The Bierman Family Foundation focuses on large, place-based capital and operating investments in Merrill and surrounding communities in Lincoln County, WI. Its grants primarily fund municipal infrastructure and community amenities (parks, fairgrounds, cemetery roadwork), emergency medical services, and local higher-education scholarships. The foundation favors direct grants to local governments and community institutions rather than national nonprofits, signaling a strong local civic and quality-of-life orientation.
A defining feature of Bierman Family Foundation Inc is its repeated support for community institutions in Merrill and nearby Lincoln County, WI, especially projects tied to public safety, shelter, and local infrastructure. One of the largest recent grants went to the City of Tomahawk for city park project support, while other major awards have backed county fairgrounds updates, ambulance and EMS support, and scholarships through Northcentral Technical College Foundation. The pattern is place-based and practical: grants are directed to municipal governments, county agencies, local nonprofits, and educational institutions that serve residents in a relatively small geographic area. Recent awards also show attention to emergency needs and civic services, with support for homeless shelters, domestic violence services, a public cemetery roadwork project, and fire and police departments. The foundation’s giving reflects a strong orientation toward capital projects and operating support for community services that affect daily life in Merrill, Tomahawk, and surrounding towns.
The foundation’s largest recent civic investment supported the City of Tomahawk with $1,500,000 for city park project support, pointing to a clear interest in public recreational infrastructure. County fairgrounds are another recurring theme: the City of Merrill received $650,000 in 2025 for county fairgrounds updates, following earlier awards of $277,230 in 2023 and $210,000 in 2024 for the same purpose. Public safety and emergency response also appear prominently, including $533,350 to Lincoln County Wi for ambulance and EMS support in 2025 and $421,000 for the same purpose in 2024. On the human-services side, the foundation gave $125,000 to Three Rivers United Temporary Housing Inc for provide shelter to the homeless and $100,000 to Haven Inc for general support to stop domestic violence.
Typical grants are substantial: the 25th percentile is $66,750, the median is $100,000, and the 75th percentile is $190,807. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients over multiple years, including Lincoln County Wi, City of Merrill, Northcentral Technical College Foundation, Three Rivers Temporary Housing, Merrill Community Homeless Center Inc, and Haven Inc. That pattern suggests a mix of renewed support and ongoing local relationships rather than one-off awards. The foundation appears to operate as a family foundation making direct grants, with a local scope and no program-related investments reported. It also funds individuals, including scholarship support through a local college foundation.
$2.5M
$31.6M
$2.6M
$2.9M
Most grants fall between $67K and $191K, with a median of $100K.
25th Percentile
$67K
Median
$100K
75th Percentile
$191K
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Concentrated, high-dollar grants to a small number of local recipients; repeated funding to the same municipal and county entities; primarily one-time capital or operational support rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: City of Tomahawk, City of Merrill, Lincoln County, WI, Northcentral Technical College Foundation, Merrill Memorial Park Inc
Grantmaking is entirely in Wisconsin, with 100% of grants to recipients in the HQ state. The strongest concentration is in Merrill, where recipients include City of Merrill, Lincoln County Wi, Town of Corning, Merrill Community Homeless Center Inc, Haven Inc, Merrill Fire Department, Merrill Police Department, and Merrill Area Public Schools. Tomahawk is another visible recipient location, with support to City of Tomahawk and Three Rivers United Temporary Housing Inc. Wausau appears through Northcentral Technical College Foundation. The pattern is local and tightly clustered around Merrill and nearby Lincoln County communities.
The foundation backs municipal governments, county agencies, local nonprofits, and educational institutions. Recent grants include support for city parks, county fairgrounds, ambulance and EMS services, homeless shelter provision, domestic violence services, cemetery roadwork, police and fire departments, and scholarship support through Northcentral Technical College Foundation.
Typical grants are sizable: the 25th percentile is $66,750, the median is $100,000, and the 75th percentile is $190,807. Recent awards also include several six-figure grants, such as $650,000 to the City of Merrill and $533,350 to Lincoln County Wi.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to several organizations across multiple years, including Lincoln County Wi, City of Merrill, Northcentral Technical College Foundation, Three Rivers Temporary Housing, Merrill Community Homeless Center Inc, and Haven Inc.
Its grantmaking is local and concentrated in Wisconsin. Recipients are listed in Merrill, Tomahawk, Wausau, and nearby Lincoln County communities, and 100% of the grants in the recent data go to recipients in Wisconsin.
The recent grants point to park and recreational facility capital projects, county fairgrounds upgrades, ambulance and EMS support, homeless shelter provision, domestic violence prevention, public cemetery roadwork, and scholarship support. Those themes appear repeatedly across the grant list and include both capital and operating support.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY OF MERRILL | MERRILL, WI | $650,000 | 2025 | COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS UPDATES |
| LINCOLN COUNTY WI | MERRILL, WI | $533,350 | 2025 | AMBULANCE AND EMS SUPPORT |
| NORTHCENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION | WAUSAU, WI | $480,000 | 2025 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT |
| TOWN OF CORNING | MERRILL, WI | $400,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THREE RIVERS UNITED TEMPORARY HOUSING INC | TOMAHAWK, WI | $125,000 | 2025 | PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS |
| MERRILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC | MERRILL, WI | $123,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HAVEN INC | MERRILL, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE |
| MERRILL COMMUNITY HOMELESS CENTER INC | MERRILL, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF ASSIST THE HOMELESS |
| MERRILL AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | MERRILL, WI | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY OF TOMAHAWK | TOMAHAWK, WI | $1,500,000 | 2024 | CITY PARK PROJECT SUPPORT |
| LINCOLN COUNTY WI | MERRILL, WI | $421,000 | 2024 | AMBULANCE AND EMS SUPPORT |
| CITY OF MERRILL | MERRILL, WI | $210,000 | 2024 | COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS UPDATES |
| THREE RIVERS TEMPORARY HOUSING | TOMAHAWK, WI | $120,000 | 2024 | PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS |
| MERRILL COMMUNITY HOMELESS CENTER INC | MERRILL, WI | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF ASSIST THE HOMELESS |
| HAVEN INC | MERRILL, WI | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE |
| MERRILL FIRE DEPARTMENT | MERRILL, WI | $90,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LINCOLN COUNTY FORESTRY DEPARTMENT | MERRILL, WI | $64,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MERRILL POLICE DEPARTMENT | MERRILL, WI | $40,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NORTHCENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION | WAUSAU, WI | $30,000 | 2024 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT |
| MERRILL AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS | MERRILL, WI | $6,600 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY OF MERRILL | MERRILL, WI | $277,230 | 2023 | COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS UPDATES |
| MERRILL MEMORIAL PARK INC | MERRILL, WI | $250,000 | 2023 | PUBLIC CEMETERY ROADWORK |
| BELL TOWER RESIDENCE INC | MERRILL, WI | $133,227 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT TO ASSIST THE ELDERLY AND INFIRM |
| THREE RIVERS TEMPORARY HOUSING | TOMAHAWK, WI | $100,000 | 2023 | PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS |
| HAVEN INC | MERRILL, WI | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE |
| MERRILL COMMUNITY HOMELESS CENTER INC | MERRILL, WI | $75,000 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT OF ASSIST THE HOMELESS |
| NORTHCENTRAL TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION | WAUSAU, WI | $30,000 | 2023 | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT |
CITY OF MERRILL
$650,000COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS UPDATES
LINCOLN COUNTY WI
$533,350AMBULANCE AND EMS SUPPORT
TOWN OF CORNING
$400,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THREE RIVERS UNITED TEMPORARY HOUSING INC
$125,000PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS
MERRILL HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC
$123,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HAVEN INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
MERRILL COMMUNITY HOMELESS CENTER INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF ASSIST THE HOMELESS
MERRILL AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY OF TOMAHAWK
$1,500,000CITY PARK PROJECT SUPPORT
LINCOLN COUNTY WI
$421,000AMBULANCE AND EMS SUPPORT
CITY OF MERRILL
$210,000COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS UPDATES
THREE RIVERS TEMPORARY HOUSING
$120,000PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS
MERRILL COMMUNITY HOMELESS CENTER INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF ASSIST THE HOMELESS
HAVEN INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
MERRILL FIRE DEPARTMENT
$90,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LINCOLN COUNTY FORESTRY DEPARTMENT
$64,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MERRILL POLICE DEPARTMENT
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MERRILL AREA PUBLIC SCHOOLS
$6,600GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY OF MERRILL
$277,230COUNTY FAIRGROUNDS UPDATES
MERRILL MEMORIAL PARK INC
$250,000PUBLIC CEMETERY ROADWORK
BELL TOWER RESIDENCE INC
$133,227GENERAL SUPPORT TO ASSIST THE ELDERLY AND INFIRM
THREE RIVERS TEMPORARY HOUSING
$100,000PROVIDE SHELTER TO THE HOMELESS
HAVEN INC
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT TO STOP DOMESTIC VIOLENCE
MERRILL COMMUNITY HOMELESS CENTER INC
$75,000GENERAL SUPPORT OF ASSIST THE HOMELESS