Ziegler Family Foundation Inc

Private foundation · Grantmaker Brookfield, WI EIN: 47-2563684

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Brookfield, Wisconsin. Its 2025 filing reports 37 grants totaling $515,700 to organizations including universities, schools, community and human-services organizations, and performing-arts and charitable organizations.

Key facts about Ziegler Family Foundation Inc

In short: Ziegler Family Foundation Inc gave $516K across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $14K), mostly in Wisconsin. 5% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
47-2563684
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$515,700
Grants made (2025)
37
Average grant
$13,938
Median grant
$5,000
New grantees (estimate)
5% first-time grantees (2 of 37, 2025)
Total assets
$11,953,978
Primary geography
Wisconsin (52% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$12.0M

+3.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$516K

-25.4% YoY

Grant Count

37

-7.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$14K

-19.3% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ziegler Family Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $631K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is Ziegler Family Foundation Inc open to new grantees?

5%

first-time grantees, 2025

In 2025, 2 of 37 grantees (5%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $14K. How we count

Medians: $10K first-time, $5K repeat.

  • 95% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving fell 68% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 82% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and purposes, including university programs, scholarships, general operating support, a capital campaign, and a literacy project.

Some grantees describe their work in their own terms: Meta House says it works to end the generational cycle of addiction by healing women and strengthening families. The United Performing Arts Fund describes its role as raising community resources for the performing arts in southeastern Wisconsin. Manna Scholarship Fund says it provides treatment scholarships for people addressing eating disorders, trauma, and other mental-health issues. These are grantees’ descriptions, not stated priorities of the foundation.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $515,700. Grants ranged from $200 to $110,000, with a median of $5,000. Among the largest were $110,000 to Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation for general operating support and its Riviera Beach Literacy Project; $100,000 to UWM Foundation for the Honors College; and $50,000 each to the University of Chicago for general operating support and the University of Wisconsin Foundation for its Psychology Department.

Your AI grants department

Ready to take the next step with Ziegler Family Foundation Inc?

Fully replaces Grant database subscriptions Instrumentl · Foundation Directory · GrantStation & similar

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 52% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin, 23% to Florida, 12% to Illinois, 4% to Ohio, and 2% to New Jersey. The filing’s listed grants also include recipients in North Carolina and Georgia.

Grant Distribution by State

21states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.

Cities

MilwaukeeWest AllisHartlandChicagoNew YorkWellingtonDurhamNorth Palm BeachGladstoneHillsboroughJacksonville BeachLawrencevilleLos AngelesMadisonNashotahTuckahoeUrbanaWaukeshaCincinnatiDenver

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$500K$1M$1.5M$2M50 grants2020 43 grants2021 45 grants2022 41 grants2023 40 grants2024 37 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $516K (2025) to $1.6M (2022). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $516K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation Inc: $110KLost Tree Village CharitableFoundation Inc$110KUwm Foundation Inc: $100KUwm Foundation Inc$100KThe University of Chicago: $50KThe University of Chicago$50KUniversity of Wisconsin Foundation: $50KUniversity of WisconsinFoundation$50KUnited Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County: $25KUnited Way of GreaterMilwaukee & Waukesha County$25KFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund: $20KFidelity InvestmentsCharitable Gift Fund$20KMeta House Inc: $20KMeta House Inc$20KNotre Dame School of Milwaukee: $20KNotre Dame School of Milwaukee$20KUnited Performing Arts Fund: $20KUnited Performing Arts Fund$20KDuke University: $10KDuke University$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation Inc ($110K). Together the top 10 received $425K.

Grant Size Distribution

206 grants across all recorded years

183<$50K11$50–100K10$100–250K$250–500K1$500K–1M1$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 183 grants of 206 (89%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation Inc North Palm Beach, FLGeneral Operating Support & Riviera Beach Literacy Project$110,000
Uwm Foundation Inc Milwaukee, WIHonors College$100,000
The University of Chicago Chicago, ILGeneral Operating Support$50,000
University of Wisconsin Foundation Madison, WIPsychology Department$50,000
United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Milwaukee, WIGeneral Operating Support$25,000
Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund Cincinnati, OHGreat Charity Challenge$20,000
Meta House Inc Milwaukee, WIProject Horizon Capital Campaign$20,000
Notre Dame School of Milwaukee Milwaukee, WIGeneral Operating Support$20,000
United Performing Arts Fund Milwaukee, WIMilwaukee Repertory Theater$20,000
Duke University Durham, NCBass Connection Fund$10,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $11,953,978 $879,195 $515,823 $515,700
2024 $11,590,606 $348,942 $695,100 $691,000
2023 $11,936,764 $198,005 $971,511 $967,500
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$1M$2M$3M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$11,953,978$11,590,606$11,936,764
Revenue$879,195$348,942$198,005
Expenses$515,823$695,100$971,511
Qualifying Distributions$515,823$695,100$971,511
Net Investment Income$879,195$348,942$198,005
Distributable Amount$631,267$628,098$624,588

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 11, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 13, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Carlene M Ziegler as president, secretary, and director; Andrew A Ziegler and Caitlin B Ziegler as vice presidents and directors; and Rebecca L Himmelspach as treasurer and assistant secretary.

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc is led by Carlene M. Ziegler, President, Secretary & Director on every filing since 2020; none of the 4 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Carlene M. Ziegler

    President, Secretary & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Andrew A. Ziegler

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Caitlin B. Ziegler

    Vice President & Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Rebecca L. Himmelspach

    Treasurer & Assistant Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

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.

Contact

Mailing address: 100 N Corporate Dr 190, Brookfield, WI 53045
Phone: (262) 289-9444

Frequently asked questions about Ziegler Family Foundation Inc

How much does Ziegler Family Foundation Inc give each year?

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc gave $516K across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $691K across 40 grants.

What is Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's typical grant size?

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $13,938, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ziegler Family Foundation Inc that year got $10K on average.

Where does Ziegler Family Foundation Inc give grants?

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc gives mostly in Wisconsin: 52% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Florida (23%) and Illinois (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Milwaukee, WI (11 grants), Chicago, IL (2 grants), West Allis, WI (2 grants) and Hartland, WI (2 grants).

Does Ziegler Family Foundation Inc give general operating support?

Yes: 73% of Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (27 of 37) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's largest grantees?

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Lost Tree Village Charitable Foundation Inc ($110,000), Uwm Foundation Inc ($100,000) and The University of Chicago ($50,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Ziegler Family Foundation Inc?

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $516K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $631K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does Ziegler Family Foundation Inc fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations and purposes, including university programs, scholarships, general operating support, a capital campaign, and a literacy project. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Ziegler Family Foundation Inc?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's EIN?

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 47-2563684. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Does Ziegler Family Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

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

Your AI grants department

Here's the math on researching Ziegler Family Foundation Inc by hand.

Explore Open Grants

Browse active grant opportunities in Ziegler Family Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database

Similar Funders

Funders that support many of the same organizations

Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc

Milwaukee, WI

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation funds nonprofits working on regional needs such as education, housing, basic needs, health, arts and culture, and small business, with an emphasis on racial equity. Most 2024 grants were relatively modest (median $27,778), though amounts ranged from $5,017 to $4.56 million; its competitive cycles serve organizations in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee and Washington counties. It accepts applications through competitive grant cycles held three times a year.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$1.1B

Grants

838

Total Given

$66.8M

The Chicago Community Trust

Chicago, IL

The Chicago Community Trust funds nonprofits addressing economic mobility, wealth gaps, and urgent community needs, with priorities including homeownership, small businesses, education, quality jobs, and investment in underinvested communities. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of $26,500, though awards vary widely; grants generally benefit Chicago-region residents, and the Trust directs applicants to open opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Assets

$7.1B

Grants

4,316

Total Given

$1.2B

Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing

Appleton, WI

Thrivent Charitable Impact & Investing distributes donor-directed and program donations to a broad range of causes and organizations in local, national, and global communities. Its 2024 grants had a median of $11,520 and ranged from $5,006 to $5 million. The profile does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$939.7M

Grants

2,565

Total Given

$84.6M

Alliant Energy Foundation Inc

Madison, WI

Assets

$28.5M

Grants

929

Total Given

$2.4M

Give Back Foundation

Madison, WI

Give Back Foundation distributes donor-designated contributions through workplace giving and other giving platforms to selected 501(c)(3) charities, rather than setting its own cause areas. In 2025, grants had a median of $9,066, with recipient organizations concentrated in Virginia, California, and Washington, D.C.; it does not accept unsolicited requests or work directly with charities.

Assets

$31.3M

Grants

639

Total Given

$40.1M

United Way of Greater Milwaukee

Milwaukee, WI

United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County funds local human services and community programs focused on housing stability, digital access, employment, teen mental wellness, and community resilience. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to about $2 million, with a median of about $34,000, and most funding went to Wisconsin, especially its four-county region. It requires a Letter of Intent before a full application; the listed 2026–27 Letter of Intent deadline has passed.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$50.8M

Grants

639

Total Given

$42.7M

Green Bay Packers Foundation

Green Bay, WI

The Green Bay Packers Foundation funds Wisconsin charities working in areas such as families, athletics, children’s safety and education, animal welfare, and other focus areas that vary by year. Its 2026 announcement describes typical awards of $3,000–$8,000, though some grants are larger; it accepts online applications during its stated cycle, February 2–April 1, 2026.

Assets

—

Grants

530

Total Given

$3.6M

Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region Inc

Appleton, WI

The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region funds public charities and public entities across areas including arts and culture, education, health, human services, community improvement, and the environment, with many grants focused on the Fox Valley. Its 2024 grants ranged from $5,073 to $5,841,877, with a median of $24,900; some funds accept applications through the grant portal, while others are donor-directed or invitation-only.

Assets

$536.6M

Grants

448

Total Given

$32.4M

Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation

Mequon, WI

The foundation provides need-based scholarships to Wisconsin high school seniors who played on or managed their school’s basketball team and will attend a University of Wisconsin System institution. Its 2025 awards ranged from $5,000 to $25,000, with a median of $10,000; four-year awards are $10,000 per year and may be renewed. Students apply online during the February 1–April 30 application period; unsolicited requests are not addressed.

Assets

$56.9M

Grants

445

Total Given

$3.5M

Mufg Union Bank Foundation Ag

Milwaukee, WI

The foundation funded affordable housing, community economic development, education, human services, and environmental work, particularly expanding economic opportunity in low- and moderate-income communities; its grants supported organizations in multiple regions, including California, the Pacific Northwest, and elsewhere. Recent grants ranged from about $43,000 to $200,000, though its 2023 final return reported no grants. It gave only to preselected organizations and did not accept unsolicited requests.

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Assets

$5.8M

Grants

441

Total Given

$8.5M

Herb Kohl Educational Foundation Inc

Milwaukee, WI

The foundation funds educational excellence in Wisconsin, including student scholarships and awards for teachers, principals, schools, and classrooms; its 2025 grants ranged from $290 to $15,000, with a median of $6,000. It directs applicants to its program applications for application details; whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.

Education

Assets

$14K

Grants

425

Total Given

$2.1M

More Funders in Wisconsin

Ziegler Family Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?

Want AI to do this for you?