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    5. Friends of Pbs Wisconsin
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    Friends of Pbs Wisconsin

    ActiveArts, Culture & Humanities
    MADISON, WIWebsite6082652302

    About Friends of Pbs Wisconsin

    To support the educational, cultural, and community broadcasting services of PBS Wisconsin through securing financial support, positive community relations, a strong and effective volunteer system, and related administrative services.

    Focus Areas

    public broadcastingeducationjournalismartslocal/state programmingcommunity outreach

    Who They Fund

    public media organizations (PBS member stations)statewide Wisconsin viewers/communitieseducational/academic licensors (e.g., University-licensed broadcasters)

    Funding Style

    general operating supportproject-specific (restricted) grants

    About Friends of Pbs Wisconsin

    Friends of Pbs Wisconsin Inc backs PBS Wisconsin’s public service role through large operating and project grants to the University of Wisconsin–Madison and Wisconsin Public Broadcasting Foundation Inc. The foundation’s recent support is built around keeping WHA-TV and WPBF funded for general overall support, specific projects, and production work tied to Wisconsin public broadcasting. A 2025 grant of $9,168,922 to University of Wisconsin - Madison shows the scale of that support, and a 2025 grant of $2,416,444 to Wisconsin Public Broadcasting Foundation Inc points to a second institutional channel for the same mission. The grant purposes repeatedly reference PBS Wisconsin operating under university or board licenses, which makes the funder’s relationship to statewide public media central to its identity. The grant list also includes Boettcher Trinklein Television Inc in Hartland, indicating that its support extends beyond the main Madison institutions when a production or support need fits the broadcasting mission. Across the file, the foundation is funding public broadcasting services, specific productions, and related administrative support rather than broad grantmaking across many sectors.

    What Friends of Pbs Wisconsin Funds

    Public broadcasting is the core focus. The foundation gave $7,524,250 to University of Wisconsin - Madison in 2024 to provide WHA-TV, operating as PBS Wisconsin, with general overall support and support for specific projects. A separate 2024 grant of $2,842,969 to Wisconsin Public Broadcasting Foundation Inc served the same PBS Wisconsin mission through WPBF under the Wisconsin Educational Communications Board license. It also supports production work: Boettcher Trinklein Television Inc received $285,000 in 2025 for general overall support and specific production projects. Education and civic information also appear in the grant purposes. The active America@250 Community Conversations Grants program offers $500 awards in Wisconsin for community conversations on Revolutionary War-era themes such as freedom, democracy, and service, with PBS Wisconsin and partners providing facilitation. That program links the foundation’s media work to public discussion and history education.

    How Friends of Pbs Wisconsin Gives

    Typical grant size is large: the 25th percentile is $2,416,444, the median is $2,842,969, and the 75th percentile is $7,524,250. The recent file shows repeated support to the same Wisconsin public media institutions across 2024 and 2025, which points to recurring institutional funding rather than one-off awards. The foundation does not make grants to individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its active community program is separate from its main grant pattern and uses $500 awards with unsolicited applications accepted.

    Financial Snapshot

    Annual Giving

    $11.9M

    Total Assets

    $31.8M

    Total Revenue

    $16.7M

    Total Expenses

    $16.7M

    Typical Grant Size

    Most grants fall between $2.4M and $7.5M, with a median of $2.8M.

    25th Percentile

    $2.4M

    Median

    $2.8M

    75th Percentile

    $7.5M

    Geographic Reach

    Local1 state funded

    About 100% of grants go to recipients in WI.

    Funding intensity
    Low
    High
    Headquarters

    Leadership

    ERIC GREILING

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    Privacy PolicyTerms of ServiceSystem Status
    EIN: 23-7300462
    2 filings on record
    See If You're a Fit — FreeFree account · instant fit score · similar funders
    program/production support
    mission-aligned institutional support

    Topics

    public broadcasting/media productioneducational television/contentlocal/statewide programming and outreachbroadcast journalism and civic information

    Where Friends of Pbs Wisconsin Makes Grants

    Giving is entirely in Wisconsin: 100% of grants in the file go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is also Wisconsin. Recent recipient cities include Madison and Hartland. The two Madison recipients account for most of the visible grant activity, while the Hartland award shows some statewide reach within Wisconsin rather than out-of-state giving.

    Frequently Asked Questions About Friends of Pbs Wisconsin

    What does Friends of Pbs Wisconsin Inc fund?

    It funds PBS Wisconsin’s broadcasting mission through general overall support, specific projects, and production support. The recent grants show money flowing to WHA-TV operating as PBS Wisconsin, Wisconsin Public Broadcasting Foundation Inc, and a production company in Hartland. The stated focus areas include public broadcasting, education, journalism, arts, local/state programming, and community outreach.

    Does the foundation give outside Wisconsin?

    No. The grant record shows 5 grants and 100% of them went to recipients in Wisconsin. Madison is the most frequent recipient city, and Hartland appears as another in-state location.

    What is the typical grant size?

    The grant-size distribution is high-dollar and concentrated: the 25th percentile is $2,416,444, the median is $2,842,969, and the 75th percentile is $7,524,250. That pattern matches a funder making major institutional grants rather than many small awards.

    Are there any small community grants or open programs?

    Yes. The America@250 Community Conversations Grants program offers $500 grants in Wisconsin. It supports community conversations about Revolutionary War-era themes such as freedom, democracy, and service, and the page says PBS Wisconsin and partners provide facilitation.

    Do the same recipients appear more than once?

    Yes. University of Wisconsin - Madison appears in 2024 and 2025, and Wisconsin Public Broadcasting Foundation Inc appears in both 2024 and 2025. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing support for the same public media institutions.

    Latest 990 Filing

    2025

    Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.

    Recent Grants

    Most recent grants reported to the IRS.

    RecipientLocationAmountYearPurpose
    UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISONMADISON, WI$9,168,9222025THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANTS IS TO PROVIDE WHA-TV, (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.
    WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION INCMADISON, WI$2,416,4442025THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO PROVIDE WPBF, WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION, INC. (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE WISCONSIN EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BOARD) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.
    BOETTCHER TRINKLEIN TELEVISION INCHARTLAND, WI$285,0002025THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO PROVIDE BOETTCHER TRINKLEIN TELEVISION, INC. WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PRODUCTION PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.
    UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISONMADISON, WI$7,524,2502024THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANTS IS TO PROVIDE WHA-TV, (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.
    WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION INCMADISON, WI$2,842,9692024THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO PROVIDE WPBF, WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION, INC. (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE WISCONSIN EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BOARD) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.

    UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON

    $9,168,922
    MADISON, WI2025

    THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANTS IS TO PROVIDE WHA-TV, (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.

    WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION INC

    $2,416,444
    MADISON, WI2025

    THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO PROVIDE WPBF, WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION, INC. (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE WISCONSIN EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BOARD) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.

    BOETTCHER TRINKLEIN TELEVISION INC

    $285,000
    HARTLAND, WI2025

    THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO PROVIDE BOETTCHER TRINKLEIN TELEVISION, INC. WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PRODUCTION PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.

    UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN - MADISON

    $7,524,250
    MADISON, WI2024

    THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANTS IS TO PROVIDE WHA-TV, (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN BOARD OF REGENTS) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.

    WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION INC

    $2,842,969
    MADISON, WI2024

    THE PURPOSE OF THE GRANT IS TO PROVIDE WPBF, WISCONSIN PUBLIC BROADCASTING FOUNDATION, INC. (OPERATING AS PBS WISCONSIN, UNDER LICENSE FROM THE WISCONSIN EDUCATIONAL COMMUNICATIONS BOARD) WITH GENERAL OVERALL SUPPORT AND TO SUPPORT SPECIFIC PROJECTS, IN ACCORDANCE WITH THE FRIENDS OF PBS WISCONSIN, INC. MISSION STATEMENT.