The Brand Family Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Madison/Wisconsin with a strong emphasis on supporting the University of Wisconsin through large capital and program gifts (athletics facilities, museum support, cancer center, and other campus capital reserves). Its remaining funding supports local community services, suggesting an interest in workforce or social services within the region. The foundation gives few but sizable grants, often repeat gifts to the same institutional partner.
Brand Family Foundation’s largest recent grant combines several University of Wisconsin priorities in a single award: football indoor practice facilities, the Kohl Center expansion fund, capital projects reserves, the UW Carbone Cancer Center greatest need fund, and the Chazen Museum of Art excellence fund. That pattern points to a funder that uses major gifts to support campus infrastructure, athletics, medical research, and cultural programming at once. Across the recent grants list, the foundation repeatedly backs the University of Wisconsin Foundation, with awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025 that range from program support to capital-related funds. It also directs funding to Madison organizations tied to community life, including the Madison Children’s Museum, Centro Hispano of Dane County, Community Work Services, and Attic Angel Association. The mix suggests a regional grantmaker that favors established institutional partners and long-running relationships. Its giving also reaches beyond one campus-centric theme. Recent awards include support for men and women’s basketball through Varsity Collective Charitable Fund Inc, a historic chapter house preservation grant in DeKalb, and smaller gifts to community-serving groups in Madison and Miami. The overall profile is one of selective, repeat institutional grantmaking with a clear concentration in Wisconsin and a few targeted grants outside the state.
Education, athletics, arts, health, and local service organizations all appear in the foundation’s recent grants. In higher education, Brand Family Foundation gave $857,000 in 2023 and $645,000 in 2024 to the University of Wisconsin Foundation for program support, alongside a 2025 award that included capital projects and campus-specific funds. The foundation also supports community organizations in Madison. It gave $250,000 to Community Work Services for program support, $100,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2025 to Madison Children’s Museum for program support, and $100,000 to Centro Hispano of Dane County for program support in 2025. On the arts and athletics side, the grants list includes $5,000 to Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra in 2024 and $110,000 to Varsity Collective Charitable Fund Inc in 2025 for men and women’s basketball. The foundation also made a $5,000 grant in 2025 to Phi Gamma Dela Landmark Preservation Assocation for maintenance and preservation of a historic chapter house.
$1.5M
$5.9M
$3.7M
$1.5M
Most grants fall between $5K and $100K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Highly concentrated, large-dollar grants split across very few recipients — multiple repeat grants to the University of Wisconsin Foundation dominate, with occasional sizable support to a local community services organization.
Notable grantees: University of Wisconsin Foundation, Chazen Museum of Art (via UW Foundation support), Carbone Cancer Center (UW-affiliated), Community Work Services
Brand Family Foundation’s grant sizes cluster around a modest number of larger awards and many smaller gifts: the typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent record shows repeat support for the same organizations across multiple years, especially the University of Wisconsin Foundation and Attic Angel Association. The foundation is a private family foundation, not a funder of individuals, and it does not make program-related investments. Its recent awards are mostly program support, with some named capital and preservation funds mixed in. That combination points to a relationship-based grantmaker that uses both unrestricted-style support and designated project gifts.
Brand Family Foundation gives most often in Illinois, but most of its recent grants land in Wisconsin, with 62% of grants in the HQ state. Madison is the main recipient city in the list, appearing across university, museum, workforce, children’s, and cultural grantees. Outside Wisconsin, the grants reach Miami, Coconut Grove, and DeKalb in Illinois. All recent grants in the provided list go to U.S. recipients, with no non-U.S. countries appearing in the distribution.
The recent grants list centers on the University of Wisconsin Foundation and Madison-based community institutions. Funding goes to campus capital and program support, children’s and cultural organizations, workforce services, athletics-related entities, and a historic preservation grant in DeKalb, Illinois.
The typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent awards range from $1,000 to $1,257,000.
Yes. The University of Wisconsin Foundation appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Attic Angel Association appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships with selected organizations rather than one-time awards.
Illinois is the top state by grant count, while Wisconsin receives 62% of the grants in the recent record. Madison is the most common recipient city in the list, with additional grants in Miami, Coconut Grove, and DeKalb.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $1,027,000 | 2026 | FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY FUND, CAPITAL PROJECTS RESERVE FUND, CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART EXCELLENCE FUND, PAUL SHAIN GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN BUSINESS, ODYSSEY PROJECT FUND, ANDY NORTH AND FRIENDS CANCER FUND, SPECIAL EVENT ENTERTAINMENT FUND |
| VARSITY COLLECTIVE CHARITABLE FUND INC | MADISON, WI | $350,000 | 2026 | MEN AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL |
| FIRST TEE SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN | MADISON, WI | $55,000 | 2026 | GENERAL DONATION2025 FIRST TEE CUP |
| MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | MADISON, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BALANCE AND BELIEVE FOUNDATION INC | MADISON, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | UW CARBONE CANCER CENTER |
| UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE INC | MIAMI, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY PROGRAMSCOCONUT GROVE CARES INC |
| COCONUT GROVE CARES INC | MIAMI, FL | $2,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AGRACE FOUNDATION INC | MADISON, WI | $1,000 | 2026 | MEMORIALS |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $1,257,000 | 2025 | FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY FUND, KOHL CENTER EXPANSION FUND, CAPITAL PROJECTS RESERVE FUND, UW CARBONE CANCER CENTER GREATEST NEED FUND, CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART EXCELLENCE FUND |
| VARSITY COLLECTIVE CHARITABLE FUND INC | MADISON, WI | $110,000 | 2025 | MEN AND WOMEN'S BASKETBALL |
| CENTRO HISPANO OF DANE COUNTY | MADISON, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | MADISON, WI | $50,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ATTIC ANGEL ASSOCIATION | MADISON, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BALANCE AND BELIEVE FOUNDATION INC | MADISON, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE INC | MIAMI, FL | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PHI GAMMA DELA LANDMARK PRESERVATION ASSOCATION | DEKALB, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | MAINTENANCE AND PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC CHAPTER HOUSE |
| COCONUT GROVE CARES INC | MIAMI, FL | $2,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $645,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COMMUNITY WORK SERVICES | MADISON, WI | $250,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE VARSITY COLLECTIVE | MADISON, WI | $100,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| MADISON CHILDREN'S MUSEUM | MADISON, WI | $100,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ATTIC ANGEL ASSOCIATION | MADISON, WI | $20,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE INC | MIAMI, FL | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BATTIER TAKE CHARGE FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| WISCONSIN CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | MADISON, WI | $5,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COCONUT GROVE CARES | MIAMI, FL | $2,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $857,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ATTIC ANGEL ASSOCIATION | MADISON, WI | $20,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE KAMPONG | COCONUT GROVE, FL | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE INC | MIAMI, FL | $10,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BATTIER TAKE CHARGE FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $5,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF DANE COUNTY | MADISON, WI | $1,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION
$1,027,000FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY FUND, CAPITAL PROJECTS RESERVE FUND, CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART EXCELLENCE FUND, PAUL SHAIN GRADUATE SCHOLARSHIP FUND IN BUSINESS, ODYSSEY PROJECT FUND, ANDY NORTH AND FRIENDS CANCER FUND, SPECIAL EVENT ENTERTAINMENT FUND
FIRST TEE SOUTH CENTRAL WISCONSIN
$55,000GENERAL DONATION2025 FIRST TEE CUP
BALANCE AND BELIEVE FOUNDATION INC
$10,000UW CARBONE CANCER CENTER
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE INC
$10,000COMMUNITY PROGRAMSCOCONUT GROVE CARES INC
AGRACE FOUNDATION INC
$1,000MEMORIALS
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION
$1,257,000FOOTBALL INDOOR PRACTICE FACILITY FUND, KOHL CENTER EXPANSION FUND, CAPITAL PROJECTS RESERVE FUND, UW CARBONE CANCER CENTER GREATEST NEED FUND, CHAZEN MUSEUM OF ART EXCELLENCE FUND
CENTRO HISPANO OF DANE COUNTY
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ATTIC ANGEL ASSOCIATION
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BALANCE AND BELIEVE FOUNDATION INC
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
UNITED WAY OF MIAMI-DADE INC
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
PHI GAMMA DELA LANDMARK PRESERVATION ASSOCATION
$5,000MAINTENANCE AND PRESERVATION OF HISTORIC CHAPTER HOUSE
THE VARSITY COLLECTIVE
$100,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ATTIC ANGEL ASSOCIATION
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
ATTIC ANGEL ASSOCIATION
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE KAMPONG
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF DANE COUNTY
$1,000PROGRAM SUPPORT