The Cleary-Kumm Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in the La Crosse/Onalaska region, funding capital and facility projects that strengthen basic community infrastructure. Over the recent period it prioritized recreational access, youth services, food security, historic/cultural institutions, and shelter. Grants are sizable and targeted, aimed at tangible projects with visible community impact rather than many small operating awards.
Cleary-kumm Foundation Inc has used its recent grantmaking to back capital and facility projects that change what local institutions can physically do for the La Crosse area. A $150,000 award to Outdoor Recreation Alliance for Trails on HWY 33 is a good example of that pattern: the foundation is willing to fund infrastructure that expands access, not just day-to-day operations. The same approach shows up in its support for the Onalaska Boys Girls Club, where a $150,000 grant went to youth facilities, and in major shelter and food-system investments such as the Salvation Army’s new building and WAFER Food Pantry renovation. The foundation also supports community anchors in culture and history, including the Wisconsin History Center, along with health-related and educational institutions across Wisconsin. Its giving is tightly tied to the La Crosse/Onalaska region, but the portfolio is not limited to one cause area. It has also backed universities, the Red Cross, Mayo Clinic, and local environmental projects, suggesting a funder that combines civic infrastructure, human services, and place-based community amenities.
Youth-serving facilities are a clear priority. In 2024, the foundation gave $150,000 to Other Contributions for the Onalaska Boys Girls Club, and in 2025 it gave another $50,000 to Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse for a donation. Food security is another recurring theme: a 2023 grant of $100,000 went to Wafer Food Pantry for renovation of the WAFER Food Pantry. Housing stability appears in grants to The Salvation Army, including $100,000 in 2025 for Shelter Plus - New Building in La Crosse and $50,000 in 2024 for a donation. The foundation also supports cultural and historical work, including $100,000 to Wisconsin Historical Foundation for the Wisconsin History Center in 2024 and $50,000 in 2023 for the Old World Brewery Experience pledge.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized rather than large institutional awards: the p25 is $500, the median is $1,000, and the p75 is $5,000. At the same time, the foundation makes selective larger gifts, including six-figure and $50,000 awards, indicating a blended pattern of many smaller grants with a few capital-oriented commitments. The recent record shows repeat support for several recipients across multiple years, including The Salvation Army, Mayo Clinic, American Red Cross, Wisconsin Historical Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Great Rivers United Way Inc, and Boys & Girls Club organizations. It also funds individuals, and its grantmaking is local in scope. The foundation appears to favor targeted project support, annual gifts, and challenge-style commitments rather than a single narrow grant type.
$829K
$8.6M
$1.6M
$951K
Most grants fall between $500 and $5K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$500
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$5K
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Concentrated, large one-off grants to a small set of local organizations focused on capital projects and facility improvements rather than broad programmatic support; funding is geographically focused and impact-oriented.
Notable grantees: Outdoor Recreation Alliance, Onalaska Boys & Girls Club (Other Contributions), Wisconsin Historical Foundation, WAFER Food Pantry, The Salvation Army
Grant recipients are overwhelmingly in Wisconsin, with 85% of grants going to recipients in the HQ state. Within the recent grant list, La Crosse appears often, including awards to Outdoor Recreation Alliance, Wafer Food Pantry, The Salvation Army, and the Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse. Onalaska also shows up as a recipient location through the Boys Girls Club and Great Rivers United Way Inc. Outside Wisconsin, Rochester, Minnesota appears in grants to Mayo Clinic, and the recipient country distribution is entirely US-based.
Recent grants center on youth facilities, food security, housing stability, trails and outdoor recreation, and cultural institutions. Examples include support for the Onalaska Boys Girls Club, Wafer Food Pantry, The Salvation Army, Outdoor Recreation Alliance, and Wisconsin Historical Foundation.
The grant-size distribution is p25 $500, median $1,000, and p75 $5,000. The foundation also makes occasional much larger gifts, including awards of $100,000 and $150,000 in the recent record.
Yes. The recent grants show repeat support across multiple years for The Salvation Army, Mayo Clinic, American Red Cross, Wisconsin Historical Foundation, The Nature Conservancy, Great Rivers United Way Inc, and Boys & Girls Club organizations.
Its giving is local, and 85% of grants go to recipients in Wisconsin. La Crosse and Onalaska appear frequently among recipient cities, alongside a smaller number of grants to other Wisconsin locations and one nearby out-of-state recipient city, Rochester, Minnesota.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Outdoor Recreation Alliance | La Crosse, WI | $150,000 | 2025 | Trails on HWY 33 |
| The Salvation Army | La Crosse, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | Shelter Plus - New Building in La Crosse |
| American Red Cross | Madison, WI | $60,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | La Crosse Mayo Donation |
| Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse | La Crosse, WI | $50,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| Great Rivers United Way Inc | Onalaska, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | Annual Gift - Kristine Cleary Peter Coffey |
| Rotary District 6250 Foundation | Milton, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | Ho-Chunk Garden |
| The Nature Conservancy | Madison, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | TNC Columbia |
| Great Rivers United Way Inc | Onalaska, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | Annual Gift |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $20,000 | 2025 | 2024 Annual Fund |
| School District of La Crosse | La Crosse, WI | $18,985 | 2025 | Northside Greenhouse |
| St Monica School | Whitefish Bay, WI | $15,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| University of Wis Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 2025 | Great World Texts Keynote Speaker |
| Marquette Law Women Scholarship | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 2025 | Marquette Law Womens Scholarship |
| Drift Share Inc | La Crosse, WI | $11,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| Family & Childrens Center | La Crosse, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Bridge Builder Giving Societies |
| La Crosse Community Foundation | La Crosse, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Northside Senior Center |
| WIAA | Stevens Point, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | 3rd Year of 5Yr Pledge |
| Boy Scouts of America (Gateway) | La Crosse, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Expenses |
| UW-M Forward | Milwaukee, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | School of Business Fund - William Coffey, Kate Heise Russell Heise |
| WAFER-Food for People in Need | La Crosse, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Donation for Operations |
| Mississippi Valley Conservancy | La Crosse, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Access Easement to Cliffwood Bluff |
| Children's Museum of La Crosse | La Crosse, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Operating Expense |
| Gundersen Medical Foundation | La Crosse, WI | $7,000 | 2025 | Steppin Out in Pink-Platinum Sponsorship |
| First Presbyterian Church | La Crosse, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Operating Budget |
| First Presbyterian Church | La Crosse, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Operating Budget |
| Brice Prairie Conservation Asso | Onalaska, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Lake Onalaska Dredging |
| City of Onalaska | Onalaska, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Community Center Gymnasium |
| Utd Community CtrBGuadalupe | Milwaukee, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Donation - Kristine Cleary |
| UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation | La Crosse, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Annual Donation - Sandra Cleary |
| Rotary Lights | La Crosse, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Donation - Super Star Level |
| Luther College | Decorah, IA | $5,000 | 2025 | Donation Alumni - Kristine Cleary |
| La Crosse Thanksgiving Dinner | La Crosse, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| North Presbyterian Church | La Crosse, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | In Loving Memory of Gail Cleary |
| Oktoberfest USA Gemutlichkeit | La Crosse, WI | $4,950 | 2025 | King Gambrinus |
| DARE and GREAT | La Crosse, WI | $4,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| Riverfest Inc | La Crosse, WI | $3,500 | 2025 | Admiral Level Sponsorship |
| Girl Scouts of Wis Badgerland | Madison, WI | $3,000 | 2025 | Donation |
| Villanova University | Villanova, PA | $3,000 | 2025 | Alumni Gift - Megan Coffey - Scholarship Fund |
| Northwestern Athletic Departmen | Evanston, IL | $3,000 | 2025 | Annual Alumni Gift - Sara Coffey |
| Valley View Rotary | La Crosse, WI | $2,500 | 2025 | Moon Tunes Solid Gold Sponsorship |
| Habitat for Humanity La Crosse | La Crosse, WI | $2,500 | 2025 | Package 4 Team Build Sponsor |
| Alzheimer's Association | Minnetonka, MN | $2,000 | 2025 | Walk to End Alzheimers |
| Wisconsin Historical Foundation | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 2025 | Annual Membership - Sandra Cleary |
| Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee, WI | $2,000 | 2025 | Donation - Kristine Cleary Peter Coffey |
| Gundersen Medical Foundation | La Crosse, WI | $1,700 | 2025 | Steppin Out in Pink-Survivor Social |
| Riverfest Inc | La Crosse, WI | $1,500 | 2025 | Commander Level Sponsorship |
| Impact 100 Greater Milwaukee | Brookfield, WI | $1,100 | 2025 | Annual Membership Dues |
| La Crosse City Vision Found | La Crosse, WI | $1,000 | 2025 | Lamplight Investor/Membership |
| PBS Wisconsin-Public Television | Madison, WI | $1,000 | 2025 | Focus Fund for Education |
Outdoor Recreation Alliance
$150,000Trails on HWY 33
The Salvation Army
$100,000Shelter Plus - New Building in La Crosse
American Red Cross
$60,000Donation
Mayo Clinic
$50,000La Crosse Mayo Donation
Boys & Girls Club of La Crosse
$50,000Donation
Rotary District 6250 Foundation
$25,000Ho-Chunk Garden
The Nature Conservancy
$25,000TNC Columbia
Mayo Clinic
$20,0002024 Annual Fund
School District of La Crosse
$18,985Northside Greenhouse
St Monica School
$15,000Donation
University of Wis Foundation
$15,000Great World Texts Keynote Speaker
Drift Share Inc
$11,000Donation
Family & Childrens Center
$10,000Bridge Builder Giving Societies
WIAA
$10,0003rd Year of 5Yr Pledge
Boy Scouts of America (Gateway)
$10,000Operating Expenses
UW-M Forward
$10,000School of Business Fund - William Coffey, Kate Heise Russell Heise
WAFER-Food for People in Need
$10,000Donation for Operations
Children's Museum of La Crosse
$10,000Operating Expense
Gundersen Medical Foundation
$7,000Steppin Out in Pink-Platinum Sponsorship
First Presbyterian Church
$5,000Operating Budget
First Presbyterian Church
$5,000Operating Budget
Brice Prairie Conservation Asso
$5,000Lake Onalaska Dredging
City of Onalaska
$5,000Community Center Gymnasium
Utd Community CtrBGuadalupe
$5,000Donation - Kristine Cleary
UWL Alumni & Friends Foundation
$5,000Annual Donation - Sandra Cleary
Rotary Lights
$5,000Donation - Super Star Level
Luther College
$5,000Donation Alumni - Kristine Cleary
La Crosse Thanksgiving Dinner
$5,000Donation
North Presbyterian Church
$5,000In Loving Memory of Gail Cleary
Oktoberfest USA Gemutlichkeit
$4,950King Gambrinus
DARE and GREAT
$4,000Donation
Riverfest Inc
$3,500Admiral Level Sponsorship
Girl Scouts of Wis Badgerland
$3,000Donation
Northwestern Athletic Departmen
$3,000Annual Alumni Gift - Sara Coffey
Valley View Rotary
$2,500Moon Tunes Solid Gold Sponsorship
Habitat for Humanity La Crosse
$2,500Package 4 Team Build Sponsor
Alzheimer's Association
$2,000Walk to End Alzheimers
Wisconsin Historical Foundation
$2,000Annual Membership - Sandra Cleary
Gundersen Medical Foundation
$1,700Steppin Out in Pink-Survivor Social
Riverfest Inc
$1,500Commander Level Sponsorship
Impact 100 Greater Milwaukee
$1,100Annual Membership Dues
La Crosse City Vision Found
$1,000Lamplight Investor/Membership
PBS Wisconsin-Public Television
$1,000Focus Fund for Education