Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Fitchburg, Wisconsin, dedicated to fostering vitality in rural Wisconsin. Established in 1934 and granted tax-exempt status in September 1996, the organization primarily advances its mission through educational scholarships and program support awards.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$219K
-0.9% YoY
Grant Count
25
-28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$9K
+38.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To foster vitality in rural Wisconsin.
The foundation's primary focus areas include:
- Post-secondary Education Scholarships: Comprehensive scholarship and program support awards for students from rural Wisconsin pursuing academic goals across multiple educational pathways
- Agricultural Education: Support for students in schools and colleges of agriculture and natural resources through UW-System institutions
- Technical and Vocational Training: Funding for two-year programs, short courses (such as the UW-Madison Farm & Industry Short Course Program), and Wisconsin Vocational Technical System programs in traditional agricultural and biotechnology fields
- Healthcare Education: Support for nursing and medical field students
- Rural Economic Development: Improvement of health care services, cultural experiences, and support of the rural economic base
- Higher Education Access: Contributions to donor-advised funds supporting higher education for rural Wisconsin students
Grantmaking
The foundation provides both individual scholarships and institutional grants:
Grant Range
** Typical awards range from $150 to $126,000
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Primary giving focus is in Wisconsin, with some activity extending to Ohio and Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $6,454,480 (most recent filing)
- Total Assets (2024): $6,148,040
- Total Giving: $219,000
- Total Revenues (2024): $434,418
- Total Expenses (2024): $311,421
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
139 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Us Charitable Gift Trust ($126,000), Aabp ($10,000), University of Wisconsin River Falls ($10,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AABP ASHLAND, OH | SCHOLARSHIPS | $10,000 |
| EDGEWOOD COLLEGE MADISON, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| PROFESSIONAL DAIRY PRODUCERS FOUNDATION JUNEAU, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,500 |
| RURAL SUMMER SCIENCE CAMP - WARF MADISON, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $5,000 |
| UNIVERISTY OF WISCONSIN MADISON SCHOOL OF NURSING MADISON, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $8,000 |
| UNIVERISTY OF WISCONSIN MADISON VET SCHOOL MADISON, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONISN MADISON - CALS MADISON, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $6,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONISN MADISON - PHYSICIAN ASSISTANT MADISON, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,500 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN EAU CLAIRE EAU CLARIE, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,000 |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN GREEN BAY GREEN BAY, WI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $3,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Marcy Heim
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOAN BEHR | PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| JAMES CALDWELL | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| PAT DUFFY | SECRETARY | 2 | — |
| MICHELLE LIVANOS | MARKETING DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| CHARLES CRAVE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| ALIESHA CROWE | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JERRY GASKA | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SAM MILLER | TREASURER | 2 | — |
| BRETT RENK | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| SUE SCHULTZ | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| MARCY HEIM | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 10 | $36,704 |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation maintains an active scholarship program with regular annual application cycles. Scholarship opportunities are promoted through Wisconsin agricultural and rural education networks, with application deadlines typically in early February.
Update 1-28-2026 - Wisconsin Rural Schools AllianceSubject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To foster vitality in rural Wisconsin. The foundation's primary focus areas include: • **Post-secondary Education Scholarships:** Comprehensive scholarship and program support awards for students from rural Wisconsin pursuing academic goals across multiple educational pathways • **Agricultural Education:** Support for students in schools and colleges of agriculture and natural resources through UW-System institutions • **Technical and Vocational Training:** Funding for two-year pro…
How do I apply for a grant from Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation?
The foundation provides both individual scholarships and institutional grants: • **Individual Scholarships:** During the 2023-2024 fiscal year, the foundation provided 70 scholarships to individual students meeting specific requirements • **Institutional Grants:** Grants to educational institutions to support scholarships for students enrolled in specific studies • **Grant Range:** Typical awards range from $150 to $126,000 • **Total Annual Giving:** $219,000 (based on most recent filing) The f…
Where does Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation make grants?
Primary giving focus is in Wisconsin, with some activity extending to Ohio and Indiana.
What size grants does Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation award?
In 2025, Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation awarded 25 grants totaling $219K — an average of about $9K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation's EIN?
Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-0857592. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wisconsin Rural Opportunities Foundation'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.
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