grants included $75,000 to Milwaukee Ballet, $60,000 to St. Marcus School, $50,000 to Cudahy Family Library, and $20,500 to Milwaukee Repertory Theater. The filing also lists grants to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School and Employ Milwaukee of $20,000 each. Among the organizations described in their own statements, Teens Grow Greens says it provides skill-building employment for teenagers, and Employ Milwaukee describes its work as building a workforce-development system. World Ocean School describes its mission as experiential education at sea that inspires positive community engagement; it received $10,000 in 2025.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists the following directors and trustees: John W. Linnen, Kevin L. Lindsey, Joanna D. Hamadi, Julia A. Cudahy, Lisa A. Cudahy, and Melvin S. Newman.
The Cudahy Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; 5 of 6 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joanna D. Hamadi
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
8 hrs/week
$17K (2020) → $16K (2025)
Julia A. Cudahy
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$33K (2023) → $4K (2025)
Kevin L. Lindsey
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
$108K (2020) → $30K (2025)
Lisa A. Cudahy
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$3K (2023) → $4K (2025)
Melvin S. Newman
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$5K (2023) → $6K (2025)
John W. Linnen
Director & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $30K, to Kevin L Lindsey (Director/Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Cudahy Foundation
How much does The Cudahy Foundation give each year?
The Cudahy Foundation gave $7.1M across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $2.5M across 21 grants.
What is The Cudahy Foundation's typical grant size?
The Cudahy Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $35,250, and its average grant was $395,583, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cudahy Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does The Cudahy Foundation give grants?
The Cudahy Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (14 grants).
Does The Cudahy Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Cudahy Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community" (9 grants), "Education" (4 grants) and "Education/Community" (3 grants).
Who are The Cudahy Foundation's largest grantees?
The Cudahy Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Discovery World ($6,270,000), St Augustine Preparatory Academy ($120,000) and United Community Center ($110,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 91% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cudahy Foundation?
The Cudahy Foundation reported $16.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $7.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.1M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Cudahy Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated purpose is to make cash donations to qualifying charities. Its 2025 grants included schools, cultural organizations, community-service organizations, and groups focused on health and workforce development. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cudahy 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 The Cudahy Foundation's EIN?
The Cudahy Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-6720806. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Cudahy Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 18, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 2, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 8, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Cudahy Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Cudahy Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-cudahy-foundation-morg_4e0ab10cbba54ae7b39ac0a1f12617d3
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_396720806_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Cudahy Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-cudahy-foundation-morg_4e0ab10cbba54ae7b39ac0a1f12617d3},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 The Cudahy 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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