The Bell Family Charitable Foundation I focuses its giving on local community enhancement in central Wisconsin, with a strong emphasis on arts/cultural capital projects and youth-serving organizations. Grants skew toward major one-time capital investments (building projects and campaign support) alongside operational support for youth programs and contributions to a community foundation account. The foundation repeatedly backs the same local institutions, indicating a preference for deepening impact in a small set of community anchors.
Bell Family Charitable Foundation I’s recent giving shows a clear preference for large, one-time local investments that change physical spaces and strengthen recurring community anchors. The largest grants in the record include $50,000 for the Performing Arts Foundation’s Giving to the Grand campaign in Wausau and $50,000 for the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin in Wisconsin Rapids for operations and supplies, alongside repeated capital support for Children’s Imaginarium and McMillan Memorial Library. The foundation’s work is rooted in central Wisconsin, but the pattern is broader than a single project type. It backs arts and cultural facilities, youth-serving organizations, school-transition roles, and scholarship support, often pairing capital grants with operating help. Several organizations appear more than once, including Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools, Opportunity Development Centers Inc, South Wood County YMCA, and the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. Its recent portfolio also includes community-infrastructure support through a local community foundation account and building projects for regional institutions. The overall shape is concentrated, practical, and locally oriented, with grants that often support either construction or day-to-day service delivery in a small set of places.
Arts and cultural capital projects are a major part of Bell Family Charitable Foundation I’s giving. In 2025, the foundation gave $50,000 to the Performing Arts Foundation for the Giving to the Grand campaign, and it also funded the Children’s Imaginarium’s building project in Wausau in both 2023 and 2024. Youth development is another recurring area. The Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin received $50,000 for operations and supplies in 2025 and $25,000 for annual campaign matching dollars in 2024. South Wood County YMCA also received operating support in 2023 and 2024, while Wausau Public Schools was funded for Red Granite Charter School in 2025. Education and student support appear through scholarship grants. The foundation awarded $25,000 to Whitworth University for a graduate scholarship in 2024, plus grants to the University of Wisconsin System and Mid-state Technical College Foundation for scholarships. It also backed Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools for transition coordinator roles across multiple years.
$557K
$5.6M
$161K
$615K
Most grants fall between $2K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
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.
Concentrated, relatively few large grants focused on capital/campaign support and core community institutions; includes repeat funding to the same grantee(s) and a mix of capital and operating support routed locally.
Notable grantees: Childrens Imaginarium Inc, McMillan Memorial Library, Performing Arts Foundation, Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin, Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin
Bell Family Charitable Foundation I’s recent grants cluster around a typical check size of $5,000, with a lower quartile of $1,500 and an upper quartile of $10,000. Larger awards do appear, including repeated $50,000 grants and several $25,000 commitments, but the distribution shows many smaller project and operating gifts alongside those bigger items. The pattern also suggests relationship-based giving. Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools appears in three separate years, Opportunity Development Centers Inc in multiple years, and both South Wood County YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin received repeated support. The foundation funds individuals as well as organizations, and it does not make program-related investments. The recent record shows restricted-purpose grants, operating support, scholarship support, and capital gifts.
Giving is highly concentrated in Wisconsin: 90% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top giving state is also WI. The main recipient cities are Wisconsin Rapids and Wausau, with additional grants in Madison and Manitowish Waters. Outside Wisconsin, the recent record includes Spokane, Washington through Whitworth University. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based.
The recent record centers on capital projects and facility improvements, especially for arts and community institutions, plus operating support for youth-serving nonprofits and schools. Examples include a building project for Children’s Imaginarium, the Giving to the Grand campaign for the Performing Arts Foundation, and operations support for the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin.
Yes. Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools appears in three grant years, Opportunity Development Centers Inc appears in multiple years, and both South Wood County YMCA and the Boys & Girls Club of the Wisconsin received more than one award. That points to repeated support for a relatively small set of local organizations.
The typical grant size is $5,000, with a 25th percentile of $1,500 and a 75th percentile of $10,000. The recent record still includes larger awards, such as multiple $25,000 grants and several $50,000 grants for capital and operating needs.
It gives most often in Wisconsin. The data shows 90% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state, and the main recipient cities include Wisconsin Rapids, Wausau, Madison, and Manitowish Waters.
Yes. Recent scholarship support includes grants to Whitworth University for a graduate scholarship, the University of Wisconsin System for scholarships, and Mid-state Technical College Foundation for scholarships.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MARSHFIELD CLINIC HEALTH SYSTEM FOU | MARSHFIELD, WI | $200,000 | 2026 | NICU PROJECT |
| SOUTH WOOD COUNTY YMCA | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $75,000 | 2026 | PORT EDWARDS FACILITY REMODEL |
| PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION INC | WAUSAU, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | GRAND THEATER 2ND CENTURY |
| OPPORTUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTERS INC | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $25,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC OPS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE WISCONSIN | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATIONS / SUPPLIES |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE WISCONSIN | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $25,000 | 2026 | SUMMER PROGRAMMING |
| GOOD NEWS PROJECT INC | WAUSAU, WI | $20,000 | 2026 | LOADING DOCK PROJECT |
| WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $17,500 | 2026 | RCHS TRANSITION COORDINATOR |
| WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY | SPOKANE, WA | $10,000 | 2026 | GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP |
| FARMING FOR THE FUTURE FOUNDATION I | PLOVER, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION FIELD TRIP PARTNERSHIP |
| WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $9,627 | 2026 | SPECIAL PROJECTS |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM | MADISON, WI | $7,500 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| MID-STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDAT | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $5,750 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CITY OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $5,574 | 2026 | MEAD PARK PICKLEBALL WIND SCREEN |
| FEEDING OUR COMMUNITIES WITH UNITED | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | FOOD INSECURITY |
| WISCONSIN DENTAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDA | WEST ALLIS, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | MISSION FOR MERCY SCHOOL EVENT |
| CHILDRENS IMAGINARIUM INC | WAUSAU, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | SUPPORT SCHOOL PROGRAMMING |
| WOMEN'S COMMUNITY INC OF WAUSAU | WAUSAU, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | FUNDRAISER SPONSORSHIP |
| MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| THE NEIGHBORS' PLACE | WAUSAU, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | FOOD INSECURITY |
| WOODSON YMCA INC | WAUSAU, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | LANDING'S ANNUAL GALA SPONSOR |
| MANITOWISH WATERS BIKE TRAIL INC | MANITOWISH WATERS, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | BIKE TRAIL MAINTENANCE |
| JEREMIAHS CROSSING INC | BABCOCK, WI | $4,500 | 2026 | WELL AND WATER PUMP |
| LEIGH YAWKEY WOODSON ART MUSEUM | WAUSAU, WI | $3,000 | 2026 | ART PARK & ACTIVITY GUIDE |
| HANNAH CENTER INC | MARSHFIELD, WI | $3,000 | 2026 | PACKERS TAILGATE TOUR SPONSOR |
| LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $2,500 | 2026 | POLE VAULT LANDING SYSTEM |
| WINMAN TRAILS INC | MANITOWISH WATERS, WI | $2,500 | 2026 | OPERATIONS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN | ANN ARBOR, MI | $2,500 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| HOLA INC | WAUSAU, WI | $2,156 | 2026 | CPR PROJECT MED COLLEGE OF WI |
| ASSUMPTION HIGH SCHOOL | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $2,000 | 2026 | UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS |
| CARROLL UNIVERSITY | BROOKFIELD, WI | $2,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERITY OF DUBUQUE | DUBUQUE, IA | $2,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $2,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| UNIVERSITY OF UTAH | SALT LAKE CITY, UT | $1,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| WAUSAU EAST HIGH SCHOOL | WAUSAU, WI | $1,000 | 2026 | BASKETBALL PROGRAM |
| CW SOCCER INC | WAUSAU, WI | $750 | 2026 | SPONSORSHIP |
| IMPACT100 GREATER WAUSAU | WAUSAU, WI | $500 | 2026 | AWARDS CELEBRATION SPONSOR |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE WISCONSIN | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $50,000 | 2025 | OPERATIONS / SUPPLIES |
| PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION | WAUSAU, WI | $50,000 | 2025 | GIVING TO THE GRAND CAMPAIGN |
| OPPORTUNITY DEVELOPMENT CENTERS INC | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | SUPPORT MENTAL HEALTH CLINIC OPS |
| WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $17,500 | 2025 | RCHS TRANSITION COORDINATOR |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM | MADISON, WI | $17,500 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY | SPOKANE, WA | $15,000 | 2025 | GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP |
| MONK BOTANICAL GARDENS | WAUSAU, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | SPROUTS PRESCHOOL PROGRAM |
| NORTH LAKELAND DISCOVERY CENTER | MANITOWISH WATERS, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | BUILDING PROJECT |
| WAUSAU PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WAUSAU, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | RED GRANITE CHARTER SCHOOL |
| WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $8,201 | 2025 | RIVER CITIES HIGH SCHOOL |
| MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP |
| FEEDING OUR COMMUNITIES WITH UNITED | WISCONSIN RAPIDS, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | COMMUNITY FOOD SERVICES |
| WOMEN'S COMMUNITY INC OF WAUSAU | WAUSAU, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | FUNDRAISER SPONSORSHIP |
SOUTH WOOD COUNTY YMCA
$75,000PORT EDWARDS FACILITY REMODEL
PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION INC
$50,000GRAND THEATER 2ND CENTURY
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE WISCONSIN
$25,000OPERATIONS / SUPPLIES
SUMMER PROGRAMMING
GOOD NEWS PROJECT INC
$20,000LOADING DOCK PROJECT
WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$17,500RCHS TRANSITION COORDINATOR
WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY
$10,000GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
FARMING FOR THE FUTURE FOUNDATION I
$10,000EDUCATION FIELD TRIP PARTNERSHIP
WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$9,627SPECIAL PROJECTS
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
$7,500SCHOLARSHIPS
MID-STATE TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDAT
$5,750SCHOLARSHIPS
CITY OF WISCONSIN RAPIDS
$5,574MEAD PARK PICKLEBALL WIND SCREEN
FEEDING OUR COMMUNITIES WITH UNITED
$5,000FOOD INSECURITY
WISCONSIN DENTAL ASSOCIATION FOUNDA
$5,000MISSION FOR MERCY SCHOOL EVENT
THE NEIGHBORS' PLACE
$5,000FOOD INSECURITY
WOODSON YMCA INC
$5,000LANDING'S ANNUAL GALA SPONSOR
MANITOWISH WATERS BIKE TRAIL INC
$5,000BIKE TRAIL MAINTENANCE
JEREMIAHS CROSSING INC
$4,500WELL AND WATER PUMP
LEIGH YAWKEY WOODSON ART MUSEUM
$3,000ART PARK & ACTIVITY GUIDE
HANNAH CENTER INC
$3,000PACKERS TAILGATE TOUR SPONSOR
LINCOLN HIGH SCHOOL
$2,500POLE VAULT LANDING SYSTEM
WINMAN TRAILS INC
$2,500OPERATIONS
UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN
$2,500SCHOLARSHIP
HOLA INC
$2,156CPR PROJECT MED COLLEGE OF WI
ASSUMPTION HIGH SCHOOL
$2,000UNDERGRADUATE SCHOLARSHIPS
CARROLL UNIVERSITY
$2,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERITY OF DUBUQUE
$2,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA TWIN CITIES
$2,000SCHOLARSHIPS
UNIVERSITY OF UTAH
$1,000SCHOLARSHIP
WAUSAU EAST HIGH SCHOOL
$1,000BASKETBALL PROGRAM
CW SOCCER INC
$750SPONSORSHIP
IMPACT100 GREATER WAUSAU
$500AWARDS CELEBRATION SPONSOR
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF THE WISCONSIN
$50,000OPERATIONS / SUPPLIES
PERFORMING ARTS FOUNDATION
$50,000GIVING TO THE GRAND CAMPAIGN
WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$17,500RCHS TRANSITION COORDINATOR
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN SYSTEM
$17,500SCHOLARSHIPS
WHITWORTH UNIVERSITY
$15,000GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP
MONK BOTANICAL GARDENS
$10,000SPROUTS PRESCHOOL PROGRAM
WAUSAU PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$10,000RED GRANITE CHARTER SCHOOL
WISCONSIN RAPIDS PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$8,201RIVER CITIES HIGH SCHOOL
FEEDING OUR COMMUNITIES WITH UNITED
$5,000COMMUNITY FOOD SERVICES