Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc is a public charity based in Madison, Wisconsin, formed in 2007. It supports credit union development, education for credit union staff and volunteers, financial literacy programming, and the credit union system in times of need.
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc gave $145K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $12K), mostly in Wisconsin. 58% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $144,605
- +15.3% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $12,050
- +15.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $920,713
- +5.1% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 58% first-time grantees (7 of 12, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The website provides application processes for the Credit Union Development Grant and Inclusion Fund Grant. The listed annual application windows are May 15–June 30 for the Credit Union Development Grant and February 15–April 30 for the Inclusion Fund Grant. Those 2026 windows have passed; the website does not state later application dates.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists May 15–June 30 annually for the Credit Union Development Grant and February 15–April 30 annually for the Inclusion Fund Grant. The 2026 deadlines have passed.
- Deadline
- The website lists May 15–June 30 annually for the Credit Union Development Grant and February 15–April 30 annually for…
- Contact
Mailing address: 1 E Main St 101, Madison, WI 53703
Phone: (608) 640-4040
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was LCO Federal Credit Union ($21K). Together the top 10 received $127K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 51 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s 2025 itemized grants went entirely to recipients in Wisconsin. Its website describes the Inclusion Fund Grant as supporting efforts to reach unserved and unrepresented communities in Wisconsin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
58%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 12 grantees (58%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $12K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $10K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $35K (2020) to $145K (2025). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $145K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| LCO Federal Credit Union Hayward, WI | For security upgrades and to fund financial education for community members, youth, and entrepreneurs program | $20,968 |
| Badger Globe Credit Union Neenah, WI | To develop the capacity to better serve spanish-speaking families in northeast Wisconsin, and for debit and credit card enhancements | $18,370 |
| Brewery Credit Union Milwaukee, WI | For an ATM Installation at a New Location | $13,000 |
| Holy Family Memorial Credit Union Manitowoc, WI | For Rebranding Project | $13,000 |
| Unitedone Credit Union Manitowoc, WI | To develop a financial well-being for all program into communities served | $11,767 |
| Evergreen Credit Union Neenah, WI | To Replace a Coin Machine | $10,000 |
| First Choice Credit Union Marshfield, WI | For Home Banking Upgrade and Security | $10,000 |
| Indianhead Credit Union Spooner, WI | For Development of an Alternative Payday Lending Program | $10,000 |
| MCU Financial Center Credit Union Racine, WI | For Tokenization and Contactless Credit Card Program Upgrades | $10,000 |
| Racine Municipal Employees Credit Union Racine, WI | For Computer Upgrades | $10,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $920,713 | $266,625 | $252,335 | $144,605 | 12 | $21,928 |
| 2024 | $875,926 | $299,368 | $245,597 | $125,416 | 12 | $20,560 |
| 2023 | $832,444 | $210,489 | $214,137 | $135,530 | 11 | $8,522 |
| 2022 | $828,770 | $210,253 | $176,882 | $79,080 | 8 | $2,608 |
| 2021 | $779,314 | $188,905 | $147,851 | $64,400 | 8 | $2,987 |
| 2020 | $748,381 | $158,740 | $111,970 | $35,400 | 4 | $4,337 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote credit union development, educate credit union staff and volunteers, support programming to enhance financial literacy, and support the credit union system in times of need.
Its grantmaking includes support for technology and operations projects that help credit unions serve members, and for efforts to reach unserved and unrepresented communities. In 2025, the Foundation also supported financial counseling certification and awarded scholarships for employees’ professional development. These programs for individuals are not grants to outside organizations.
The 2025 grantees include credit unions with varied stated missions. Badger Globe Credit Union describes its mission as exceeding members’ expectations through exceptional service. Holy Family Memorial Credit Union says it advances members’ financial health and quality of life through personalized guidance and value-driven service. Brewery Credit Union describes its mission as providing financial services while economically empowering members and the community.
Grantmaking
In filing-year 2025, the Foundation reported 12 grants totaling $144,605. Grants ranged from $7,500 to $20,968, with a median of $10,000. The filing describes $113,210 in grants to 11 Wisconsin credit unions for technology- and operations-related expenses and upgrades, and $20,137 in inclusion grants to two credit unions. These program descriptions do not account for the full itemized grant total.
The largest listed grant was $20,968 to LCO Federal Credit Union for security upgrades and financial education for community members, youth, and entrepreneurs. Badger Globe Credit Union received $18,370 to build capacity to serve Spanish-speaking families in northeast Wisconsin and for debit and credit card enhancements. Brewery Credit Union and Holy Family Memorial Credit Union each received $13,000, for an ATM installation and a rebranding project, respectively. UnitedOne Credit Union received $11,767 for development of a financial well-being program.
The Foundation’s website describes the Credit Union Development Grant for Wisconsin credit unions seeking support for technology- and operations-related expenses. Eligible project scopes include technology, security, marketing, strategic planning, training, consulting, and operations. Applications must include measurable goals, a project budget, and supporting documentation. Grants are restricted to the stated project purpose; a credit union may receive no more than one such grant per year. The website requires a final written report within 30 days after the grant period ends. The Foundation’s 2025 filing separately states that grant recipients must report expenditures and accomplishments within one year of the award, and return any unspent cash.
The website also describes the Inclusion Fund Grant, which supports credit unions working to reach unserved and unrepresented communities in Wisconsin. The funding covers the cost of using Coopera Consulting for services such as market analysis and strategic development.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Lisa Palma as chair, Chris Felton as treasurer, Shelly Mellenberger as vice chair, Jami Olcott as secretary, and Chris Moc zynski, Marianne Torkelson, and Sarah Wainscott as directors. The filing states that directors are appointed by the directors of the Wisconsin Credit Union League and serve one-year terms, with a limit of nine consecutive terms.
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc is led by Lisa Palma, Chair since 2023 (on filings since 2021); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Lisa Palma
Chair
Director → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Moczynski
Director
On filings since 2024
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marianne Torkelson
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Wainscott
Director
New on the 2025 filing
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Chris Felton
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jami Olcott
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Shelly Mellenberger
Vice Chair
Secretary → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (8)
- Former: Brett Thompson (2020–2024) — Director
- Former: Lora Benrud (2020–2024) — Vice Chair
- Former: Brandon Riechers (2021–2024) — Director
- Former: Kevin Hauser (2020–2023) — Chair
- Former: Kim Sponem (2020–2023) — Director
- Former: Liza Edinger (2020–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Catherine Tierney (2020) — Chair
- Former: Val Mindak (2020) — 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 Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc
How much does Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc give each year?
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc gave $145K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $125K across 12 grants.
What is Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,050, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc that year got $12K on average.
Where does Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc give grants?
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Neenah, WI (2 grants), Manitowoc, WI (2 grants) and Racine, WI (2 grants).
Does Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include LCO Federal Credit Union ($20,968), Badger Globe Credit Union ($18,370) and Brewery Credit Union ($13,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc?
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc reported $921K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $267K.
What does Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to promote credit union development, educate credit union staff and volunteers, support programming to enhance financial literacy, and support the credit union system in times of need. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc?
The website provides application processes for the Credit Union Development Grant and Inclusion Fund Grant. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's EIN?
Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 26-0819612. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 5, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS September 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 22, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 30, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wisconsin-credit-union-foundation-inc-morg_90681f9b0fc44c77bf30fa3427240191
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_260819612_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wisconsin-credit-union-foundation-inc-morg_90681f9b0fc44c77bf30fa3427240191},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Wisconsin Credit Union Foundation Inc'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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