The Timothy and Barbara Michels Family Foundation concentrates sizable gifts on higher education and biomedical institutions, combining large, repeat gifts to elite universities and medical centers with support for a local independent school. Their giving suggests a strong interest in advancing medical research/education and sustaining academic institutions rather than broad community philanthropy. Grants are few but large, often to familiar institutions where they have made multiple commitments.
Concentrated, high-dollar giving: a small number of large grants with repeat funding to the same institutions (two grants each to Dartmouth, Weill Cornell, and Medical College of Wisconsin), mixing national elite institutions with at least one local school.
A $3,000,000 general operating grant to Dartmouth College in 2025 sets the tone for Timothy and Barbara Michels Family Foundation’s recent giving: large, unrestricted gifts to a small set of higher education and medical institutions, with Wisconsin organizations also appearing in the mix. The foundation’s recent grants include multi-year support for Dartmouth College, Weill Cornell Medical Center, and the Medical College of Wisconsin, all funded at levels that signal institutional rather than project-specific support. It also made a $630,010 general operating grant to University Lake School in Hartland, showing that private education in Wisconsin is part of the portfolio. Several awards are repeated across years, including Dartmouth College, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Fordham University, Babson College, C2k Ministries, and Xavier High School, which points to an ongoing relationship with selected recipients. The grant list also includes organizations tied to local civic, faith, and education activities in Wisconsin, alongside national universities and medical centers. Overall, the foundation’s recent pattern is concentrated, large-scale, and institution-focused, with general operating support as a common approach.
Higher education is a central part of the foundation’s grantmaking. It awarded $3,000,000 to Dartmouth College for general operating support and also gave $50,000 in 2024 and $50,000 in 2023 to Fordham University, the latter as an annual fund grant. Babson College received $20,000 in both 2024 and 2025, while Xavier High School received $25,000 in 2025 and $20,000 in 2024. Biomedical and academic medical support is another clear thread. The foundation gave $1,250,000 to Weill Cornell Medical Center in 2025 and $500,000 in 2024, plus $500,000 in both 2024 and 2025 to the Medical College of Wisconsin. In Wisconsin, its giving also reaches private education and community institutions, including a $630,010 grant to University Lake School and a $250,000 grant to North Lake Management District.
Grant sizes are highly uneven: the 25th percentile is $20,000, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $500,000, showing a mix of smaller institutional gifts and much larger commitments. The recent record also shows repeat support across multiple years for several recipients, including Dartmouth College, Weill Cornell Medical Center, the Medical College of Wisconsin, Fordham University, Babson College, C2k Ministries, and Xavier High School. Most awards are structured as general operating support, with annual fund support appearing as well. The foundation is classified as a regular funder, not a DAF or an organization that funds individuals.
$3.1M
$835K
$3.9M
$3.2M
Most grants fall between $20K and $500K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$20K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$500K
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Notable grantees: Dartmouth College, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, University Lake School
Grants are national in scope, and every recent award in the list went to a U.S. recipient. Wisconsin is the most frequent recipient state, accounting for 52% of grants, with recipients in Hartland, Milwaukee, Pewaukee, Germantown, and Fond Du Lac. New York also appears often through recipients in New York City and Hanover, while other recipient cities include Babson Park, Hanover, and Aspen. The geographic pattern combines a strong Wisconsin concentration with a smaller set of national academic and medical institutions.
The recent grants center on higher education and academic medical institutions, along with some Wisconsin-based private education and local organizations. Examples in the grant list include Dartmouth College, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, and University Lake School.
The typical grant size runs from $20,000 at the 25th percentile to $50,000 at the median, with the 75th percentile at $500,000. That spread shows the foundation makes many mid-sized awards but also several very large grants.
Yes. The recent record includes repeat awards to Dartmouth College, Weill Cornell Medical Center, Medical College of Wisconsin, Fordham University, Babson College, C2k Ministries, and Xavier High School across 2023 through 2025.
General operating support is the dominant pattern in the recent grants list. The foundation also made an annual fund grant to Fordham University, and one listed award was designated for the David Cook Building Trades Education Fund.
Wisconsin is the top recipient state, with 52% of grants going there. Recent Wisconsin recipients include organizations in Hartland, Milwaukee, Pewaukee, Germantown, and Fond Du Lac.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $2,040,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WI | MILWAUKEE, WI | $500,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SPRING CREEK CHURCH | PEWAUKEE, WI | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| ZACHARIAH'S ACRES INC | BROOKFIELD, WI | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY LAKE SCHOOL | HARTLAND, WI | $71,500 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| C2K MINISTRIES | HARTLAND, WI | $70,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LIFE CHURCH | GERMANTOWN, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CARENET PREGNANCY CENTER OF MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FORDHAM UNIVERSITY | BRONX, NY | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BABSON COLLEGE | BABSON PARK, MA | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $3,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $1,250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| UNIVERSITY LAKE SCHOOL | HARTLAND, WI | $630,010 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SPRING CREEK CHURCH | PEWAUKEE, WI | $150,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| LIFE CHURCH | GERMANTOWN, WI | $75,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| C2K MINISTRIES | HARTLAND, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BABSON COLLEGE | BABSON PARK, MA | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| DARTMOUTH COLLEGE | HANOVER, NH | $1,000,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL CENTER | NEW YORK, NY | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $500,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| NORTH LAKE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT | HARTLAND, WI | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| SPRING CREEK CHURCH | PEWAUKEE, WI | $125,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FORDHAM UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| BABSON COLLEGE | BABSON PARK, MA | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| C2K MINISTRIES | HARTLAND, WI | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| MILWAUKEE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP | MILWAUKEE, WI | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION | FOND DU LAC, WI | $10,000 | 2024 | DAVID COOK BUILDING TRADES EDUCATION FUND |
| CROSSROADS CHURCH | ASPEN, CO | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| TRANSFORMED PEOPLE INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| FORDHAM UNIVERSITY | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL FUND |
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$2,040,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WI
$500,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SPRING CREEK CHURCH
$200,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
C2K MINISTRIES
$70,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
LIFE CHURCH
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
CARENET PREGNANCY CENTER OF MILWAUKEE
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$3,000,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
WEILL CORNELL MEDICAL CENTER
$1,250,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SPRING CREEK CHURCH
$150,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
LIFE CHURCH
$75,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
C2K MINISTRIES
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
DARTMOUTH COLLEGE
$1,000,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
NORTH LAKE MANAGEMENT DISTRICT
$250,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
SPRING CREEK CHURCH
$125,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
C2K MINISTRIES
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
XAVIER HIGH SCHOOL
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
MILWAUKEE EDUCATION PARTNERSHIP
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
FOND DU LAC AREA FOUNDATION
$10,000DAVID COOK BUILDING TRADES EDUCATION FUND
CROSSROADS CHURCH
$10,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
TRANSFORMED PEOPLE INC
$1,000GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT