The Macdonald Foundation

Foundation · Grantmaker WAUSAU, WI EIN: 33-6269762

The Macdonald Foundation is a private foundation based in Wausau, Wisconsin. Established in 2000, it operates as a trust structure and focuses on philanthropic grantmaking to support charitable organizations across multiple states.

Key facts about The Macdonald Foundation

EIN: 33-6269762
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $695,000
Grants made (2024): 42
Average grant: $16,548
Median grant: $7,250
Total assets: $12,014,763
Primary geography: Wisconsin (81% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
How to apply: The foundation only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who The Macdonald Foundation funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Macdonald Foundation's 42 itemized 2024 grants were Wisconsin (81%), California (8%) and Oregon (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wausau, WI (19 grants), Ashland, OR (5 grants), Weston, WI (4 grants) and Mosinee, WI (2 grants). 14% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$12.0M

+3.4% YoY

Annual Giving

$695K

+17.6% YoY

Grant Count

-6.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$17K

+26.0% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Macdonald Foundation reported a distributable amount of $680K 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's mission centers on helping people grow in the image of Christ, with particular emphasis on:

Education and academics
Band and music programs
Scholarship funds and school annual funds
Values-based youth development
Human services
Arts and creative programs
Obesity prevention

Grantmaking

Recent grants include:

Average Grant

amount: $13,000

How to Apply

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with The Macdonald Foundation?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily funds organizations in:

Wisconsin (primary focus)
Oregon
California

These three states account for 87% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states total.

Grant Distribution by State

Wisconsin $565K (81%)

California $55K (8%)

Oregon $45K (6%)

Maryland $25K (4%)

Utah $5K (1%)

Share of all 42 itemized 2024 grant dollars.

States

California District of Columbia Georgia Illinois Indiana Maryland Nebraska New York Oregon Tennessee Utah Virginia Washington Wisconsin

Cities

WausauAshlandWestonMosineeSchofieldDowneyGrants PassMarshfieldMedordNew YorkSalt Lake CityWashingtonMilwaukeePalos Verdes EstatesStevens PointArlingtonChicagoLincolnMedfordMt St Francis

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Income:

Total assets: $12,014,763 (as of 2024)
Total assets: $11,617,882 (as of 2023)
Total giving: $695,000 (recent year)
Total revenues: $937,627 (2023)
Total expenses: $627,118 (2023)
Annual income: $2.4 million
Asset growth: Increased from $7 million in 2011 to $12 million in 2024

Giving Trends:

Annual giving grew from $621,000 in 2020 to $1.2 million in 2022

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$12,014,763	$11,617,882	$11,156,094
Revenue	$1,033,881	$937,627	$534,300
Expenses	$753,487	$627,118	$648,546
Qualifying Distributions	$718,458	$600,916	$625,806
Net Investment Income	$1,000,645	$786,490	$475,439
Distributable Amount	$679,612	$636,375	$649,917

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

221 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin ($104,500), Marshfield Clinic Health Foundation ($75,000), Performing Arts Foundation ($57,500 across 2 grants).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin WAUSAU, WI	VARIOUS ORGANIZATION DONATIONS - TO ENHANCE THE QUALITY OF LIFE IN THEIR REGION	$104,500
Marshfield Clinic Health Foundation MARSHFIELD, WI	HELPS CHILDREN'S MIRACLE NETWORK HOSPITALS CONTINUE THEIR MISSION OF HELPING LOCAL SICK AND INJURED CHILDREN	$75,000
Bridge Streeet Mission WAUSAU, WI	PROVIDING QUALITY MEALS AND SAFE SHELTER FOR THOSE IN OUR COMMUNITY	$55,000
St Pius X St Matthias DOWNEY, CA	FOR SCHOLARSHIP FUND AND THE SCHOOL'S ANNUAL FUND	$55,000
Performing Arts Foundation WAUSAU, WI	PROMOTE EXCELLENCE IN THE PERFORMING ARTS IN NORTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN	$50,000
Boys & Girls Club of Wausau WAUSAU, WI	SERVICES FOR YOUTH	$30,000
Monk Botanical Gardens WAUSAU, WI	CURATE BEAUTIFUL GARDENS AND DELIVER ENGAGING EDUCATIONAL PROGRAMS	$25,000
The Women's Community WAUSAU, WI	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
Breakthrough T1D HAGERSTOWN, MD	GENERAL SUPPORT	$25,000
Newman Catholic Schools WAUSAU, WI	SUPPORT EDUCATION	$22,500

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Principal Officer: Mark Macdonald
The foundation is governed by 3 officers and trustees

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

No officer/director data available.

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The Macdonald Foundation Work Ethic Scholarship has announced results, indicating ongoing commitment to educational scholarships and youth development initiatives.

The Macdonald Foundation Work Ethic Scholarship Results ...

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Macdonald Foundation fund?

The foundation's mission centers on helping people grow in the image of Christ, with particular emphasis on: • Education and academics • Band and music programs • Scholarship funds and school annual funds • Values-based youth development • Human services • Arts and creative programs • Obesity prevention

How do I apply for a grant from The Macdonald Foundation?

**Grant Amounts & Frequency:** • Typical grant awards range from $250 to $104,500 • Average grant amount: $13,000 • Median grant amount: $5,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $100 to $119,000 • The foundation has made 139 grants totaling $1.8 million across its history **Recent Grant Activity:** Recent grants include: • Marshfield Clinic Health System: $95,000 (for Children's Miracle Network Hospitals) • Children's Imaginarium: $50,000 (for hands-on educational experiences) • Monk Botanic…

Where does The Macdonald Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in: • Wisconsin (primary focus) • Oregon • California These three states account for 87% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states total.

What size grants does The Macdonald Foundation award?

In 2024, The Macdonald Foundation awarded 42 grants totaling $695K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Macdonald Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Macdonald Foundation reported a distributable amount of $680K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.