John W Thompson and Jane A Bartell Charitable Foundation

About John W Thompson and Jane A Bartell Charitable Foundation

A $256,550 grant to the Wisconsin Historical Society in 2025 stands out as the foundation’s largest recent gift, and it fits a broader pattern of backing cultural institutions, museum campaigns, and community capital projects. John W Thompson and Jane a Bartell Charitable Foundation Inc has directed major support to heritage organizations such as Vesterheim Norwegian-American Museum and to Madison-area initiatives tied to youth arts and school communities. The recent record also shows repeated support for organizations connected to the arts, history, and public education, with grants often tied to building funds, campaign efforts, or general support for established institutions. The foundation’s giving profile includes both large, one-time institutional commitments and a long tail of smaller grants. In Wisconsin, that has included support for the Madison Youth Arts Center building fund, the West High School campaign, and the Wisconsin Historical Society. Beyond Wisconsin, the foundation has also funded cultural preservation and community organizations in New York, Iowa, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D.C., while keeping most of its grant activity close to its home base. Its recurring interest in museums, arts, and local civic institutions gives the profile a clear institutional and community-oriented character.

What John W Thompson and Jane A Bartell Charitable Foundation Funds

Cultural and historical institutions are a clear theme. The foundation gave $256,550 to Wisconsin Historical Society for general support in 2025, and $50,000 to Vesterheim for general support in 2025, after a $105,251 gift in 2023 for the Strong Roots Bold Future campaign to grow Vesterheim. Arts and youth facilities are another focus. In 2023, Madison Community Foundation received $20,000 for the Madison Youth Arts Center building fund, and Children’s Theater of Madison received $5,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for general support. The foundation also supported Madison Public Schools Foundation with $10,000 in 2023 and another $10,000 in 2024 for the West High School campaign. Higher education and academic departments appear as a smaller but consistent line of giving. Uw Foundation received $5,000 for the Department of Mechanical Engineering and $5,000 for the School of Nursing annual fund, plus $4,000 in 2025 split between the Odyssey Project and the Division of the Arts.

How John W Thompson and Jane A Bartell Charitable Foundation Gives