The Michels Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on large, targeted gifts to higher education and healthcare institutions in Wisconsin, particularly supporting Marquette University Law School and regional hospital philanthropy. Grants are sizeable and repeat in nature, suggesting capital, endowment, or program-scale investments rather than broad small-dollar giving. The foundation shows a clear preference for institutional partners with strong local or regional ties.
Highly concentrated giving: a small number of large grants focused on 2 primary grantees with repeat awards; likely multi-year or capital/endowment-style commitments to institutional partners.
Michels Family Foundation’s recent giving is defined by repeated seven-figure general-support grants to Marquette University Law School in Milwaukee, paired with similarly large support for Agnesian Healthcare Foundation in Fond du Lac. That pattern points to a funder that backs established institutions with sustained, multi-year commitments rather than one-time project grants. The foundation’s grant list also shows a strong preference for Wisconsin-based partners, with gifts recurring across 2023, 2024, and 2025. Beyond higher education and healthcare, the foundation supports a cluster of Catholic and community institutions in Fond du Lac County and nearby towns. Recipients include schools, churches, a YMCA, and service organizations, often receiving general support. A number of grants go to St Vincent De Paul Society for the St. Katharine Drexel Center, indicating support for a specific community-serving facility within a broader local service network. The overall picture is of a family foundation making targeted, institution-level gifts to organizations with durable local ties, especially in southeastern Wisconsin.
Higher education is a clear priority. The foundation gave $1,000,000 to Marquette University Law School in 2025 for general support, following the same amount in 2024 and 2023. Healthcare is another major area. Agnesian Healthcare Foundation received $600,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025 for general support, showing a steady commitment to regional hospital philanthropy. The foundation also funds Catholic education and parish life in Fond du Lac County. Grants include $115,000 to Winnebago Lutheran Academy in 2023, $100,000 to Holy Family Catholic Church in 2025, and $100,000 to St Mary’s Springs Academy in 2023. Community and service organizations appear as well. The Arc Fond Du Lac received $55,000 in 2025 for general support, and Special Olympics Wisconsin received $24,000 in 2025.
Typical grants are substantial: the p25 is $3,000, the median is $6,000, and the p75 is $25,000. The recent record also includes a cluster of much larger institutional gifts at $100,000, $600,000, and $1,000,000, so the distribution is skewed by major anchor grants. Recipients repeat across multiple years, especially for general support, which suggests ongoing relationships rather than isolated awards. The foundation’s profile also indicates it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The grants shown do not include an application process.
$3.2M
$5.1M
$2.1M
$3.3M
Most grants fall between $3K and $25K, with a median of $6K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$6K
75th Percentile
$25K
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Notable grantees: Marquette University Law School, Agnesian HealthCare Foundation, Marquette University
Giving is overwhelmingly Wisconsin-centered: 94% of grants go to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 102 grants in the United States and none elsewhere. Within Wisconsin, Fond du Lac is a frequent recipient city, along with Milwaukee and smaller communities such as Lomira, Waupun, Campbellsport, and Brownsville. Florida is the top state by grant count, but it is not the headquarters state.
The recent grants are concentrated in Wisconsin institutions serving higher education, healthcare, Catholic education and parish life, and community services. Examples include Marquette University Law School, Agnesian Healthcare Foundation, Winnebago Lutheran Academy, Holy Family Catholic Church, and St Vincent De Paul Society for the St. Katharine Drexel Center.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years with repeated general-support awards, including Marquette University Law School in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Agnesian Healthcare Foundation in those same three years. That pattern points to ongoing institutional support.
The foundation’s typical grant size is $3,000 at the 25th percentile, $6,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grant list also includes larger anchor gifts, including $100,000, $600,000, and $1,000,000 awards.
Its grants are overwhelmingly Wisconsin-based: 94% of grants go to recipients in Wisconsin. The recent record is entirely U.S.-based, with 102 grants to U.S. recipients and none to non-U.S. countries.
Community-serving grants include $100,000 to St Vincent De Paul Society in Fond du Lac for the St. Katharine Drexel Center, $85,000 to Fond Du Lac Family YMCA in 2023, and $55,000 to The Arc Fond Du Lac in 2025.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| ST FRANCIS DE SALES SEMINARY | ST FRANCIS, WI | $1,000,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AGNESIAN HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | FOND DU LAC, WI | $600,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST MARY'S SPRINGS ACADEMY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $530,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOND DU LAC FAMILY YMCA | FOND DU LAC, WI | $370,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARIAN UNIVERSITY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNLIMITED PLAY | ST PETERS, MO | $120,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LAWRENCE SEMINARY | MT CALVARY, WI | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH | FOND DU LAC, WI | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH | LOMIRA, WI | $40,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST PAUL'S EVANGELICAL | BROWNSVILLE, WI | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LUMEN CHRISTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL | MEQUON, WI | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS CATHOLIC PARISH | EDEN, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SOLUTIONS CENTER SHELTER & SUPPORT SERVICES INC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LUMEN CHRISTI CATHOLIC CHURCH | MEQUON, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLANDINE HOUSE INC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FONDY FOOD PANTRY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLYLAND FOOD PANTRY | MALONE, IN | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH-LOMIRA AREA FOOD PANTRY | LOMIRA, WI | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| OAKFIELD HIGH SCHOOL | OAKFIELD, WI | $7,150 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF FOND DU LAC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST ANN CENTER FOR INTERGENERATIONAL CARE | LOMIRA, WI | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF FDL COUNTY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THELMA SADOFF CENTER FOR THE ARTS | FOND DU LAC, WI | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOND DU LAC SYMPHONIC BAND | FOND DU LAC, WI | $6,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ARC FOND DU LAC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SONS OF ZEBEDEE-SS JAMES & JOHN | FOND DU LAC, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BADGERLAND AREA YOUTH FOR CHRIST | STEVENS POINT, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION | FOND DU LAC, WI | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| STACY FUSON FOUNDATION | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MILWAUKEE COUNTY WAR MEMORIAL CENTER | MILWAUKEE, WI | $4,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY | SCOTTSDALE, AZ | $2,500 | 2026 | ST. KATHARINE DREXEL CENTER |
| BEACON HOUSE FRIENDS OF WOMEN | FOND DU LAC, WI | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SISTER SERVANTS OF CHRIST THE KING INC - CRISTO REY RANCH | MT CALVARY, WI | $2,000 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL | MILWAUKEE, WI | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AGNESIAN HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | FOND DU LAC, WI | $600,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST LAWRENCE SEMINARY | MT CALVARY, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH | FOND DU LAC, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE ARC FOND DU LAC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $55,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WAUPUN YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION | WAUPUN, WI | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH | LOMIRA, WI | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST MARY'S SPRINGS ACADEMY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $27,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| SPECIAL OLYMPICS WISCONSIN | MADISON, WI | $24,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | ST. KATHARINE DREXEL CENTER |
| FOND DU LAC FAMILY YMCA | FOND DU LAC, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ST PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH | BROWNSVILLE, WI | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LOMIRA FOOD PANTRY | LOMIRA, WI | $14,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FONDY FOOD PANTRY | FOND DU LAC, WI | $14,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HOLYLAND FOOD PANTRY | MALONE, WI | $14,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS INC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $12,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLANDINE HOUSE INC | FOND DU LAC, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
ST FRANCIS DE SALES SEMINARY
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST MARY'S SPRINGS ACADEMY
$530,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARIAN UNIVERSITY
$200,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LAWRENCE SEMINARY
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH
$60,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
$40,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST PAUL'S EVANGELICAL
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LUMEN CHRISTI CATHOLIC SCHOOL
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SHEPHERD OF THE HILLS CATHOLIC PARISH
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SOLUTIONS CENTER SHELTER & SUPPORT SERVICES INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LUMEN CHRISTI CATHOLIC CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLANDINE HOUSE INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FONDY FOOD PANTRY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLYLAND FOOD PANTRY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
TRINITY METHODIST CHURCH-LOMIRA AREA FOOD PANTRY
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
OAKFIELD HIGH SCHOOL
$7,150GENERAL SUPPORT
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF FDL COUNTY
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THELMA SADOFF CENTER FOR THE ARTS
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOND DU LAC SYMPHONIC BAND
$6,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE ARC FOND DU LAC
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SONS OF ZEBEDEE-SS JAMES & JOHN
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BADGERLAND AREA YOUTH FOR CHRIST
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
STACY FUSON FOUNDATION
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MILWAUKEE COUNTY WAR MEMORIAL CENTER
$4,500GENERAL SUPPORT
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
$2,500ST. KATHARINE DREXEL CENTER
BEACON HOUSE FRIENDS OF WOMEN
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
SISTER SERVANTS OF CHRIST THE KING INC - CRISTO REY RANCH
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY LAW SCHOOL
$1,000,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST LAWRENCE SEMINARY
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLY FAMILY CATHOLIC CHURCH
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE ARC FOND DU LAC
$55,000GENERAL SUPPORT
WAUPUN YOUTH HOCKEY ASSOCIATION
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST MARY'S CATHOLIC CHURCH
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST MARY'S SPRINGS ACADEMY
$27,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ST VINCENT DE PAUL SOCIETY
$20,000ST. KATHARINE DREXEL CENTER
ST PAUL'S LUTHERAN CHURCH
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
LOMIRA FOOD PANTRY
$14,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FONDY FOOD PANTRY
$14,000GENERAL SUPPORT
HOLYLAND FOOD PANTRY
$14,000GENERAL SUPPORT
FOND DU LAC FESTIVALS INC
$12,000GENERAL SUPPORT
BLANDINE HOUSE INC
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT