The Grohne Family Foundation concentrates overwhelmingly on conservation philanthropy—especially waterfowl and wetland habitat protection—while making occasional large gifts to medical research and university-based research. Giving is highly concentrated into a handful of very large grants, with repeated multi-million-dollar support for mission-aligned conservation nonprofits. Their profile suggests a donor interested in landscape-scale habitat conservation plus selective investments in health and higher-education research.
The David F & Margaret T Grohne Family Foundation’s recent giving is dominated by repeated multimillion-dollar support for Ducks Unlimited Inc., with $7,500,200 awarded in 2023, 2024, and 2025. That pattern places waterfowl and wetland habitat conservation at the center of the foundation’s profile. Alongside those large conservation grants, the foundation has also made selective major gifts to research and education institutions, including $3,000,000 to Mayo Clinic in 2025 and $1,000,000 to Max Mcgraw Wildlife Fndtn in both 2024 and 2025. The overall picture is a funder that backs a small number of mission-aligned organizations at high dollar levels, rather than distributing funding broadly across many recipients. Its conservation portfolio extends beyond one organization. Wetlands Initiative received $250,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Delta Waterfowl Foundation received $100,000 in 2023. The foundation also appears to support institution-based work in other fields through gifts to Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Purdue Foundation, and Purdue Polytechnic Institute. Across the recent grants list, the same grantees recur over multiple years, suggesting sustained relationships rather than one-time awards.
Waterfowl and wetland habitat conservation is the clearest throughline in the foundation’s recent giving. Ducks Unlimited Inc. received $7,500,200 in 2023, 2024, and 2025, while Wetlands Initiative received $250,000 in each of those same years. Delta Waterfowl Foundation also appears in the recent grants list with a $100,000 grant in 2023. The foundation also funds wildlife-habitat organizations with a local and regional footprint. Max Mcgraw Wildlife Fndtn received $1,000,000 in 2024 and again in 2025. In the hunting and sportsmen’s conservation space, US Sportsmen's Alliance received $100,000 in 2024 and 2025, and Sportsmen's Alliance Foundation received $100,000 in 2023. Beyond conservation, the foundation has made research and education grants. Mayo Clinic received $3,000,000 in 2025, and Salk Institute for Biological Studies received $125,000 in each of 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Typical grant size is $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $7,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile, which points to a distribution with many modest awards and a smaller set of much larger grants. The recent grants list also shows repeated gifts to the same organizations across 2023, 2024, and 2025, including Ducks Unlimited Inc., Wetlands Initiative, Hillsdale College, and Salk Institute for Biological Studies. The foundation is a regular funder rather than a DAF vehicle, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments.
$13.5M
$161.7M
$17.7M
$14.4M
Most grants fall between $5K and $100K, with a median of $7K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$7K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Very concentrated: a small number of very large grants (multi-million-dollar) with repeat major funding to the same conservation organizations rather than many small awards.
Notable grantees: Ducks Unlimited, Inc., Max McGraw Wildlife Foundation, Mayo Clinic, University of Colorado Boulder
Giving is national, with grants going entirely to U.S. recipients in the recent data. Illinois appears frequently through Chicago-area and other in-state recipients, and 25% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Outside Illinois, recurring grant locations include Memphis, Tennessee; Rochester, Minnesota; West Lafayette, Indiana; and Columbus, Ohio. The top state by grant count is Indiana, reflecting where the foundation gives most often rather than where it is headquartered.
The recent grants list is dominated by conservation organizations tied to waterfowl and wetlands, especially Ducks Unlimited Inc., Wetlands Initiative, and Max Mcgraw Wildlife Fndtn. It also funds selected research and education institutions, including Mayo Clinic, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, Purdue Foundation, and Purdue Polytechnic Institute.
Recurring support is a clear pattern. Ducks Unlimited Inc. received $7,500,200 in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Wetlands Initiative received $250,000 in each of those years; and Salk Institute for Biological Studies received $125,000 across the same three years.
The grant-size distribution is concentrated below the largest awards, with a 25th percentile of $5,000, a median of $7,000, and a 75th percentile of $100,000. The recent grants list also includes several multi-million-dollar awards, showing that the foundation makes a mix of smaller and very large grants.
Its top state by grant count is Indiana. The recent grants list includes Indiana recipients such as Purdue Foundation in West Lafayette and Purdue Polytechnic Institute in West Lafayette, along with other repeated Midwest and national grantees.
No. The foundation does not fund individuals and it does not make program-related investments, so its activity is limited to charitable grants.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $7,500,200 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| MAYO CLINIC | ROCHESTER, MN | $3,000,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| MAX MCGRAW WILDLIFE FNDTN | DUNDEE TOWNSHIP, IL | $1,000,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $500,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| FIELD SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $300,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WETLANDS INITIATIVE | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES | LA JOLLA, CA | $125,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DELTA WATERFOWL FOUNDATION | BISMARCK, ND | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PURDUE FOUNDATION | WEST LAFAYETTE, IN | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| US SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE | COLUMBUS, OH | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| MORRIS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | MORRIS, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| KIPP FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ILLINOIS CONSERVATION FOUNDATION | SPRINGFIELD, IL | $50,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE PHOENIX CHILDRENS FOUNDATION | PHOENIX, AZ | $30,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ED CHOICE | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $20,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CHRIST CHURCH SCHOOL | PARADISE VALLEY, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WHEELER MISSION | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| MISSION MID DEL INC | MIDWEST CITY, OK | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| WOUNDED WARRIORS | CHICAGO, IL | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | PHOENIX, AZ | $10,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SIMON CANCER CENTER 100 VOICES OF HOPE | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LEAH'S HOPE | MIDWEST CITY, OK | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY - FL CHAPTER | ARLINGTON, VA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LUKE'S WINGS | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| GATEWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH | ROCKFORD, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER | TAMPA, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE SIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION | OAKLAND, CA | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| LUCKY LAB RESCUE | LEWISVILLE, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SALVATION ARMY CHICAGO BRANCH | CHICAGO, IL | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE CARING CENTER | LEBANON, IN | $5,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS | CINCINNATI, OH | $3,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE JULIAN CENTER | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| THE DAMIEN CENTER | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $2,500 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ALZHEIMERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INC | NEW YORK, NY | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ACTORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS | DOWNERS GROVE, IL | $2,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION | TAVERNIER, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY | KANAB, UT | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| SEASPAR | DOWNERS GROVE, IL | $1,000 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| ST JUDE RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $200 | 2025 | CHARITABLE |
| DUCKS UNLIMITED INC | MEMPHIS, TN | $7,500,200 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| MAX MCGRAW WILDLIFE FNDTN | DUNDEE TOWNSHIP, IL | $1,000,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE | HILLSDALE, MI | $500,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| WETLANDS INITIATIVE | CHICAGO, IL | $250,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES | LA JOLLA, CA | $125,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE | ARLINGTON, VA | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| US SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE | COLUMBUS, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
| FIELD SCHOOL | CHICAGO, IL | $100,000 | 2024 | CHARITABLE |
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$7,500,200CHARITABLE
MAYO CLINIC
$3,000,000CHARITABLE
MAX MCGRAW WILDLIFE FNDTN
$1,000,000CHARITABLE
HILLSDALE COLLEGE
$500,000CHARITABLE
FIELD SCHOOL
$300,000CHARITABLE
WETLANDS INITIATIVE
$250,000CHARITABLE
SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES
CHARITABLE
DELTA WATERFOWL FOUNDATION
$100,000CHARITABLE
PURDUE FOUNDATION
$100,000CHARITABLE
US SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE
$100,000CHARITABLE
MORRIS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$100,000CHARITABLE
KIPP FOUNDATION
$100,000CHARITABLE
THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
$100,000CHARITABLE
ILLINOIS CONSERVATION FOUNDATION
$50,000CHARITABLE
THE PHOENIX CHILDRENS FOUNDATION
$30,000CHARITABLE
ED CHOICE
$20,000CHARITABLE
CHRIST CHURCH SCHOOL
$10,000CHARITABLE
WHEELER MISSION
$10,000CHARITABLE
INDIANA UNIVERSITY SCHOOL OF MEDICINE
$10,000CHARITABLE
MISSION MID DEL INC
$10,000CHARITABLE
WOUNDED WARRIORS
$10,000CHARITABLE
PHOENIX CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$10,000CHARITABLE
SIMON CANCER CENTER 100 VOICES OF HOPE
$5,000CHARITABLE
LEAH'S HOPE
$5,000CHARITABLE
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY - FL CHAPTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
LUKE'S WINGS
$5,000CHARITABLE
GATEWAY COMMUNITY CHURCH
$5,000CHARITABLE
BIG BROTHER BIG SISTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
THE SIERRA CLUB FOUNDATION
$5,000CHARITABLE
LUCKY LAB RESCUE
$5,000CHARITABLE
SALVATION ARMY CHICAGO BRANCH
$5,000CHARITABLE
NATIONAL PARK FOUNDATION
$5,000CHARITABLE
THE CARING CENTER
$5,000CHARITABLE
DISABLED AMERICAN VETERANS
$3,000CHARITABLE
THE JULIAN CENTER
$2,500CHARITABLE
THE DAMIEN CENTER
$2,500CHARITABLE
ALZHEIMERS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA INC
$2,000CHARITABLE
ACTORS WITH SPECIAL NEEDS
$2,000CHARITABLE
CORAL RESTORATION FOUNDATION
$1,000CHARITABLE
BEST FRIENDS ANIMAL SOCIETY
$1,000CHARITABLE
SEASPAR
$1,000CHARITABLE
ST JUDE RESEARCH HOSPITAL
$200CHARITABLE
DUCKS UNLIMITED INC
$7,500,200CHARITABLE
MAX MCGRAW WILDLIFE FNDTN
$1,000,000CHARITABLE
HILLSDALE COLLEGE
$500,000CHARITABLE
WETLANDS INITIATIVE
$250,000CHARITABLE
SALK INSTITUTE FOR BIOLOGICAL STUDIES
$125,000CHARITABLE
THE LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
$100,000CHARITABLE
US SPORTSMEN'S ALLIANCE
$100,000CHARITABLE
FIELD SCHOOL
$100,000CHARITABLE