The Mill Foundation
The MILL Foundation is a private foundation based in Loves Park, Illinois, that funds programs and organizations benefiting disadvantaged youth in the Rockford region. Its stated aim is to help young people develop values, behaviors, and life skills that support responsible and productive lives.
The Mill Foundation at a glance
In short: The Mill Foundation gave $124K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), mostly in Illinois. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $124,065
- +0.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- +28.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,893
- -22.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $8,000
- Total assets
- $2,245,079
- +21.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (4 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (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 Mill Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The website provides a grant application for consideration. The foundation’s 2024 filing says applications must be compatible with its mission, come from 501(c)(3) organizations serving the greater Rockford area, and include the ability to report measurable outcomes.
- Review Cycle
- The website states a March 15 annual deadline, with the next business day used if the date falls on a weekend or holiday. The 2024 filing instead lists January 2 and July 1 each year. Both listed 2026 dates have passed.
- Deadline
- The website states a March 15 annual deadline, with the next business day used if the date falls on a weekend or…
- Contact
Application contact: Fred Muehlfelder
Mailing address: PO Box 16388, Loves Park, IL 61132
Phone: (815) 282-7738
Website: https://www.themillfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Mill Foundation
Who The Mill Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Boys & Girls Club ($10K). Together the top 10 received $92K.
Grant Size Distribution
81 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 81 grants of 81 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s criteria define the greater Rockford area as Boone, Ogle, Stephenson, and Winnebago counties. In filing year 2025, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Illinois; the listed recipients were in Rockford.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Mill Foundation open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 18 grantees (22%) 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 $7K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $8K repeat.
- 67% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 51% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 105% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $115K (2023) to $252K (2022). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $124K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boys & Girls Club Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $10,000 |
| CASA of Winnebago County Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $10,000 |
| Northwest Community Center Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $10,000 |
| Patriots' Gateway Community Center Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $10,000 |
| Rockford Rescue Mission Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $10,000 |
| The Music Academy of Rockford Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $9,000 |
| Northwest Christian Community Development Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $8,900 |
| Northern Illinois Food Bank Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $8,000 |
| Remedies Renewing Lives Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $8,000 |
| Discovery Center Museum Rockford, IL | Social Welfare | $8,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Mill Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The filing type is Form 990-PF.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,245,079 | $539,469 | $147,027 | $124,065 | 18 | $124,065 | $86,843 | $118,390 |
| 2024 | $1,852,637 | $80,890 | $145,348 | $123,716 | 14 | $123,716 | $53,189 | $97,946 |
| 2023 | $1,917,095 | $80,092 | $135,684 | $115,049 | 16 | $115,049 | $53,434 | $92,490 |
| 2022 | $1,867,602 | $150,236 | $273,146 | $251,534 | 19 | $254,910 | $119,300 | $109,031 |
| 2021 | $2,426,709 | $271,215 | $141,114 | $120,500 | 14 | — | $241,238 | $105,009 |
| 2020 | $2,029,868 | $-14,719 | $19,752 | — | — | — | $22,713 | $97,449 |
| 2019 | $1,964,038 | $68,491 | $145,854 | $119,087 | 11 | — | $62,878 | $99,069 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Mill Foundation reported a distributable amount of $118K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to help abused, neglected, and at-risk youth and their families develop appropriate values, healthy relationships, behaviors, and life skills. Its stated areas of interest are children, youth, and families; community and neighborhood development as it affects youth; and education.
Its 2025 grantees illustrate the range of organizations it supports. The Boys & Girls Club of Rockford describes its work as providing youth with a club experience oriented toward high school graduation, future plans, good character, citizenship, and healthy lifestyles. Rockford Barbell says it works to improve youth social and emotional well-being through mindful movement and trauma-informed practices. Northwest Community Center describes its mission as enriching the quality of life within the diverse population of northwest Rockford.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 18 grants totaling $124,065. Grant amounts ranged from $2,365 to $10,000, with a median of $8,000.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $10,000 each to Boys & Girls Club of Rockford, CASA of Winnebago County, Northwest Community Center, Patriots’ Gateway Community Center, and Rockford Rescue Mission. Other notable awards included $9,000 to The Music Academy of Rockford and $8,900 to Northwest Christian Community Development.
The foundation’s website says grants are usually for one year, though multi-year commitments may be considered in certain circumstances. Its criteria favor proposals with clear, measurable plans, effective management, and plans for long-term funding beyond the grant period. Stated exclusions include annual campaigns, endowments, individual applicants, regranting, and ongoing operating expenses or project support. Faith-based organizations may apply for other purposes, but grants are not made for projects that promote religion or require participation in religious activity as a condition of receiving services.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s 2025 filing lists Fred Muehlfelder as president/chairman; Cassi Steurer as vice-president; Thomas Baudhuin as treasurer; Cheryl A. Marshall-Knutson as secretary; and Carl Ecklund as immediate past chairman. It also lists Scott R. Johnson, Thomas L. Rose, Jeffrey Marrs, Gary Binicewicz, and Nick Povalitis as directors.
The foundation’s website separately identifies Cathy Headley and John Lowry among its directors.
The Mill Foundation is led by Muehlfelder Fred, President & Chairman since 2025 (on filings since 2019); none of the 10 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Muehlfelder Fred
President & Chairman
Vice President → President, 2024
President → President & Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Johnson Scott R.
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Rose Thomas L.
Director
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Binicewicz Gary
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marrs Jeffrey
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Povalitis Nick
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Baudhuin Thomas
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ecklund Carl
Immediate Past Chairman
Chairman → President, 2021
President → Immediate Past Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Steurer Cassi
Vice President
Director → Vice President, 2024
On filings since 2019
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marshall-Knutson Cheryl A.
Secretary
On filings since 2023
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (9)
- Former: Cyrs David (2019–2024) — Director
- Former: Leezer David (2019–2023) — Director
- Former: Sidney David (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Cyrs David M. (2023) — Director
- Former: Diaz Lori (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Johnson Scott (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Marshall-Knutson Cheryl (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Rose Thomas (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: Wham Mary Ann (2019–2021) — Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about The Mill Foundation
How much does The Mill Foundation give each year?
The Mill Foundation gave $124K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $124K across 14 grants.
What is The Mill Foundation's typical grant size?
The Mill Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $8,000, and its average grant was $6,893, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Mill Foundation that year got $7K on average.
Where does The Mill Foundation give grants?
The Mill Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Rockford, IL (17 grants).
Does The Mill Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Mill Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Welfare" (18 grants).
Who are The Mill Foundation's largest grantees?
The Mill Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Boys & Girls Club ($10,000), CASA of Winnebago County ($10,000) and Northwest Community Center ($10,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Mill Foundation?
The Mill Foundation reported $2.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $124K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $118K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Mill Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to help abused, neglected, and at-risk youth and their families develop appropriate values, healthy relationships, behaviors, and life skills. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Mill Foundation?
The website provides a grant application for consideration. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Mill Foundation's EIN?
The Mill Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 30-0177875. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 5, 2020)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Mill Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Mill Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-mill-foundation-morg_e8fcf814cb154cc2aab1b2dc79f7db74
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_300177875_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Mill Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-mill-foundation-morg_e8fcf814cb154cc2aab1b2dc79f7db74},
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 Mill 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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