West Bend Community Foundation concentrates its giving on local Washington County and greater Milwaukee-area institutions, prioritizing direct support for community social services, K–12 and faith-based education, youth development, local arts and historic preservation, and land conservation. Grants are often sizable, multi-year or repeat awards targeted to capital campaigns, operating support, and unrestricted funding that shore up local nonprofit infrastructure and safety-net services. The foundation demonstrates a clear preference for place-based investments that sustain long-standing community organizations and civic amenities.
West Bend Community Foundation Inc shows a strong pattern of place-based support through repeated large awards to local organizations serving Washington County and the greater Milwaukee area. Its recent grants include a $572,245 award to Family Promise of Washington County for The BCS Project and a $555,500 grant to Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation for Final Mile, alongside major support for community institutions tied to housing stability, conservation, and civic life. The foundation also backs recurring local priorities through sizable operating and campaign gifts, including support for the Museum of Wisconsin Art, United Way of Washington County, and the City of West Bend. Education is another visible thread, with grants reaching K–12 schools and college access efforts, while youth programs, historic preservation, and faith-based institutions appear regularly in the recent grant list. The overall pattern is one of sustained investment in local nonprofit infrastructure rather than short-term, one-off project funding. Across the recent grants, the foundation favors organizations that provide direct services, maintain community facilities, or preserve regional assets. The mix of unrestricted use, operating support, capital campaigns, and event-linked gifts suggests a funder that supports both immediate operations and longer-term organizational needs.
In community safety-net work, the foundation gave $572,245 to Family Promise of Washington County for The BCS Project and later $147,068 for unrestricted use. It also supported United Way of Washington County with $286,755 for The 2021 Campaign and $132,604 in support of the annual campaign payable in October. For youth development, it awarded $450,000 to Kettle Moraine YMCA for accessibility and safety upgrades and $155,936 to Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County for the capital campaign. Education also receives direct support: Roncalli High School received $353,333 for The Pierside Auction and $333,333 for The Capital Campaign, while Living Word Lutheran High School got $131,000 for teacher education. In conservation, Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation received $164,700 for a sponsorship tied to Somewhere in Time - Race for Open Space.
Typical grants fall around a median of $20,000, with the middle half ranging from $10,000 to $49,062. The recent list also includes frequent larger awards above $100,000, showing a willingness to make sizable commitments when a project or campaign calls for it. The same recipients appear across multiple years, including Family Promise of Washington County, United Way of Washington County, Museum of Wisconsin Art, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County, which points to recurring support rather than isolated gifts. West Bend Community Foundation Inc is a public charity, and the grants shown are mainly operating, unrestricted, campaign, and capital support.
$4.5M
$83.4M
$5.5M
$5.2M
Most grants fall between $10K and $49K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$49K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, place-based philanthropy: relatively few but large grants with multiple repeat payments to core local organizations; emphasis on capital campaigns, unrestricted operating support, and program continuity rather than scattered small one-off gifts.
Notable grantees: Family Promise of Washington County, Roncalli High School, Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, Kettle Moraine YMCA, Museum of Wisconsin Art
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly concentrated in Wisconsin, which accounts for 82% of recipients in the data. West Bend appears often, with grants to Family Promise of Washington County, Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation, Museum of Wisconsin Art, the City of West Bend, and Historic West Bend Theatre. Milwaukee is another regular recipient city, including support for Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy, Next Door Foundation, Versiti, and Milwaukee Repertory Theater. Outside Wisconsin, the recent grants list includes Nashville, Tennessee; Fort Wayne, Indiana; and Manitowoc, Appleton, and Newburg in Wisconsin.
The recent grants show repeated support for local social services, education, youth development, arts and historic preservation, and land conservation. Examples include Family Promise of Washington County, Roncalli High School, Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County, Museum of Wisconsin Art, and Cedar Lakes Conservation Foundation.
The typical grant size is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $20,000 at the median, and $49,062 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also includes awards well above $100,000, including several in the $100,000 to $500,000 range.
Yes. The recent grants list shows repeated awards to several groups across multiple years, including Family Promise of Washington County, United Way of Washington County, Museum of Wisconsin Art, and Boys & Girls Clubs of Washington County. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts.
Most grants go to Wisconsin recipients: 82% of grants are in the foundation’s HQ state, and the top recipient cities include West Bend and Milwaukee. The recent grants also include a smaller number of awards outside Wisconsin, such as Nashville, Tennessee and Fort Wayne, Indiana.
The recent grants include unrestricted use, annual and operating support, capital campaigns, teacher education, accessibility and safety upgrades, and event-linked sponsorships. That mix appears across organizations such as the Museum of Wisconsin Art, United Way of Washington County, Kettle Moraine YMCA, and Living Word Lutheran High School.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CEDAR LAKES CONSERVATION FOUNDATION | WEST BEND, WI | $555,500 | 2025 | FINAL MILE |
| MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART | WEST BEND, WI | $294,644 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| UNITED WAY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY | WEST BEND, WI | $273,886 | 2025 | THE OFFICER MATCHING PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF CHRIS ZWYGART |
| CITY OF WEST BEND | WEST BEND, WI | $198,500 | 2025 | DOWNTOWN PLANTERS |
| FAMILY PROMISE OF WASHINGTON COUNTY | WEST BEND, WI | $147,068 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY INC | WEST BEND, WI | $140,717 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| MILWAUKEE REPERTORY THEATER INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $110,350 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| RIVEREDGE NATURE CENTER INC | NEWBURG, WI | $108,250 | 2025 | HELP TO RENOVATE THE RIVEREDGE NATURE CENTER VIA A DONATION TO LEGACY CAPITAL CAMPAIGN. |
| PLAYING FIELD INC | MADISON, WI | $100,000 | 2025 | ECE SPACE RENOVATION |
| UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON BURSAR OFFICE | MADISON, WI | $97,500 | 2025 | ZIEGLER FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND SCHOLARSHIP |
| MORAINE PARK FOUNDATION | FOND DU LAC, WI | $90,400 | 2025 | 2024 WEST BEND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SPECIAL PROJECT GRANT - ECE FOCUS |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY | WEST BEND, WI | $87,550 | 2025 | THE BCS PROJECT (DEC) |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $83,040 | 2025 | THE WEST BEND REGION |
| FORWARD CAREERS INC | WAUKESHA, WI | $81,000 | 2025 | CHILDCARE ADVANCEMENT READINESS EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE (CARE) |
| ALL-IN MILWAUKEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $80,000 | 2025 | SUSTAINING SUPPORT |
| WEST BEND COMMUNITY & ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION INC | WEST BEND, WI | $77,376 | 2025 | STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY | SLINGER, WI | $69,094 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| THE THRESHOLD INC | WEST BEND, WI | $64,900 | 2025 | THE GENERAL FUND |
| UNITED PERFORMING ARTS FUND INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $63,500 | 2025 | WASHINGTON COUNTY PROGRAMMING |
| HISTORIC WEST BEND THEATRE INC | WEST BEND, WI | $62,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| LAKESHORE COMMUNITY HEALTH CARE | SHEBOYGAN, WI | $58,000 | 2025 | PATIENT CARE IN WEST BEND |
| FRIENDS INC | WEST BEND, WI | $58,000 | 2025 | EMERGENCY SHELTER SECURITY IMPROVEMENTS |
| UNITED WAY OF DANE COUNTY | MADISON, WI | $56,500 | 2025 | THE DIRECTOR MATCHING GIFTS PROGRAM |
| FRIENDS OF LAC LAWRANN CONSERVANCY | WEST BEND, WI | $55,500 | 2025 | THE NATURE PLAYGROUND PROJECT |
| KETTLE MORAINE YMCA | WEST BEND, WI | $55,250 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| FEEDING AMERICA EASTERN WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $51,500 | 2025 | THE OFFICER MATCHING GIFT PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF ROB JACQUES |
| GREATER MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION | MILWAUKEE, WI | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS OF WASHINGTON CO | WEST BEND, WI | $45,500 | 2025 | AN ANNUAL GIFT |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY | WEST BEND, WI | $42,000 | 2025 | WASHINGTON COUNTY GOLF COURSE(S), COUNTY PARKS, AND COUNTY TRAIL SYSTEMS |
| OSHKOSH AREA COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | OSHKOSH, WI | $41,000 | 2025 | THE GREEN LAKE PLAYGROUND |
| WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC | WEST BEND, WI | $40,976 | 2025 | 5-YEAR RECONNECT |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES OF MILWAUKEE | ST FRANCIS, WI | $38,000 | 2025 | MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE - WASHINGTON COUNTY |
| OZAUKEE WASHINGTON LAND TRUST | WEST BEND, WI | $37,500 | 2025 | SPECIAL MERGER PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF THE MILWAUKEE RIVER WATERSHED |
| ELEVATE INC | JACKSON, WI | $36,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| BRYON RIESCH PARALYSIS FOUNDATION INC | WAUKESHA, WI | $34,900 | 2025 | SILVER CIRCLE DONATION REQUEST ON BEHALF OF R&R INSURANCE |
| SCHAUER ARTS AND ACTIVITIES CENTER INC | HARTFORD, WI | $34,500 | 2025 | THE BCS PROJECT FEB-JUNE |
| LIVING WORD LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL INCORPORATED | JACKSON, WI | $32,927 | 2025 | THE LICENSE TO GIVE GALA |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF WASHINGTON AND DODGE COUNTIES | WEST BEND, WI | $30,600 | 2025 | 2025 GALA FOUNDATIONAL |
| WEST BEND BASEBALL ASSOCIATION | WEST BEND, WI | $30,000 | 2025 | THE BULL PENS |
| FULL SHELF FOOD PANTRY INC | WEST BEND, WI | $29,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| NAMI OF WASHINGTON COUNTY | WEST BEND, WI | $28,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| CASA GUADALUPE EDUCATION CENTER | WEST BEND, WI | $26,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION | GLENVIEW, IL | $25,750 | 2025 | THE OFFICER MATCHING PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF KELLY TIGHE |
| VOLUNTEER CENTER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY | WEST BEND, WI | $25,700 | 2025 | TASTE & LEARN - COMMUNITY RESOURCE SERIES |
| FRIENDS OF PLUM MEDIA INC | MILWAUKEE, WI | $25,000 | 2025 | JOHN MCGIVERN'S MAIN STREET-TOWN SQUARE |
| RIDES AND REINS | SLINGER, WI | $24,200 | 2025 | RIDES AND REINS CAPITAL SUPPORT |
| 4C FOR CHILDREN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $23,500 | 2025 | CHILD CARE PROVIDER RESOURCE ROOM |
| WEST BEND FRIENDS OF PARKS AND RECREATION | WEST BEND, WI | $23,500 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
| GREATER MILWAUKEE COMMITTEE | MILWAUKEE, WI | $22,995 | 2025 | DEREK TYUS 2023 GIFT |
| THE YOUTH AND FAMILY PROJECT INC | WEST BEND, WI | $22,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED USE |
UNITED WAY OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
$273,886THE OFFICER MATCHING PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF CHRIS ZWYGART
CITY OF WEST BEND
$198,500DOWNTOWN PLANTERS
UNRESTRICTED USE
HELP TO RENOVATE THE RIVEREDGE NATURE CENTER VIA A DONATION TO LEGACY CAPITAL CAMPAIGN.
UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN MADISON BURSAR OFFICE
$97,500ZIEGLER FAMILY FOUNDATION FUND SCHOLARSHIP
2024 WEST BEND COMMUNITY FOUNDATION SPECIAL PROJECT GRANT - ECE FOCUS
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
$87,550THE BCS PROJECT (DEC)
FORWARD CAREERS INC
$81,000CHILDCARE ADVANCEMENT READINESS EMPLOYMENT INITIATIVE (CARE)
WEST BEND COMMUNITY & ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP FOUNDATION INC
$77,376STUDENT SCHOLARSHIPS
THE THRESHOLD INC
$64,900THE GENERAL FUND
HISTORIC WEST BEND THEATRE INC
$62,000UNRESTRICTED USE
FRIENDS OF LAC LAWRANN CONSERVANCY
$55,500THE NATURE PLAYGROUND PROJECT
KETTLE MORAINE YMCA
$55,250UNRESTRICTED USE
THE OFFICER MATCHING GIFT PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF ROB JACQUES
INTERFAITH CAREGIVERS OF WASHINGTON CO
$45,500AN ANNUAL GIFT
WASHINGTON COUNTY
$42,000WASHINGTON COUNTY GOLF COURSE(S), COUNTY PARKS, AND COUNTY TRAIL SYSTEMS
WASHINGTON COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC
$40,9765-YEAR RECONNECT
MENTAL HEALTH INITIATIVE - WASHINGTON COUNTY
SPECIAL MERGER PROJECT IN SUPPORT OF THE MILWAUKEE RIVER WATERSHED
BRYON RIESCH PARALYSIS FOUNDATION INC
$34,900SILVER CIRCLE DONATION REQUEST ON BEHALF OF R&R INSURANCE
SCHAUER ARTS AND ACTIVITIES CENTER INC
$34,500THE BCS PROJECT FEB-JUNE
LIVING WORD LUTHERAN HIGH SCHOOL INCORPORATED
$32,927THE LICENSE TO GIVE GALA
WEST BEND BASEBALL ASSOCIATION
$30,000THE BULL PENS
FULL SHELF FOOD PANTRY INC
$29,000UNRESTRICTED USE
NAMI OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
$28,000UNRESTRICTED USE
THE OFFICER MATCHING PROGRAM ON BEHALF OF KELLY TIGHE
VOLUNTEER CENTER OF WASHINGTON COUNTY
$25,700TASTE & LEARN - COMMUNITY RESOURCE SERIES
FRIENDS OF PLUM MEDIA INC
$25,000JOHN MCGIVERN'S MAIN STREET-TOWN SQUARE
RIDES AND REINS
$24,200RIDES AND REINS CAPITAL SUPPORT
4C FOR CHILDREN
$23,500CHILD CARE PROVIDER RESOURCE ROOM
WEST BEND FRIENDS OF PARKS AND RECREATION
$23,500UNRESTRICTED USE