Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation
ActivePhilanthropy & VoluntarismMakes PRIsFunds Individuals
MILWAUKEE, WIWebsite
About Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation
The foundation focuses its resources on a single, large local investment in higher education and public health — funding the establishment and support of the UWM Zilber College of Public Health. Their giving is place-based (Milwaukee) and institution-focused, prioritizing durable, institutional philanthropy that builds public health education and capacity at the University of Wisconsin–Milwaukee.
Focus Areas
Establishing and naming a public health college at University of Wisconsin–MilwaukeePublic health education and workforce development in MilwaukeeMajor institutional / capital gifts to local higher educationPlace-based philanthropy centered on Milwaukee civic and health infrastructure
Who They Fund
low-to-moderate-income homebuyers and homeownerssmall business owners and entrepreneurs in commercial corridorsresidents of Milwaukee neighborhoods (Lindsay Heights, Clarke Square)Black grassroots community organizations / Black residents
About Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation
Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation Inc. stands out for a deep, long-running commitment to the UWM Zilber College of Public Health, including $3.5 million grants in both 2025 and 2026 through the UWM Foundation. That institutional pattern sits alongside a wider portfolio built around Milwaukee neighborhood stability, public health capacity, and family well-being. The foundation also funded The Bridge Project’s Milwaukee cash transfer work with seven-figure support, signaling interest in direct assistance as well as larger systems-building investments. Across its recent grants, the foundation backs organizations that work on housing, health, and community infrastructure, often through multi-year relationships. Milwaukee-based grantees appear repeatedly, but the portfolio is not limited to one sector: it reaches into homelessness prevention, substance abuse services, property improvement, small business support, and early childhood or youth-serving programs. A smaller set of grants also extends to Hawaii, including support for a birth center renovation and a campaign at Le Jardin Academy. The result is a place-based strategy with a strong institutional anchor and a clear emphasis on practical, community-level outcomes.
What Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation Funds
Public health is the clearest through line. In 2025 and 2026, the foundation gave $3.5 million each year to the UWM Foundation for the UWM Zilber College of Public Health, reinforcing higher education and workforce development in Milwaukee. It also made a $500,000 grant to UWM Foundation Inc. for the Vera Zilber Public Health Fund. Housing and neighborhood stability are another major theme. The foundation awarded $500,000 to ACTS Housing for acquisition funding and $500,000 to Community Development Alliance for down payment assistance, alongside $500,000 to Revitalize Milwaukee for a neighborhood roofing project. Health and supportive services appear in several forms. It gave $500,000 to Meta House for substance abuse and $800,000 to Visiting Nurse Association of Wisconsin Inc. for Aurora Zilber Family Hospice. Community development programming also shows up through $400,000 to Northwest Side Community Development Corporation for small business development.
How Joseph and Vera Zilber Family Foundation Gives
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$16.1M
Total Assets
$422.3M
Total Revenue
$23.3M
Total Expenses
$19M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $3K and $50K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$3K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$50K
Geographic Reach
National23 states funded
About 67% of grants go to recipients in WI.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
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