Ward Scholarship Fund
Ward Scholarship Fund is a private foundation based in Green Bay, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing describes a scholarship application for Neenah High School graduates planning to attend college, university, or technical college.
Ward Scholarship Fund at a glance
In short: Ward Scholarship Fund gave $15K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $587.731), mostly in Wisconsin. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $15,281
- +10.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- +36.8% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $588
- -19.2% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $600
- Total assets
- $261,466
- +2.0% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (70% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Ward Scholarship Fund
- How to Apply
-
The filing directs applicants to use the online application for Neenah High School available through the Fox River Scholarship Center website. It lists Neenah High School–Oshkosh Area C as the contact. Applicants must be graduates of Neenah High School in Neenah, Wisconsin, and plan to attend a college, university, or technical college.
- Review Cycle
- March 14.
- Deadline
- March 14.
- Contact
Application contact: Neenah High School - Oshkosh Area C
Mailing address: Attn Cheryl Fowler 230 Ohio Stre, Oshkosh, WI 54901
Phone: (920) 426-3993
Email: cheryl@oshkoshareacf.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ward Scholarship Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Grant Size Distribution
101 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 101 grants of 101 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 70% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin, 12% to Minnesota, 8% to Indiana, 3% to Nebraska, and 3% to Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 26 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Ward Scholarship Fund gives
- Giving fell 38% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 94% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $7K (2023) to $24K (2022). In 2025 it made 26 grants totaling $15K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 26 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $15,281 |
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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 | $261,466 | $24,683 | $19,616 | $15,281 | 26 | $16,306 | $21,609 | $17,327 |
| 2024 | $256,436 | $20,567 | $18,568 | $13,823 | 19 | $14,985 | $17,081 | $16,441 |
| 2023 | $254,507 | $10,290 | $11,207 | $6,696 | 14 | $7,794 | $6,995 | $14,923 |
| 2022 | $255,517 | $11,991 | $29,386 | $24,466 | 41 | $25,624 | $8,517 | $15,454 |
| 2021 | $272,969 | $24,626 | $20,437 | $15,146 | 1 | $16,455 | $20,699 | $18,175 |
| 2020 | $268,740 | $7,472 | $19,043 | $14,000 | 21 | — | $3,931 | $16,397 |
| 2019 | $281,014 | $19,421 | $18,772 | $14,000 | 17 | — | $16,025 | $15,325 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ward Scholarship Fund reported a distributable amount of $17K 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 fund is provided. Its 2025 grants were identified as scholarships and included awards made through universities and colleges.
Among the supported organizations, the University of Wisconsin–an individual recipient says its alumni and friends foundation works to build lifelong relationships and raise private support to advance the university’s mission. Illinois Wesleyan University describes its mission as providing a liberal arts education, distinctive curricula, and programs that foster skills including creativity, critical thinking, and effective communication.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the fund made 26 grants totaling $15,281. Individual grants ranged from $250 to $1,000, with a median of $600. Notable awards included $1,000 to the University of Minnesota and $1,000 to Marquette, and $750 each to three University of Wisconsin–Madison scholarship recipients. Other examples include $660 to the University of Wisconsin–an individual recipient and $500 to Illinois Wesleyan University.
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Ward Scholarship Fund's only listed officer is Associated Trust Company, Trustee on every filing since 2022 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Associated Trust Company
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
$5K (2022) → $4K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Associated Trust Company NA (2019–2021) — Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $4K, to Associated Trust Company (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about Ward Scholarship Fund
How much does Ward Scholarship Fund give each year?
Ward Scholarship Fund gave $15K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $14K across 19 grants.
What is Ward Scholarship Fund's typical grant size?
Ward Scholarship Fund's median grant in 2025 was $600, and its average grant was $588, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Ward Scholarship Fund give grants?
Ward Scholarship Fund gives mostly in Wisconsin: 70% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Minnesota (12%) and Indiana (8%).
Does Ward Scholarship Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 26 grants with a stated purpose on Ward Scholarship Fund's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship" (26 grants).
How large is Ward Scholarship Fund?
Ward Scholarship Fund reported $261K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $16K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $17K (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 Ward Scholarship Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund is provided. Its 2025 grants were identified as scholarships and included awards made through universities and colleges. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ward Scholarship Fund?
The filing directs applicants to use the online application for Neenah High School available through the Fox River Scholarship Center website. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ward Scholarship Fund's EIN?
Ward Scholarship Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-6457338. 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
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 1, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 1, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 19, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 27, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 17, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 4, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 14, 2022)
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