William S Knight Foundation Inc
William S Knight Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Naples, Florida, established in 2016. The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation with a focus on supporting educational, philanthropic, and cultural initiatives.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$39.0M
+8.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+24.5% YoY
Grant Count
31
+24.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$45K
+0.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, William S Knight Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation primarily funds organizations aligned with values of entrepreneurism, self-reliance, and free market enterprise. Primary funding areas include:
- Education
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
- Arts, Culture & Humanities
- Youth leadership programs
- STEM educational programs
- Patriotic education
- Stock market game programs for youth
- Start-up funding and revolving loan funds
Grantmaking
The foundation made 24 grants totaling $1,404,465. Notable recent grants include:
Average Grant
amount: $65,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily supports organizations in:
- Wisconsin
- Illinois
- Missouri
- Virginia
- Kansas
Grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states, with Wisconsin, Missouri, and Illinois accounting for 47% of all grants.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $38,960,775
- Total revenues: $4,265,849
- Total expenses: $1,716,428
- Total giving: $1,404,465
- Annual income: $15.8 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $38,960,775 | $35,787,578 | $31,606,329 |
| Revenue | $4,265,849 | $3,396,426 | $738,755 |
| Expenses | $1,716,428 | $1,410,041 | $1,803,447 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,471,054 | $1,190,898 | $1,636,748 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,077,348 | $3,222,071 | $577,720 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,530,399 | $1,496,920 | $1,510,202 |
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
123 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include College of the Ozarks ($250,000), Northshore Classical Academy ($140,725), Hillsdale College ($104,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BADGER INSTITUTE MILWAUKEE, WI | RESEARCH/jOURNALISM-EDUCATION REFORM | $30,000 |
| BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE BELMONT, NC | MASTERS CLASSICAL ED. PROGRAM STARTUP | $60,000 |
| BENEDICTINE COLLEGE ATCHISON, KS | SUMMER TEACHERS INST. . | $82,740 |
| CATO INSTITUTE WASHINGTON, DC | PROJECT SPHERE EDUCATION INITIATIVE | $5,000 |
| COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS POINT LOOKOUT, MO | CHOP CHEESE FACILITY- STUDENT WORK-FOR-TUITION | $250,000 |
| FORGE LEADERSHIP NETWORK DAYTON, OH | GENERAL SUPPORT | $10,000 |
| FUND FOR AMERICAN STUDIES WASHINTON, DC | ECONOMICS FOR LEADERS | $28,000 |
| FOUNDATION FOR ECONOMIC EDUCATION ATLANTA, GA | FREE-MARKET EDUCATION | $10,000 |
| HERITAGE FOUNDATION WASHINGTON, DC | SCHOOL CHOICE RESEARCH AND ADVOCACY-SCHOOL CHOICE | $20,000 |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE HILLSDALE, MI | GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL ED. ENDOW. | $104,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Gary G Grabowski
The foundation is governed by 5 officers and trustees.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JENNIFER K RAUSCHER | DIRECTOR | 1 | $5,250 |
| THOMAS L BROWN | VICE PRES. | 1 | $7,000 |
| GARY G GRABOWSKI Also see attachmen | SCRETARY /TREAS | 6 | $7,000 |
| DONALD F WICHELT | PRESIDENT | 1.5 | $7,000 |
| FRAN D SORENSON | DIRECTOR | 1 | $3,500 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation awarded $50,000 to Junior Achievement of Wisconsin to support JA Finance Park Virtual® and JA BizTown Adventures® programs, demonstrating ongoing commitment to youth financial and entrepreneurial education.
William S. Knight Foundation Awards JA of Wisconsin $50,000 to Support JA\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does William S Knight Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation primarily funds organizations aligned with values of entrepreneurism, self-reliance, and free market enterprise. Primary funding areas include: • Education • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking • Arts, Culture & Humanities • Youth leadership programs • STEM educational programs • Patriotic education • Stock market game programs for youth • Start-up funding and revolving loan funds
How do I apply for a grant from William S Knight Foundation Inc?
**Grant Characteristics:** • Typical award range: $1,500–$500,000 • Average grant amount: $65,000 • Median grant amount: $35,000 • Individual grants have ranged from $2,000 to $500,000 **Recent Grant Activity (2024):** The foundation made 24 grants totaling $1,404,465. Notable recent grants include: • College of the Ozarks: $250,000 (Chop Cheese Facility - Student Work-For-Tuition) • Northshore Classical Academy: $140,725 (Early-Stage Development Costs) • Hillsdale College: $104,000 (Graduate S…
Where does William S Knight Foundation Inc make grants?
The foundation primarily supports organizations in: • Wisconsin • Illinois • Missouri • Virginia • Kansas Grantmaking reaches organizations across 12 states, with Wisconsin, Missouri, and Illinois accounting for 47% of all grants.
What size grants does William S Knight Foundation Inc award?
In 2024, William S Knight Foundation Inc awarded 31 grants totaling $1.4M — an average of about $45K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is William S Knight Foundation Inc required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, William S Knight Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is William S Knight Foundation Inc's EIN?
William S Knight Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-0797771. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in William S Knight Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.