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.
Key facts about William S Knight Foundation Inc
- EIN
- 81-0797771
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,404,465
- Grants made (2024)
- 31
- Average grant
- $45,305
- Median grant
- $25,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 23% first-time grantees (7 of 31, 2024)
- Total assets
- $38,960,775
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (27% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who William S Knight Foundation Inc funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for William S Knight Foundation Inc's 31 itemized 2024 grants were Wisconsin (27%), Missouri (18%) and Virginia (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Arlington, VA (4 grants), Milwaukee, WI (3 grants) and Washington, DC (3 grants). 6% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.
Is William S Knight Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
23%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 7 of 31 grantees (23%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $45K. How we count
Medians: $50K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (−8%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 96% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with William S Knight Foundation Inc
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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
Ready to take the next step with William S Knight Foundation Inc?
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
Share of all 31 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
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 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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 recipients include College of the Ozarks ($250,000), Northshore Classical Academy ($140,725), Hillsdale College ($104,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| COLLEGE OF THE OZARKS Point Lookout, MO | CHOP CHEESE FACILITY- STUDENT WORK-FOR-TUITION | $250,000 |
| NORTHSHORE CLASSICAL ACADEMY Mequon, WI | EARLY-STAGE DEVELOPMENT COSTS | $140,725 |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE Hillsdale, MI | GRADUATE SCHOOL OF CLASSICAL ED. ENDOW. | $104,000 |
| PRAGERU Sherman Oaks, CA | PRAGERU IN SCHOOLS PROJECT | $100,000 |
| BENEDICTINE COLLEGE Atchison, KS | SUMMER TEACHERS INST. . | $82,740 |
| YOUNG AMERICA'S FOUNDATION Reston, VA | STUDENT CVONFERENCES | $75,000 |
| TRINITAS CLASSICAL ACADEMY Hayward, WI | SCHOOL START-UP COSTS | $70,000 |
| BELMONT ABBEY COLLEGE Belmont, NC | MASTERS CLASSICAL ED. PROGRAM STARTUP | $60,000 |
| LIBERTAS INSTITUTE Lehi, UT | CHILDRENS ENTREPRENEUR MARKET | $50,000 |
| REAL CLEAR FOUNDATION Northbrook, IL | RESEARCH/PUBLICATION ISSUES IN EDUCATIONAL FREEDOM | $50,000 |
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 IRS 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.
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.