The Engelke Family Foundation makes a small number of very large, mostly unrestricted grants to established national institutions, with a clear emphasis on supporting prominent public-interest work (notably The Carter Center) and university-based research. Their giving also shows targeted support for communication and accessibility research and for institutions serving deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. Grants are institutional and programmatic rather than grassroots or neighborhood-level.
Engelke Family Foundation Inc’s largest recent grants show a strong preference for established institutions doing public-interest work at scale, especially The Carter Center. The center received $2,544,345 in 2023 for human rights, then another $1,753,425 in 2025 as an unrestricted charitable grant, after a $938,000 unrestricted grant in 2024. That recurring support sits alongside major gifts to university-based research and disability-access organizations, including $854,433 in 2025 to The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo for the Communication and Assistive Device Laboratory and $375,000 in 2025 to Gallaudet University. The foundation’s giving is institutional rather than grassroots. Its recent grants also include sizeable support for the Obama Foundation, UNICEF, Helen Keller International, the National Association for the Deaf, and several Wisconsin-based community groups and schools. The pattern suggests a funder that backs established organizations through both restricted project support and broad unrestricted awards. Its portfolio reaches across human rights, assistive technology, deaf and hard-of-hearing education, human services, and local community support, with grant sizes ranging from modest five-figure awards to multimillion-dollar commitments.
Human rights and global health are central themes. The Carter Center received $2,544,345 in 2023 for human rights and then continued with unrestricted grants of $938,000 in 2024 and $1,753,425 in 2025. Disability access is another clear thread. In 2025, the foundation gave $854,433 to The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo for the Communication and Assistive Device Laboratory, and it supported Gallaudet University with $375,000 in 2025 and $175,000 in 2024. The foundation also backs organizations serving deaf and hard-of-hearing communities. Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc. received $100,000 in 2024, while the National Association for the Deaf received $25,000 in 2024. Education and local human services appear in smaller grants, including Madison Reading Project, River Food Pantry, and Madison Metropolitan School District.
Typical awards are modest for this portfolio, with p25 at $2,000, a median of $5,000, and p75 at $26,250. The distribution is highly skewed by a small number of very large institutional grants, including multimillion-dollar support for The Carter Center. Recent records show repeat awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including The Carter Center, Gallaudet University, UNICEF, and Madison Community Foundation. The foundation is classified as a regular funder and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$3.5M
$107.3M
$19.2M
$3.6M
Most grants fall between $2K and $26K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$2K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$26K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Engelke Family Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 83 | $9.5M | 98.8% |
| 2 | Switzerland |
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Highly concentrated: very few, large grants with multiple repeat awards to the same national institutions; predominantly unrestricted institutional support rather than many small or local grants.
Notable grantees: The Carter Center, The Research Foundation for St (large state university research foundation), The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo (Communication and Assistive Device Laboratory), Gallaudet University
Grantmaking is national, but it is especially concentrated in Wisconsin and Kentucky. By recipient location, 48% of grants go to Wisconsin organizations, and the top state by grant count is Kentucky. Recent Wisconsin recipients include Madison Metropolitan School District, Madison Community Foundation, River Food Pantry, and Safe Harbor Children’s Alliance. Outside the U.S., the recipient-country distribution includes one grant to Eswatini, while the rest of the grants go to U.S.-based organizations.
Typical grant size is small relative to its largest awards: p25 is $2,000, median grant size is $5,000, and p75 is $26,250. The recent record also includes a few very large institutional grants, which makes the distribution highly uneven.
Yes. Recent grants show repeated support for The Carter Center across 2023, 2024, and 2025; Gallaudet University in 2024 and 2025; UNICEF in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Madison Community Foundation in 2024 and 2023.
Recent grants center on human rights and global health, university-based research, communication and assistive technology, and deaf and hard-of-hearing education. Named recipients tied to those themes include The Carter Center, The Research Foundation for the State University of New York at Buffalo, Gallaudet University, and Telecommunications for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing Inc.
Giving is national, but Wisconsin is especially prominent, with 48% of grants going to recipients in WI. The top state by grant count is Kentucky, showing that the foundation gives most often there even though its headquarters are in Madison, Wisconsin.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| 1 |
| $5K |
1.2% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE CARTER CENTER INC | ATLANTA, GA | $1,753,425 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO | ALBANY, NY | $854,433 | 2025 | FUNDS FOR THE COMMUNICATION AND ASSISTIVE DEVICE LABORATORY |
| GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $375,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MADISON METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT | MADISON, WI | $207,450 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| OBAMA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| HELEN KELLER INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| UNICEF | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $30,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | MADISON, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| SAFE HARBOR CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE | MADISON, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| SECOND HARVEST OF MADISON | MADISON, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| RUBIN FOR KIDS | MADISON, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $6,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| COVENANT HOUSE | SHEBOYGAN, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MAP INTERNATIONAL | BRUNSWICK, GA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS | ERLANGER, KY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| OXFAM AMERICA | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| ACTION AGAINST HUNGER | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL YOUTH SERVICES INC | MADISON, WI | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| TOYS FOR TOTS | TRIANGLE, VA | $2,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| THE CARTER CENTER INC | ATLANTA, GA | $938,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR ST | MADISON, WI | $807,313 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY | WASHINGTON, DC | $175,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING INC (TDI) | SILVER SPRING, MD | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| OBAMA FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $51,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MADISON COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| THOREAU ELEMENTARY PTO | MADISON, WI | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA | ROCKVILLE, MD | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| UNICEF | NEW YORK CITY, NY | $30,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF | SILVER SPRING, MD | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| HELEN KELLER INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| SAFE HARBOR CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE | MADISON, WI | $15,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| SECOND HARVEST OF MADISON | MADISON, WI | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| RUBIN FOR KIDS | MADISON, WI | $10,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| EMPTY STOCKING FUND | ATLANTA, GA | $6,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MSK CANCER CTR (MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING) | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| CARE | ATLANTA, GA | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| MAP INTERNATIONAL | BRUNSWICK, GA | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| OXFAM | BOSTON, MA | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS | ERLANGER, KY | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| COVENANT HOUSE | SHEBOYGAN, WI | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| RIVER FOOD PANTRY | MADISON, WI | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| OVERTURE CENTER | MADISON, WI | $5,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| IRC - INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE | ALBERT LEA, MN | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| ACTION AGAINST HUNGER | NEW YORK, NY | $3,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
| LITTLE JON'S KITCHENS | FITCHBURG, WI | $2,500 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT |
THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR THE STATE UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK AT BUFFALO
$854,433FUNDS FOR THE COMMUNICATION AND ASSISTIVE DEVICE LABORATORY
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY
$375,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
MADISON METROPOLITAN SCHOOL DISTRICT
$207,450UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
UNICEF
$30,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
SAFE HARBOR CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE
$20,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
RUBIN FOR KIDS
$10,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
COVENANT HOUSE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING CANCER CENTER
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
WISCONSIN STATE JOURNAL YOUTH SERVICES INC
$2,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
THE RESEARCH FOUNDATION FOR ST
$807,313UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
GALLAUDET UNIVERSITY
$175,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
TELECOMMUNICATIONS FOR THE DEAF AND HARD OF HEARING INC (TDI)
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
THOREAU ELEMENTARY PTO
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
HEARING LOSS ASSOCIATION OF AMERICA
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
NATIONAL ASSOCIATION FOR THE DEAF
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
SAFE HARBOR CHILDREN'S ALLIANCE
$15,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
SECOND HARVEST OF MADISON
$10,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
RUBIN FOR KIDS
$10,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
MSK CANCER CTR (MEMORIAL SLOAN KETTERING)
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
COVENANT HOUSE
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
OVERTURE CENTER
$5,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
IRC - INTERNATIONAL RESCUE COMMITTEE
$3,000UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT
LITTLE JON'S KITCHENS
$2,500UNRESTRICTED CHARITABLE GRANT