The Lubar Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropic dollars on a small number of large grants that support major regional cultural institutions and Jewish communal life. In the recent data more than two-thirds of giving went to a single flagship performing arts organization in Milwaukee, with the remainder directed to a Jewish federation in Minneapolis, indicating a mix of strong interest in the arts and in Jewish community causes. The foundation appears to prefer high-impact, organization-level charitable support rather than many small grants.
A single grant of $1,197,500 to Milwaukee Jewish Federation stands out in the recent record and captures the Lubar Family Foundation Inc’s style: concentrated support for major regional institutions, especially in Milwaukee’s Jewish and cultural sectors. The foundation’s giving also includes sizable support for Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, which received $513,000 in 2023 and another $500,000 in 2025, showing an ongoing relationship with one flagship arts organization. Across the recent grants list, the pattern is institution-centered rather than broad-based, with large awards directed to organizations that anchor community life, cultural programming, and Jewish communal services in the Upper Midwest. Milwaukee is the center of that activity, but the foundation’s portfolio also reaches other regional Jewish and civic institutions in Minnesota and beyond. The grant record suggests a funder that favors organization-level support for established nonprofits over small, widely dispersed gifts. That mix of arts, Jewish life, and regional infrastructure gives the foundation a distinct profile among Wisconsin-based philanthropies, with repeated backing for institutions that serve as hubs for their communities.
In Jewish communal philanthropy, the foundation gave $1,197,500 to Milwaukee Jewish Federation for Jewish Related work and $189,700 to Minneapolis Jewish Federation for Charitable support. It also supported Congregation Sinai in Milwaukee with $67,469 in 2025 and $78,929 in 2023, along with $25,000 to Milwaukee Jewish Day School and $50,000 to Minnesota Jewish Community Center F. Cultural institutions are another clear area: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre received $500,000 in 2025, and Milwaukee Art Museum received $112,000 in 2023. The record also includes support for Milwaukee Film at $25,000 and UPAF at $32,000, reinforcing a strong arts orientation in Milwaukee. Education appears in the mix through grants to St Augustine Preparatory Academy and Milwaukee Institute of Art Design.
Typical grant size is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile, but the recent record also shows a small number of much larger institutional awards. The pattern is concentrated rather than diffuse, with repeated grants to the same organizations across years: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre appears in both 2023 and 2025, as do Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Congregation Sinai, Jewfolk Media Inc, and Temple Israel. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, so its giving shows up as direct charitable support to organizations. The recent grants list does not indicate an application process.
$2.6M
$56.9M
$3.7M
$2.7M
Most grants fall between $3K and $40K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$40K
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Highly concentrated giving: very few, large grants rather than many small awards; funding is focused on institutional/organizational support with substantial contributions to flagship arts and Jewish communal organizations.
Notable grantees: Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Minneapolis Jewish Federation
The foundation’s grants land overwhelmingly in Wisconsin, which accounts for 76% of recipient locations, and the top giving state by count is also WI. Milwaukee is the main city in the record, with many awards going there across arts, Jewish, education, and community organizations. Outside Wisconsin, Minnesota is the other recurring state, with grants in Minneapolis, Saint Paul, and Golden Valley. A smaller set of grants also reaches West Bloomfield, Michigan, while the recipient-country distribution remains entirely in the United States.
The recent grants point to three main areas: Jewish communal life, major regional performing arts, and other cultural or civic institutions. Examples include Milwaukee Jewish Federation, Milwaukee Repertory Theatre, Milwaukee Art Museum, and Milwaukee Film.
Yes. Milwaukee Repertory Theatre appears in both 2023 and 2025, Milwaukee Jewish Federation appears in both years, and Congregation Sinai, Jewfolk Media Inc, and Temple Israel also receive multiple grants across the recent record.
The grant-size distribution is $2,500 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $40,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes larger institutional awards, including seven-figure support for Milwaukee Jewish Federation.
Wisconsin receives 76% of the grants in the recent data, and Wisconsin is also the top state by grant count. Milwaukee is the most common recipient city, with additional grants in Madison and other Wisconsin locations.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments, so the record reflects direct charitable grants to organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MILWAUKEE JEWISH FEDERATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $1,197,500 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATRE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $500,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| LAW FORWARD INC | MADISON, WI | $250,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| URBAN ECOLOGY CENTER | MILWAUKEE, WI | $150,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| CONGREGATION SINAI | MILWAUKEE, WI | $67,469 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| MINNESOTA JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER F | SAINT PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| JEWFOLK MEDIA INC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $45,000 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| TEMPLE ISRAEL | WEST BLOOMFIELD, MI | $40,000 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| ST AUGUSTINE PREPARATORY ACADEMY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $33,333 | 2025 | Education |
| MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART DESIGN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $32,200 | 2025 | Education |
| UPAF | MILWAUKEE, WI | $32,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| MILWAUKEE FILM | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| MILWAUKEE JEWISH DAY SCHOOL | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| HEILICHER MINNEAPOLIS JEWISH DAY SC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $25,000 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $15,000 | 2025 | Education |
| JEWISH MUSEUM MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $12,500 | 2025 | Jewish Related |
| MILWAUKEE PUBLIC MUSEUM | MILWAUKEE, WI | $12,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| META HOUSE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| FORWARD LATINO INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $10,000 | 2025 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $8,000 | 2025 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| ABCD | GLENDALE, WI | $7,800 | 2025 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MILWAUKEE | RIVER HILLS, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Education |
| MILWAUKEE PUBLIC LIBRARY FOUNDATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $5,000 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| COLLEGE POSSIBLE | ST PAUL, MN | $5,000 | 2025 | Education |
| FLORENTINE OPERA | MILWAUKEE, WI | $4,625 | 2025 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| MOUNT MARY UNIVERSITY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $2,500 | 2025 | Education |
| MINNEAPOLIS JEWISH FEDERATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $1,000,000 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| MILWAUKEE JEWISH FEDERATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $1,000,000 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATRE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $564,000 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER MILW WAUKESHA | MILWAUKEE, WI | $563,200 | 2024 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| LAW FORWARD INC | MADISON, WI | $250,000 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| MILWAUKEE ART MUSEUM | MILWAUKEE, WI | $171,500 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| GROWING MINDS INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $120,000 | 2024 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| CONGREGATION SINAI | MILWAUKEE, WI | $104,923 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| MILWAUKEE FILM | MILWAUKEE, WI | $80,000 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIB COMMI | NEW YORK, NY | $60,000 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF MINNESOTA | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $59,090 | 2024 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| ACTS HOUSING | MILWAUKEE, WI | $50,000 | 2024 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| MINNESOTA JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER F | SAINT PAUL, MN | $50,000 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| UPAF | MILWAUKEE, WI | $40,000 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| ST AUGUSTINE PREPARATORY ACADEMY | MILWAUKEE, WI | $33,333 | 2024 | Education |
| MILWAUKEE INSTITUTE OF ART DESIGN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $33,000 | 2024 | Education |
| JEWISH FAMILY CHILDREN'S SVCS OF MI | GOLDEN VALLEY, MN | $30,000 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2024 | Community, Health, and Welfare |
| FIX THE SYSTEM - WISCONSIN INC | MIDDLETON, WI | $25,000 | 2024 | Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION | MADISON, WI | $20,000 | 2024 | Education |
| HEILICHER MINNEAPOLIS JEWISH DAY SC | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $15,000 | 2024 | Jewish Related |
| ALL-IN MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $15,000 | 2024 | Education |
| BOWDOIN COLLEGE | BRUNSWICK, ME | $15,000 | 2024 | Education |
MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATRE
$500,000Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors
CONGREGATION SINAI
$67,469Jewish Related
Jewish Related
TEMPLE ISRAEL
$40,000Jewish Related
UPAF
$32,000Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors
HEILICHER MINNEAPOLIS JEWISH DAY SC
$25,000Jewish Related
JEWISH MUSEUM MILWAUKEE
$12,500Jewish Related
FORWARD LATINO INC
$10,000Community, Health, and Welfare
JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT OF WISCONSIN
$10,000Community, Health, and Welfare
MOUNT MARY UNIVERSITY
$2,500Education
UNITED WAY OF GREATER MILW WAUKESHA
$563,200Community, Health, and Welfare
GROWING MINDS INC
$120,000Community, Health, and Welfare
CONGREGATION SINAI
$104,923Jewish Related
AMERICAN JEWISH JOINT DISTRIB COMMI
$60,000Jewish Related
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF MINNESOTA
$59,090Community, Health, and Welfare
MINNESOTA JEWISH COMMUNITY CENTER F
$50,000Jewish Related
FIX THE SYSTEM - WISCONSIN INC
$25,000Arts, Culture, and the Outdoors
HEILICHER MINNEAPOLIS JEWISH DAY SC
$15,000Jewish Related