Waukesha County Community Foundation
The Waukesha County Community Foundation (WCCF) is a public charity based in Waukesha, Wisconsin. Formed in 1999, it manages permanent endowment and project funds created primarily by and for people in Waukesha County, and provides grant support to charitable organizations.
Waukesha County Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Waukesha County Community Foundation gave $3.0M across 130 grants in 2024 (avg $23K), mostly in Wisconsin. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $3,024,576
- -43.8% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 130
- +1.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $23,266
- -44.7% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $76,620,938
- +3.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (39 of 129, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (92% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Waukesha County Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
For Community Grants, use the Foundation’s grant portal to submit a letter of intent; only applicants invited by the Grants Review Committee proceed to a full proposal. Many donor-advised funds do not accept grant requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: 2727 N Grandview Blvd 301, Waukesha, WI 53188
Phone: (262) 513-1861
Website: https://waukeshafoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Waukesha County Community Foundation
Carl J. & Audrey Z. Patrinos Charitable Endowment Fund Grants
Waukesha County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Community Grants
Waukesha County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Scholastic Fund for Students of Hispanic Descent (SFSHD) Scholarship Program Grant
Waukesha County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Waukesha County Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was MKE Air and Water Show Inc ($267K). Together the top 10 received $1.4M.
Organizations only. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($26,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
578 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 510 grants of 578 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
WCCF describes its efforts as centered on Waukesha County and says its grants support needs in the county and the region. In filing year 2024, 92% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin; the remainder went to recipients in Illinois, Michigan, Virginia, and Texas.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 130 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Waukesha County Community Foundation open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 39 of 129 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $14K; repeat grants $27K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $11K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $2.2M (2020) to $9.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 130 grants totaling $3.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| MKE Air and Water Show Inc Milwaukee, WI | Title Sponsorship | $266,500 |
| Friends of Oconomowoc Parks and Trails Inc Oconomowoc, WI | John and Lavinia Rockwell Park | $200,000 |
| Polish Heritage Alliance Inc Franklin, WI | Annual Distribution | $177,384 |
| Community Smiles Dental Waukesha, WI | General Support | $174,800 |
| Wayland Academy Beaver Dam, WI | General Support | $150,000 |
| Women and Girls Fund of Waukesha County Inc Waukesha, WI | General Support | $107,400 |
| Marquette University Carol Stream, IL | General Support | $91,500 |
| Medical College of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WI | Labahn Pancreatic Cancer Program (Dr. Evans) | $85,000 |
| Sharp Literacy Inc Milwaukee, WI | Waukesha County Expansion of Sharps STEAM-Based Program | $60,750 |
| St Augustine Preparatory Academy Milwaukee, WI | General Support | $51,351 |
Ready to take the next step with Waukesha County Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Foundation’s 2024 filing explains that its assets and liabilities include agency endowment funds held for charitable organizations, which name themselves as beneficiaries.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $76,620,938 | $11,641,138 | $6,493,868 | $3,024,576 | 130 | $5,698,950 |
| 2023 | $73,920,379 | $11,175,955 | $8,362,561 | $5,385,833 | 128 | $3,086,572 |
| 2022 | $62,758,771 | $16,318,794 | $16,825,344 | $9,426,353 | 120 | $5,243,675 |
| 2021 | $76,894,981 | $24,718,378 | $7,235,613 | $5,654,172 | 112 | $4,494,355 |
| 2020 | $56,277,086 | $8,026,320 | $3,917,447 | $2,205,676 | 88 | $1,560,243 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
WCCF’s stated mission is to provide grant support to charitable organizations through a pool of permanent endowment and project funds, serving a broad spectrum of the community. Its 2024 filing describes grants addressing ongoing and changing community needs in Waukesha County and the region, including education, arts and culture, health and human services, and environment and conservation.
The Foundation’s website also lists community development and historical preservation among Community Grants areas, along with arts and culture, education, health and human services, and environment and conservation. Examples of grantees’ work include MKE Air and Water Show Inc., which describes its mission as producing a STEM-based event focused on aviation science and technology; Friends of Oconomowoc Parks and Trails Inc., which works to conserve and improve area parks and trails; and Sharp Literacy Inc., which partners with educators on STEAM-based experiential programs.
Grantmaking
WCCF reported 130 grants totaling $3,024,576 in filing year 2024. Individual grants ranged from $5,125 to $266,500, with a median of $10,000. The Foundation’s website separately reports that it awarded more than $4.1 million in grants in 2025, including $175,250 through its Community Grants program.
Among the largest grants reported for 2024 were $266,500 to MKE Air and Water Show Inc. for title sponsorship; $200,000 to Friends of Oconomowoc Parks and Trails Inc. for John and Lavinia Rockwell Park; $177,384 to Polish Heritage Alliance Inc. for an annual distribution; $174,800 to Community Smiles Dental for general support; and $150,000 to Wayland Academy for general support.
The Community Grants program supports eligible nonprofits serving Waukesha County through an annual competitive cycle. Applicants must provide evidence of 501(c)(3) status and a non-discrimination policy. The guidelines state that requests should range from $1,000 to $10,000, that an organization may submit one letter of intent annually, and that grants will not be repeated for the same organization in consecutive years. The process begins with an online account and letter of intent; organizations invited by the Grants Review Committee submit a full proposal. The committee recommends awards to the Board for final approval. The guidelines say preference is given to proposals showing collaboration and alignment with WCCF’s flagship issue of safe and affordable housing.
Community Grants generally do not support religious programs, lobbying or political purposes, event sponsorships, capital campaigns, pass-through funding, direct grants to individuals, or government entities. The website says the 2026 Community Grants cycle is closed and that the opportunity will return in 2027.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Fred Stier as board chair; Stephanie Riesch-Knapp as vice chair; Ramona Thornton as treasurer; Rick Verthein as secretary; and Ann Bartos Merkow as past chair. It also lists Stacie Andritsch, Tim Beine, Curt Brewer, Marybeth Budisch, and Jerry Flood as directors.
Waukesha County Community Foundation is led by Melissa Baxter, President on every filing since 2021; 1 of 23 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Melissa Baxter
President
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$12K (2021) → $158K (2024)
Fred Stier
Board Chair
Director → Board Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Curt Brewer
Director
Chair → Past Chair, 2022
Past Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jan Wade
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jane Stromwall
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jerry Flood
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Judie Dalum Taylor
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marybeth Budisch
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stacie Andritsch
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tim Beine
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Victor Schultz
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Tesmer
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Julie Glynn
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sean Scullen
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Rislov
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anita Rodriguez Cordero
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Eric Larson
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heidi Retzlaff
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Sauer
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Bartos Merkow
Past Chair
Vice Chair → Board Chair, 2022
Board Chair → Past Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephanie Riesch-Knapp
Vice Chair
Director → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ramona Thornton
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rick Verthein
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (13)
- Former: Coreen Dicus-Johnson (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Mervyn Byrd (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Pat Boelter (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Alicia Kiser (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Dave Frank (2021–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Sean Sullivan (2022) — Director
- Former: Dave Provancher (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: John Matter (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Karin Kultgen MD (2020–2021) — Past Chair
- Former: Shelli Marquardt (2020–2021) — President
- Former: Dennis Pollard (2020) — Director
- Former: Ed Olson (2020) — Director
- Former: Jim Walden (2020) — Past Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $158K, to Melissa Baxter (President).
Frequently asked questions about Waukesha County Community Foundation
How much does Waukesha County Community Foundation give each year?
Waukesha County Community Foundation gave $3.0M across 130 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $5.4M across 128 grants.
What is Waukesha County Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Waukesha County Community Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $23,266, across 130 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Waukesha County Community Foundation that year got $14K on average.
Where does Waukesha County Community Foundation give grants?
Waukesha County Community Foundation gives mostly in Wisconsin: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (39 grants), Waukesha, WI (26 grants), Wauwatosa, WI (8 grants) and Brookfield, WI (6 grants).
Does Waukesha County Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 45% of Waukesha County Community Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (58 of 130) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Annual Distribution" (6 grants).
Who are Waukesha County Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Waukesha County Community Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include MKE Air and Water Show Inc ($266,500), Friends of Oconomowoc Parks and Trails Inc ($200,000) and Polish Heritage Alliance Inc ($177,384), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 2 grants to individuals ($26,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 21% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Waukesha County Community Foundation?
Waukesha County Community Foundation reported $76.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $11.6M.
What does Waukesha County Community Foundation fund?
WCCF’s stated mission is to provide grant support to charitable organizations through a pool of permanent endowment and project funds, serving a broad spectrum of the community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Waukesha County Community Foundation?
For Community Grants, use the Foundation’s grant portal to submit a letter of intent; only applicants invited by the Grants Review Committee proceed to a full proposal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Waukesha County Community Foundation's EIN?
Waukesha County Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1969122. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 11, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 11, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Waukesha County Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Waukesha County Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/waukesha-county-community-foundation-morg_5b83220c2051480cbd510041d98b9dec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_391969122_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Waukesha County Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/waukesha-county-community-foundation-morg_5b83220c2051480cbd510041d98b9dec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Waukesha County Community 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.
Waukesha County Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?