Wisconsin Literacy Inc logo

Wisconsin Literacy Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Madison, WI EIN: 39-1628898 Website

Wisconsin Literacy Inc. is a Madison-based public charity and statewide coalition that strengthens adult and family literacy by supporting local literacy programs, providing training and capacity-building, and working in health literacy, workforce connections, and advocacy. The organization says its support reaches communities across Wisconsin through its member agencies and regional staff.

Key facts about Wisconsin Literacy Inc

In short: Wisconsin Literacy Inc gave $1.7M across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $88K), mostly in Wisconsin. 32% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

EIN
39-1628898
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$1,671,550
Grants made (2025)
19
Average grant
$87,976
Median grant
$64,409
New grantees (estimate)
32% first-time grantees (6 of 19, 2025)
Total assets
$1,216,174
Primary geography
Wisconsin (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing

Total Assets

$1.2M

+170.6% YoY

Annual Giving

$1.7M

-21.6% YoY

Grant Count

19

-61.2% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$88K

+102.3% YoY

Is Wisconsin Literacy Inc open to new grantees?

32%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 6 of 19 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $76K; repeat grants $94K. How we count

Medians: $68K first-time, $62K repeat.

  • 68% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2023–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The organization’s mission is “Changing lives by strengthening literacy statewide.” Its website describes work in adult and family literacy, health literacy, workforce support, training, and advocacy. It says membership is open to formally organized nonprofit literacy providers offering basic skills services to adults and/or families.

In 2023, supported organizations included the Racine Literacy Council, whose mission is to provide reading and writing instruction to Racine County residents through trained volunteer tutors; Community Center for Immigrants, which says it provides English and citizenship education and immigration legal services; and Latino Academy of Workforce Development, which says it provides linguistically and culturally competent adult education. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not Wisconsin Literacy’s.

Grantmaking

IRS filing data reports $739,383 in grants across 18 grants in 2023, an average of about $41,077 per grant. The 2024 and 2025 filing data each report zero grants. The organization’s 2024 filing narrative separately states that it awarded grants to subrecipients on a cost-reimbursement basis and maintained records to document their use of funds.

Review Cycle

but does not state the year, so it does not establish a current application cycle.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Wisconsin Literacy describes itself as a statewide coalition. Its 2024 filing says its member-agency support reached 77.7% of Wisconsin counties; its website describes members serving 89% of counties.

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.

States

Cities

MilwaukeeAppletonMadisonRacineEau ClaireGreen BayMenashaWausauFond Du LacGlendaleKenoshaOshkoshPlymouthStevens PointWest BendAshlandManitowocSun PrairieWalesWest Allis

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$1M$2M$3M0 grants2021 0 grants2022 18 grants2023 49 grants2024 19 grants2025

From 2023 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $739K (2023) to $2.1M (2024). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $1.7M.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Community Center for Immigrants Inc: $228KCommunity Center forImmigrants Inc$228KLiteracy Network: $208KLiteracy Network$208KInternational Institue of Wisconsin: $165KInternational Institue ofWisconsin$165KNeighborhood House of Milwaukee: $164KNeighborhood House ofMilwaukee$164KHanan Refugees Relief Group: $155KHanan Refugees Relief Group$155KLiteracy Green Bay Inc: $73KLiteracy Green Bay Inc$73KWinnebago Area Literacy Council Co Winnebago Public Library: $72KWinnebago Area LiteracyCouncil Co Winnebago Public…$72KFamily Resource Center of Sheboygan County: $71KFamily Resource Center ofSheboygan County$71KLiteracy Services of Wisconsin: $69KLiteracy Services of Wisconsin$69KNew Beginnings for Refugees: $64KNew Beginnings for Refugees$64K

The largest 2025 recipient was Community Center for Immigrants Inc ($228K). Together the top 10 received $1.3M.

Grant Size Distribution

86 grants across all recorded years

53<$50K23$50–100K10$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 53 grants of 86 (62%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Community Center for Immigrants Inc Milwaukee, WITo support brp ell, and dcf lit svcs programs.$227,987
Literacy Network Madison, WITo support brp ell and dcf lit svcs programs.$208,412
International Institue of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WITo Support BRP Ell Program.$164,651
Neighborhood House of Milwaukee Milwaukee, WITo support brp ell and dcf lit svcs programs.$163,688
Hanan Refugees Relief Group Milwaukee, WITo Support BRP Ell Program.$155,020
Literacy Green Bay Inc Green Bay, WITo support brp ell and dcf lit svcs programs.$73,478
Winnebago Area Literacy Council Co Winnebago Public Library Oshkosh, WITo Support BRP Ell Program.$71,884
Family Resource Center of Sheboygan County Plymouth, WITo support brp ell and dcf lit svcs programs.$70,917
Literacy Services of Wisconsin Milwaukee, WITo Support BRP Ell Program.$69,315
New Beginnings for Refugees Wausau, WITo Support BRP Ell Program.$64,409

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants reported
2025 $1,216,174 $4,250,668 $4,189,926 0
2024 $449,450 $4,180,614 $4,287,071 0
2023 $576,681 $2,567,189 $2,699,376 18; $739,383 total
Revenue
Expenses
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$1,216,174$449,450$576,681
Revenue$4,250,668$4,180,614$2,567,189
Expenses$4,189,926$4,287,071$2,699,376
Net Investment Income$16$21$10

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 6, 2024)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 24, 2025)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS January 20, 2026)
  4. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Steve Mundt as chair; Aaron McCann as vice chair; and Olayinka Shiyanbola, Greg Coleman, Alex Shade, Melissa Quinn, Justin Rivas, Christina Outlay, and Meghan Gaffney as directors. Jacob Gorges is listed as executive director.

Wisconsin Literacy Inc is led by Michele Erikson, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 3 of 17 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Michele Erikson

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2021

    40 hrs/week

    $77K (2021) → $35K (2025)

  • Jacob Gorges

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2024

    40 hrs/week

    $88K (2025)

  • Steve Mundt

    Chair

    Vice Chair → Chair, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Alex Shade

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Olayinka Shiyanbola Phd Bpharm

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Eric Johnson

    Director

    Member Representative → Director, 2025

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Justin Rivas Mph Mipa

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Anna Krause

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Christina Outlay

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Greg Coleman

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jackie Gerhart

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Melissa Quinn

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Meghan Gaffney

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Greg Pitts

    Controller

    On filings since 2023

    40 hrs/week

    $10K (2023) → $86K (2025)

  • Aaron McCann

    Vice Chair

    Director → Vice Chair, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Melinda Orebaugh

    Secretary

    Director → Secretary, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Dawn Weckerle

    Treasurer

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (15)
  • Former: April Kigeya (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Christine Buentello (2021–2023) — Treasurer
  • Former: Debbie Kutchin (2021–2023) — Director of Finance & Administration · Filing note: Retired dec 2022
  • Former: Dennis Winters (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Jessica Doyle (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Julie A. Furst-Bowe (2021–2023) — Director
  • Former: Jon Gilgenbach (2022–2023) — Member Representative
  • Former: Nicole Horsley (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Oscar Tovar (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Liz Hart (2021–2022) — Director
  • Former: Bill Boyle (2021) — Chair
  • Former: Holly McCoy (2021) — Director
  • Former: John Johnson PhD (2021) — Director
  • Former: Judy Woodburn (2021) — Secretary
  • Former: Tim Bartholow MD (2021) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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

Jacob Gorges — Executive Director: $88KJacob GorgesExecutive Director$88KGreg Pitts — Controller (Thru Jan 2025): $86KGreg PittsController (Thru Jan 2025)$86KMichele Erikson — Executive Director (Thru Mar 2024): $35KMichele EriksonExecutive Director (Thru Mar…$35K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $88K, to Jacob Gorges (Executive Director). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Mailing address: 211 S Paterson St Ste 170 170, Madison, WI 53703-4539
Phone: (608) 257-1655
Website: https://wisconsinliteracy.org

Frequently asked questions about Wisconsin Literacy Inc

How much does Wisconsin Literacy Inc give each year?

Wisconsin Literacy Inc gave $1.7M across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.1M across 49 grants.

What is Wisconsin Literacy Inc's typical grant size?

Wisconsin Literacy Inc's median grant in 2025 was $64,409, and its average grant was $87,976, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wisconsin Literacy Inc that year got $76K on average.

Where does Wisconsin Literacy Inc give grants?

Wisconsin Literacy 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 Milwaukee, WI (6 grants), Green Bay, WI (2 grants) and Wausau, WI (2 grants).

Does Wisconsin Literacy Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Wisconsin Literacy Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support BRP Ell, and DCF Lit Svcs Programs." (11 grants) and "To Support BRP Ell Program." (8 grants).

Who are Wisconsin Literacy Inc's largest grantees?

Wisconsin Literacy Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Community Center for Immigrants Inc ($227,987), Literacy Network ($208,412) and International Institue of Wisconsin ($164,651), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Wisconsin Literacy Inc?

Wisconsin Literacy Inc reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.3M.

What does Wisconsin Literacy Inc fund?

The organization’s mission is “Changing lives by strengthening literacy statewide.” Its website describes work in adult and family literacy, health literacy, workforce support, training, and advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Wisconsin Literacy Inc?

Wisconsin Literacy Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wisconsinliteracy.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.

What is Wisconsin Literacy Inc's EIN?

Wisconsin Literacy Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1628898. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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