About Wisconsin 4-H Foundation
Raise funds to expand learning opportunities and empower generations of 4-H members and leaders across Wisconsin by providing resources to 4-H programs, scholarships, endowments, and donor-supported activities.
Focus Areas
Youth developmentEducation4-H programmingScholarshipsEndowments
Who They Fund
children of livestock exhibitorsfamilies of sold-animal owners4-H participantsrural youth and farming families
Funding Style
direct cash support/distributionprogram-specific fundingyouth development support
About Wisconsin 4-H Foundation
Wisconsin 4-h Foundation Inc channels its recent giving into two clear tracks: livestock auction proceeds distributed to the children and families of sold animals, and support for Wisconsin 4-H activities. In the largest grant listed, Equity Cooperative Livestock Association in Baraboo received $757,026 in 2024, followed by a $628,178 grant in 2025 for the same livestock-auction distribution purpose. The foundation also backed University of Wisconsin-Extension in Madison with grants of $232,657 in 2024, $221,320 in 2023, and $201,990 in 2025 to support 4-H activities. Those recurring awards show a funder that works through restricted program support rather than broad general philanthropy. Its stated program structure includes county support, endowments, and a livestock endowment, which aligns with a model built around Wisconsin 4-H infrastructure, youth development, and agricultural education. The recipient base in the recent grants list includes county 4-H leaders, extension partners, and livestock committees, pointing to a networked approach that connects state-level programming with local delivery.
What Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Funds
Youth development is the main thread across the portfolio, including $201,990 to University of Wisconsin-Extension in 2025 to support 4-H activities and $18,200 to Jefferson County 4-H Clubs & Affiliated 4-H in 2025 for the same purpose. Agricultural education appears through livestock-linked awards, such as $20,143 to Waushara County Junior Livestock Committee dba UW-Extension Waushara in 2024 for livestock auction proceeds distributed to the children and families of sold animals. Local 4-H leadership is another recurring theme: $19,000 went to Marathon County 4-H Leaders Federation in 2024, and $27,000 went to Wi Assoc of Extension 4-H Youth Development Professionals (WAE4-HYDP) in 2023. The foundation also supports fair and community-based 4-H activity through grants like $17,000 to Friends of Rock County Fair in 2024.
How Wisconsin 4-H Foundation Gives
Typical grant sizes cluster in the low five figures, with a p25 of $11,250, a median of $17,567, and a p75 of $25,286. The pattern is not limited to one-time awards: several recipients appear in multiple years, including University of Wisconsin-Extension, Equity Cooperative Livestock Association, Waushara County Junior Livestock Committee dba UW-Extension Waushara, Waupaca County Large Market Animal Sale Committee dba UW-Extension Waupaca, Friends of Rock County Fair, and 4-H American Spirit Committee. The foundation’s structure is program-specific, with endowments and restricted 4-H funding, and it does not fund individuals. Unsolicited applications are not part of the listed programs.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$897K
Total Assets
$4.9M
Total Revenue
$1.2M
Total Expenses
$1.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $11K and $25K, with a median of $18K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$18K
75th Percentile
$25K
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
About 100% of grants go to recipients in WI.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
BRENDA SCHEIDER
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