Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wi
ActiveFood, Agriculture & Nutrition
About Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wi
Second Harvest Foodbank exists to end hunger in southwestern Wisconsin.
Focus Areas
Food securityHunger reliefFood equityNutritionChild nutritionCapacity buildingFarm to foodbank / food rescue
Who They Fund
low-income children (Kids Cafe participants)community food programs/food banks/pantriesdisaster-affected households receiving emergency food aid
Funding Style
capacity buildingprogram/project-specific grants
About Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wi
Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wi centers its giving on hunger relief, food security, and food equity in a local service area that is overwhelmingly Wisconsin-based. In the latest grants list, The River Food Pantry in Madison received $2,981,563, the largest disclosed grant, showing how the foundation uses sizable food distributions to support partner agencies that serve people facing food insecurity. Other large awards went to Badger Prairie Needs Network in Verona and Beyond Blessed Pantry in Baraboo, reinforcing a pattern of support for community food programs across the region. The foundation also backs its own food-access infrastructure and program channels, including work tied to child nutrition, fresh food sourcing, and organizational capacity for food assistance providers. Its public profile is shaped by a foodbank model rather than a traditional external grantmaker: it distributes food and related resources, partners with local agencies, and funds capacity-building efforts aimed at improving how food reaches low-income households, children, and disaster-affected communities. The recent grant record shows a broad network of pantries, meal programs, shelters, and food banks receiving support through these channels.
What Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wi Funds
A major theme in the grant record is pantry and meal-program support. The River Food Pantry in Madison received $2,981,563, while Badger Prairie Needs Network in Verona received $2,005,690 and Wayforward Resources Inc in Middleton received $1,413,103, all for food distribution through local community channels. Child nutrition is another clear focus: the Harvest Snack program serves after-school and out-of-school-time youth programs with nutritious foods, including produce and dairy. Food system partnerships also appear through the Farm to Foodbank Initiative, which connects regional farmers and producers with the foodbank to source fresh produce and other farm products for distribution. Capacity building shows up in the foundation’s one-time grants to improve food equity, which are designed for projects led by or in partnership with racially diverse communities.
How Second Harvest Foodbank of Southern Wi Gives
Typical grant size falls in the middle of a broad operating range: p25 is $15,362, median is $36,784, and p75 is $100,976. The recent record is heavily weighted toward 2025 awards, with many grants going to established food pantries and food banks across the service area. Several recipients appear as part of ongoing food-distribution relationships rather than one-off awards, consistent with a foodbank model built around repeated partner support. The foundation’s structure is also programmatic: it runs partner agency distribution, food-rescue and farm-to-foodbank efforts, and capacity-building grants alongside direct food support. Unsolicited applications are accepted for the Partner Agency Program (Food & Resource Distribution).
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$27M
Total Assets
$27M
Total Revenue
$59.3M
Total Expenses
$55.1M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $15K and $101K, with a median of $37K.
25th Percentile
$15K
Median
$37K
75th Percentile
$101K
Geographic Reach
Local17 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
MICHELLE ORGE
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