The Baird Foundation concentrates its giving on K–12 and out-of-school youth success in Milwaukee and similarly sized U.S. cities, with substantial support for school choice/charter and Catholic/Jesuit college-preparatory models, youth development programs, and community-focused safety-net services. It also invests noticeably in local cultural institutions (performing and visual arts) and civic/philanthropic infrastructure such as United Ways and university fundraising. Grants are often programmatic or annual operating support and frequently awarded to the same organizations over multiple years, signaling sustained partnerships rather than one-off gifts.
A defining feature of Baird Foundation Inc is its long-running support for Milwaukee-area youth education, especially Catholic and Jesuit college-preparatory schools and related pipeline programs. Recent grants show that pattern clearly: $150,100 to St Augustine Preparatory Academy, $138,720 to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, $102,000 to Nativity Jesuit Academy, and $100,000 to Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy. The foundation also backs broader youth-serving networks that help students move through school and into college, including City Forward Collective, Build Inc, Sharp Literacy Inc, Rainier Scholars, and College Possible Chicago. Its giving is not limited to education. Large recurring awards also support health and human services intermediaries such as United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County and United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, along with community organizations like Journey House and All-in Milwaukee. Arts funding is another visible strand of the portfolio, with support for United Performing Arts Fund and Milwaukee Art Museum. The foundation’s recent record points to sustained relationships with many grantees over multiple years rather than isolated gifts, and to a mix of program support, general support, and annual grantmaking across Milwaukee and other U.S. cities.
Youth development and education are central to the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $101,750 to Sharp Literacy Inc for education, $100,295 to Vocel - Viewing Our Children As Emerging Leaders for education, and $100,000 to College Possible Chicago as a Paul Purcell Kids Win annual Baird education grant recipient. The same pattern appears in earlier grants to City Forward Collective and Build Inc, which both received support tied to youth or general community programming. The foundation also funds school choice and college-prep models. It awarded $100,000 to Big Shoulders Fund in 2024 and $100,000 to Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Twin Cities in the same year, both under education. In Milwaukee, its support includes St Augustine Preparatory Academy, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, and Nativity Jesuit Academy. Beyond education, the portfolio includes arts and civic infrastructure, such as $234,394 to United Performing Arts Fund and $160,115 to Milwaukee Art Museum.
$7M
$142.7M
$16.5M
$7.1M
Most grants fall between $205 and $2K, with a median of $500.
25th Percentile
$205
Median
$500
75th Percentile
$2K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Moderately concentrated: a handful of large multi-grant recipients (United Way of Greater Milwaukee, United Performing Arts Fund, UW Foundation) capture a sizable share of dollars, while many mid-sized (~$100k) repeat grants support education, youth development, and arts. Funding style emphasizes repeat, programmatic and operating support to core partners across several years rather than one-off exploratory gifts.
Notable grantees: United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, United Performing Arts Fund / Milwaukee cultural institutions, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee / Nativity Jesuit Academy / St. Augustine Preparatory Academy, City Year Milwaukee / BUILD Inc., University of Wisconsin Foundation
Typical grants are small relative to the foundation’s overall annual giving, with a p25 of $205, a median of $500, and a p75 of $1,500. At the same time, the recent grants list includes many six-figure awards, showing a split between broad smaller grants and a handful of larger anchor gifts. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, United Performing Arts Fund, and University of Wisconsin Foundation, which suggests recurring support rather than one-time awards. Baird Foundation Inc is a regular funder and also funds individuals. The recent grants data points to programmatic and general support patterns rather than a formal application process.
Grantmaking is national, but it is especially concentrated in Wisconsin and other large metro areas. Milwaukee appears repeatedly across the grants list, including awards to United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, United Performing Arts Fund, Milwaukee Art Museum, St Augustine Preparatory Academy, and Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee. Chicago is another major destination, with support for United Way of Metropolitan Chicago, Build Inc, Vocel, Big Shoulders Fund, and College Possible Chicago. Outside the Midwest, the foundation also gave to organizations in Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh. Recipients are located entirely in the United States.
The foundation most often supports K–12 education, out-of-school youth development, health and human services intermediaries, and arts organizations. Recent grants include St Augustine Preparatory Academy, Cristo Rey Jesuit High School Milwaukee, United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County, United Performing Arts Fund, and Milwaukee Art Museum.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and United Performing Arts Fund in those same three years. University of Wisconsin Foundation also appears repeatedly across the recent grants list.
The foundation’s typical grants are modest: p25 is $205, the median is $500, and p75 is $1,500. The recent grants list also includes larger awards above $100,000, so the distribution includes both small grants and a smaller number of anchor gifts.
Its grantmaking is national, but the top state by grant count is California. Wisconsin is also a major destination, with 18% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state.
Milwaukee and Chicago appear most often in the recent grants list, with additional recipients in Seattle, Denver, Minneapolis, and Pittsburgh. Every grant in the recipient-country distribution is in the United States.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER MILWAUKEE & WAUKESHA COUNTY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $561,411 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| UNITED PERFORMING ARTS FUND | MILWAUKEE, WI | $260,817 | 2026 | ARTS |
| CARMEN SCHOOLS OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $170,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNITED WAY OF METROPOLITAN CHICAGO | CHICAGO, IL | $120,374 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| MUSEUM OF AMERICAN FINANCE | NEW YORK, NY | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| SAINT JOHN CATHOLIC SCHOOL | NORTH CHARLESTON, SC | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CRISTO REY JESUIT SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL | SEATTLE, WA | $100,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $75,400 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $74,734 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF METRO MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $62,531 | 2026 | YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA | EVANSVILLE, IN | $55,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| SAINT THOMAS MORE HIGH SCHOOL | MILWAUKEE, WI | $53,201 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $51,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| PEARLS FOR TEEN GIRLS INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $50,910 | 2026 | YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS |
| HORIZONS FOR YOUTH | CHICAGO, IL | $50,118 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| SPARK-Y YOUTH ACTION LABS | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $50,060 | 2026 | YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS |
| EVOLVE502 | LOUISVILLE, KY | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CRISTO REY TAMPA HIGH SCHOOL | TAMPA, FL | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| BENDER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY | MOON TOWNSHIP, PA | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| HERZING UNIVERSITY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| THE UNIVERSITY OF ST THOMAS | ST PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES | NASHVILLE, TN | $50,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| JEREMIAH'S PLACE | PITTSBURGH, PA | $48,880 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| MILWAUKEE SCHOOL OF ENGINEERING | MILWAUKEE, WI | $46,795 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| GENERATIONS AHEAD | TRAVERSE CITY, MI | $45,544 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| MILWAUKEE DEVELOPMENT CORP | MILWAUKEE, WI | $42,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS EXPENSES |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT ROCKY MOUNTAIN | GREENWOOD VILLAGE, CO | $40,250 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $40,000 | 2026 | CHARITABLE OPERATIONS EXPENSES |
| METRO UNITED WAY | LOUISVILLE, KY | $38,058 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $38,030 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CRISTO REY COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL | COLUMBUS, OH | $36,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| CARMEN HIGH SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $36,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF THE GREATER TWIN CITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $32,335 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| ALL-IN MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $31,950 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| STAR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM INC | FORT WORTH, TX | $31,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| DR HOWARD FULLER COLLEGIATE ACADEMY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $31,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| FORWARD SCHOLARS | MILWAUKEE, WI | $30,750 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| UNITED WAY OF SOUTHWESTERN PENNSYLVANIA | PITTSBURGH, PA | $30,149 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| GREATER PITTSBURGH COMMUNITY FOOD BANK | DUQUESNE, PA | $28,764 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SIOUXLAND | SIOUX CITY, IA | $27,272 | 2026 | YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS |
| ST AUGUSTINE PREPARATORY ACADEMY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $26,750 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| YMCA OF SOUTHWESTERN INDIANA | EVANSVILLE, IN | $26,500 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART & DESIGN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,500 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,300 | 2026 | ARTS |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA - MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| WORKING IN THE SCHOOLS | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA - CHICAGO-NW INDIANA | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| LINCOLN FOUNDATION | LOUISVILLE, KY | $25,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION |
| SIFMA FOUNDATION | NEW YORK, NY | $24,977 | 2026 | PROFESSIONAL |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $24,224 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
EDUCATION
SAINT JOHN CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$100,000EDUCATION
CRISTO REY JESUIT SEATTLE HIGH SCHOOL
$100,000EDUCATION
SAINT THOMAS MORE HIGH SCHOOL
$53,201EDUCATION
CATHOLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$51,500EDUCATION
SPARK-Y YOUTH ACTION LABS
$50,060YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS
CRISTO REY TAMPA HIGH SCHOOL
$50,000EDUCATION
BENDER LEADERSHIP ACADEMY
$50,000EDUCATION
HERZING UNIVERSITY
$50,000EDUCATION
GENERATIONS AHEAD
$45,544HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
MILWAUKEE DEVELOPMENT CORP
$42,000CHARITABLE OPERATIONS EXPENSES
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT ROCKY MOUNTAIN
$40,250EDUCATION
THE CHICAGO COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$40,000CHARITABLE OPERATIONS EXPENSES
CRISTO REY JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL MILWAUKEE
$38,030EDUCATION
CRISTO REY COLUMBUS HIGH SCHOOL
$36,000EDUCATION
CARMEN HIGH SCHOOL DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION
$36,000EDUCATION
STAR SPONSORSHIP PROGRAM INC
$31,500EDUCATION
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SIOUXLAND
$27,272YOUTH ORGANIZATIONS
TEACH FOR AMERICA - MILWAUKEE
$25,000EDUCATION
TEACH FOR AMERICA - CHICAGO-NW INDIANA
$25,000EDUCATION
LINCOLN FOUNDATION
$25,000EDUCATION
SIFMA FOUNDATION
$24,977PROFESSIONAL