Colony Brands Foundation concentrates its giving locally in Monroe and Green County, WI, funding community institutions that support youth programming, education, and basic needs. Its largest single commitments are to the Green County Family YMCA and local public schools, while recurrent smaller grants support arts, food security, family services, and health-related causes. The foundation favors general operating and program support for long-term local partners and regional higher education (UW–Madison).
A single $4,002,372 general-support grant to the Green County Family YMCA in 2025 captures the scale and local orientation of Colony Brands Foundation Inc. Much of the foundation’s giving stays close to Monroe and Green County, supporting institutions that serve children, families, and community life. School-related awards to the School District of Monroe include a football stadium scoreboard, public library renovations, and Spanish curriculum support, showing a mix of facilities, student experience, and classroom enrichment. The foundation also backs regional higher education through the UW–Madison Foundation, where support has included recruiting flights, an endowed scholarship pledge, and expansion-related funding for the Kohl Center. Arts and public-facing community programs appear as well, including support for Monroe Arts Center, Main Street Monroe Inc, and Cheese Days. Across these grants, the foundation tends to fund established local partners with general support, underwriting, and project-specific commitments rather than a narrow, single-purpose strategy.
Education appears in several forms. Colony Brands Foundation Inc gave $250,000 to the School District of Monroe WI for public library renovations and $92,623 for support of Spanish curriculum, combining student services with academic programming. In youth and family services, it awarded $23,100 to School District of New Glarus for the backpack buddies program, a basic-needs intervention tied to schools. Arts and cultural life also receive sustained attention: Monroe Arts Center received $24,181 for underwriting the entertainment season and $23,394 for building funding and general support. Community-event support shows up in the $29,000 grant to Green County Cheese Days Inc. Health-related giving is narrower but present, including $20,000 to The Charles E Kubly Fdn for depression awareness.
Typical grants are modest to mid-sized, with a p25 of $6,306, a median of $12,952, and a p75 of $24,969. The distribution is shaped by a few very large commitments alongside many smaller operating and underwriting grants. The grant list shows repeat support to the same organizations across multiple years, including the School District of Monroe, UW–Madison Foundation, Madison Community Foundation, Monroe Arts Center, and Rubin for Kids. Colony Brands Foundation Inc is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$4.5M
$4.1M
$1.7M
$4.7M
Most grants fall between $6K and $25K, with a median of $13K.
25th Percentile
$6K
Median
$13K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Concentrated local giving with a few very large awards (notably the YMCA) alongside numerous smaller, repeat grants to longstanding community partners; mix of unrestricted/general support and targeted program grants focused on youth, education, and basic services.
Notable grantees: Green County Family YMCA, UW–Madison Foundation, School District of Monroe (WI), Monroe Arts Center, Green County Food Pantry
Giving is overwhelmingly local: 95% of grants go to recipients in Wisconsin, and the top giving state is WI. Monroe is the central hub, with multiple awards to the Green County Family YMCA, School District of Monroe WI, Main Street Monroe Inc, and Monroe Arts Center. Other Wisconsin recipients include Madison, New Glarus, Janesville, and Mequon, showing a strong regional pattern centered on south-central and southwestern Wisconsin. All recent grants in the provided data went to U.S. recipients.
The foundation supports community institutions, public schools, arts and cultural groups, and family-serving nonprofits. Recent grants include general support for the Green County Family YMCA, public library renovations and Spanish curriculum support for the School District of Monroe WI, underwriting for Monroe Arts Center, and basic-needs support such as the backpack buddies program in New Glarus.
Yes. The grant list shows repeat giving across multiple years to several recipients, including the School District of Monroe WI, UW–Madison Foundation, Monroe Arts Center, Madison Community Foundation, and Rubin for Kids. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards only.
The typical grant size is $6,306 at the 25th percentile, $12,952 at the median, and $24,969 at the 75th percentile. The recent-gifts list also includes a much larger outlier: $4,002,372 to the Green County Family YMCA in 2025.
It gives most often in Wisconsin. The data shows 95% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the recent grants are concentrated in Monroe, Madison, New Glarus, Janesville, and Mequon.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Green County Family YMCA | Monroe, WI | $4,002,372 | 2025 | General Support |
| UW-Madison Foundation | Madison, WI | $169,159 | 2025 | Recruiting flights & gen. support |
| UW-Madison Foundation | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | Kohl Center Expansion |
| Main Street Monroe Inc | Monroe, WI | $32,788 | 2025 | Underwriting & general support |
| Green County Cheese Days Inc | Monroe, WI | $29,000 | 2025 | — |
| Monroe Arts Center | Monroe, WI | $23,394 | 2025 | Building funding & general support |
| School District of New Glarus | New Glarus, WI | $23,100 | 2025 | Support of backpack buddies program |
| Madison Community Foundation | Madison, WI | $20,907 | 2025 | General support |
| Friends of New Glarus Woods | New Glarus, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| The Charles E Kubly Fdn | Mequon, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | Depression Awareness |
| Rubin for Kids | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Green County Humane Society | Monroe, WI | $10,681 | 2025 | General Support |
| School District of Monroe WI | Monroe, WI | $10,500 | 2025 | Support of backpack buddies program |
| Edgewood College Inc | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | General Support |
| Jacobs Swag Foundation Inc | Monroe, WI | $9,238 | 2025 | General Support |
| School District of Monroe WI | Monroe, WI | $7,075 | 2025 | General Support |
| Family Promise of Green Cty | Monroe, WI | $5,710 | 2025 | General Support |
| Everyoneneedsahome Inc | South Wayne, WI | $5,507 | 2025 | General Support |
| Green County Food Pantry Inc | Monroe, WI | $5,424 | 2025 | General Support |
| Green Haven Family Advocates | Monroe, WI | $5,406 | 2025 | General Support |
| American Cancer Society | Atlanta, GA | $5,246 | 2025 | General Support |
| School District of Monroe WI | Monroe, WI | $250,000 | 2024 | Public library renovations |
| UW-Madison Foundation | Madison, WI | $136,545 | 2024 | Recruiting flights & gen. support |
| UW-Madison Foundation | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 2024 | Kohl Center Expansion |
| Main Street Monroe Inc | Monroe, WI | $26,951 | 2024 | Underwriting & general support |
| Friends of PBS Wisconsin Inc | Madison, WI | $24,875 | 2024 | Underwriting & general support |
| Monroe Arts Center | Monroe, WI | $23,929 | 2024 | Underwriting & general support |
| CFSW-GC Child Advocacy Center | Janesville, WI | $21,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Madison Community Foundation | Madison, WI | $20,470 | 2024 | General support |
| The Charles E Kubly Fdn | Mequon, WI | $20,000 | 2024 | Depression Awareness |
| Rubin for Kids | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Green County Humane Society | Monroe, WI | $10,541 | 2024 | General Support |
| School District of Monroe WI | Monroe, WI | $10,500 | 2024 | Support of backpack buddies program |
| Edgewood College Inc | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 2024 | General Support |
| Jacobs Swag Foundation Inc | Monroe, WI | $8,061 | 2024 | General Support |
| Green County Food Pantry Inc | Monroe, WI | $7,043 | 2024 | General Support |
| Monroe Clinic & Hospital Fdn | Monroe, WI | $5,739 | 2024 | Hospice Care |
| Big BroBig Sis of Green Cty | Monroe, WI | $5,725 | 2024 | General Support |
| Family Promise of Green Cty | Monroe, WI | $5,628 | 2024 | General Support |
| Aly Wolff Foundation Inc | McFarland, WI | $5,250 | 2024 | General Support |
| Green Haven Family Advocates | Monroe, WI | $5,188 | 2024 | General Support |
| Everyoneneedsahome Inc | South Wayne, WI | $5,109 | 2024 | General Support |
| School District of Monroe WI | Monroe, WI | $252,113 | 2023 | Football Stadium Scoreboard |
| UW-Madison Foundation | Madison, WI | $230,101 | 2023 | Recruiting flights & gen. support |
| UW-Madison Foundation | Madison, WI | $161,865 | 2023 | Endowed scholarship pledge |
| School District of Monroe WI | Monroe, WI | $92,623 | 2023 | Support of Spanish curriculum |
| Green County Family YMCA | Monroe, WI | $52,331 | 2023 | General Support |
| Rubin for Kids | Madison, WI | $30,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Shambala Roar Foundation | Acton, CA | $25,000 | 2023 | General Support |
| Monroe Arts Center | Monroe, WI | $24,181 | 2023 | Underwriting entertainment season |
Main Street Monroe Inc
$32,788Underwriting & general support
Green County Cheese Days Inc
$29,000Monroe Arts Center
$23,394Building funding & general support
School District of New Glarus
$23,100Support of backpack buddies program
Friends of New Glarus Woods
$20,000General Support
The Charles E Kubly Fdn
$20,000Depression Awareness
Rubin for Kids
$15,000General Support
Green County Humane Society
$10,681General Support
School District of Monroe WI
$10,500Support of backpack buddies program
Jacobs Swag Foundation Inc
$9,238General Support
School District of Monroe WI
$7,075General Support
Family Promise of Green Cty
$5,710General Support
Everyoneneedsahome Inc
$5,507General Support
Green County Food Pantry Inc
$5,424General Support
Green Haven Family Advocates
$5,406General Support
School District of Monroe WI
$250,000Public library renovations
Main Street Monroe Inc
$26,951Underwriting & general support
Monroe Arts Center
$23,929Underwriting & general support
The Charles E Kubly Fdn
$20,000Depression Awareness
Rubin for Kids
$15,000General Support
Green County Humane Society
$10,541General Support
School District of Monroe WI
$10,500Support of backpack buddies program
Jacobs Swag Foundation Inc
$8,061General Support
Green County Food Pantry Inc
$7,043General Support
Monroe Clinic & Hospital Fdn
$5,739Hospice Care
Big BroBig Sis of Green Cty
$5,725General Support
Family Promise of Green Cty
$5,628General Support
Aly Wolff Foundation Inc
$5,250General Support
Green Haven Family Advocates
$5,188General Support
Everyoneneedsahome Inc
$5,109General Support
School District of Monroe WI
$252,113Football Stadium Scoreboard
School District of Monroe WI
$92,623Support of Spanish curriculum
Rubin for Kids
$30,000General Support
Shambala Roar Foundation
$25,000General Support
Monroe Arts Center
$24,181Underwriting entertainment season