The Simms Family Foundation
The Simms Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Walworth, Wisconsin. In 2025, it reported grants to charitable organizations in several states, including organizations working in education, health, the arts, wildlife, and conservation.
The Simms Family Foundation at a glance
In short: The Simms Family Foundation gave $50K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), mostly in Illinois. 17% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $50,180
- -98.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- +8.3% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,930
- -98.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $750
- Total assets
- $5,283,484
- +16.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (4 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Illinois (59% 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 Simms Family 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 306, Walworth, WI 53184-9998
Phone: (262) 790-4960
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Simms Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation ($18K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $43K.
Grant Size Distribution
282 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 275 grants of 282 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, recipients in Illinois received 59% of grant dollars, those in Florida received 18%, and those in Wisconsin received 17%. Recipients in Connecticut and Virginia each received 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Simms Family Foundation open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 23 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $625; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 57% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 90% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 15% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $50K (2025) to $3.7M (2024). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $50K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation Dundee, IL | General | $15,000 |
| NCH Healthcare Foundation Naples, FL | General | $7,500 |
| Belfry Music Theatre Foundation Williams Bay, WI | General | $5,000 |
| Advocate Health Foundation Downers Grove, IL | Cancer Survivorship Fund | $5,000 |
| Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation Dundee, IL | General | $2,500 |
| Embers Academy Niles, IL | General | $2,500 |
| Artis-Naples Naples, FL | General | $1,600 |
| The Arabian Horsemen's Distress Fund Bridgewater, CT | General | $1,000 |
| St Benedict Fontana, WI | General | $1,000 |
| St David Episcopal Glenview, IL | General | $1,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Simms Family 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 | $5,283,484 | $795,860 | $87,320 | $50,180 | 26 | $62,776 | $776,372 | $408,578 |
| 2024 | $4,536,966 | $413,517 | $3,756,556 | $3,717,489 | 24 | $3,738,940 | $396,803 | $506,063 |
| 2023 | $6,507,335 | $361,444 | $534,177 | $460,900 | 68 | $479,770 | $341,107 | $467,612 |
| 2022 | $6,662,109 | $1,377,200 | $554,418 | $497,700 | 82 | $516,595 | $1,353,479 | $461,307 |
| 2021 | $5,833,431 | $445,017 | $238,971 | $187,300 | 82 | $205,763 | $412,670 | $516,836 |
| 2020 | $5,632,579 | $-30,047 | $229,512 | $176,333 | 87 | — | $70,609 | $405,622 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Simms Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $409K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grantees include EMBERS Academy, whose stated mission is to operate an elementary academy for pre-K through fifth grade, and Geneva Lake Conservancy, which says it works to preserve and advocate for Walworth County waterways, natural areas, and working lands. Other recipients include health, arts, wildlife, and charitable organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $50,180. Grant amounts ranged from $100 to $15,000, with a median of $750. Its largest listed grants included $15,000 to Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, $7,500 to NCH Healthcare Foundation, $5,000 to Belfry Music Theatre Foundation, and $5,000 to Advocate Health Foundation for a cancer survivorship fund. Other listed grants included $2,500 to EMBERS Academy and $1,600 to Artis-Naples.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John D Simms Jr. as president and director; Michelle P Simms as treasurer and director; Madeleine M Simms as secretary and director; and John D Simms III, Spencer G Simms, and Michael E Simms as directors.
The Simms Family Foundation is led by John D. Simms Jr., President & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John D. Simms Jr.
President & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Michelle P. Simms
Treasurer & Director
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
John D. Simms III
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Madeleine M. Simms
Secretary & Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Michael E. Simms
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Spencer G. Simms
Director
On filings since 2024
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: Frederick V. Simms (2020–2023) — Vice President & Director
- Former: Mary Simms (2020–2023) — Secretary & Director
- Former: John D. Simms (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jean M. Simms (2020) — Assistant Secretary & Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about The Simms Family Foundation
How much does The Simms Family Foundation give each year?
The Simms Family Foundation gave $50K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.7M across 24 grants.
What is The Simms Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Simms Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $750, and its average grant was $1,930, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Simms Family Foundation that year got $625 on average.
Where does The Simms Family Foundation give grants?
The Simms Family Foundation gives mostly in Illinois: 59% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (18%) and Wisconsin (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Glenview, IL (4 grants), Dundee, IL (3 grants), Williams Bay, WI (3 grants) and Naples, FL (2 grants).
Does The Simms Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 96% of The Simms Family Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (25 of 26) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Simms Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Simms Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation ($17,600 across 3 grants), NCH Healthcare Foundation ($7,500) and Belfry Music Theatre Foundation ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 60% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Simms Family Foundation?
The Simms Family Foundation reported $5.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $63K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $409K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Simms Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Simms Family 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 Simms Family Foundation's EIN?
The Simms Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 36-3413327. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Simms Family 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 September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Simms Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-simms-family-foundation-morg_e0dd8090f7024ea7b7eb60d306a03f88
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_363413327_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Simms Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-simms-family-foundation-morg_e0dd8090f7024ea7b7eb60d306a03f88},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Simms Family 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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