Melvin S Cohen Foundation Inc
Eau Claire, WI · EIN 39-6075009. Reported 140 grants totalling $10.2M to 80 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Melvin S Cohen Foundation Inc did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,000 and $100,000; the smallest was $100 and the largest $575,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wyes New Orleans | New Orleans, LA | $2,350,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $1,847,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Center for Independent Thought | Philadelphia, PA | $1,090,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Free to Choose Network Inc | Erie, PA | $875,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Middle East Media Research Insitute | Washington, DC | $600,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Foundation for Individual Rights | Philadelphia, PA | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Young America's Foundation | Reston, VA | $367,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley | Eau Claire, WI | $275,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Donors Trust Inc | Alexandria, VA | $205,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Prager Univversity Foundation | Sherman Oaks, CA | $200,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Zaka Tel-Aviv | Jackson Township, NJ | $175,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Le Phillips Senior Center | Eau Claire, WI | $174,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Torah Academy of Minneapolis | St Louis Park, MN | $170,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| America Gives | New York, NY | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Veritas Classical Academy Inc | Chippewa Falls, WI | $150,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Prager University Foundation | Sherman Oaks, CA | $120,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| America-Israel Democracy Coalition | Bryn Mawr, PA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hillsdale College | Hillsdale, MI | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Commentary Inc | New York, NY | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| The Fund for American Studies | Washington, DC | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Children's Museum of Eau Claire | Eau Claire, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends of the Israel Defense Force | New York, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Friends of United Hatzalah | New York, NY | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| New Civil Liberties Alliance | Washington, DC | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Wisc Institute for Law & Liberty | Milwaukee, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cafe Momentum | Dallas, TX | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| State Policy Network | Arlington, VA | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Federalist Society | Washington, DC | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Liberty Justice Center | Austin, TX | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pacific Legal Foundation | Sacramento, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Student Free Press Assoc | Hillsdale, MI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The College Fix | Hillsdale, MI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Temple Sholom | Eau Claire, WI | $20,200 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Judicial Watch | Washington, DC | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Jewish Family & Childrens Serv Mpls | Golden Valley, MN | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Legal Insurrection Foundation | Barrington, RI | $12,500 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Alliance Defending Freedom | Scottsdale, AZ | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| George Mason Univ Fdn | Arlington, VA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Global Academy | New Brighton, MN | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Goldwater Institute | Phoenix, AZ | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mercatus Center-George Mason Univ | Arlington, VA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Pef Israel Endowment Funds | New York, NY | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| United Charitable | Tysons, VA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| American Legion Auxilliary Fdn Inc | Indianapolis, IN | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Eau Claire Babe Ruth League Inc | Eau Claire, WI | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Epoch Times Assoc | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Illinois Policy Institute | Chicago, IL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sacred Heart-St Patrick Parish | Eau Claire, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| University of Minnesota Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | $5,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Young Voices | Washington, DC | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Christians United for Israel | San Antonio, TX | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| YMCA of the Chippewa Valley | Eau Claire, WI | $4,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Literacy Chippewa Valley | Eau Claire, WI | $2,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mackinac Center for Public Policy | Midland, MI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pro Musica Hebraica | Washington, DC | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| American Enterprise Institute | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Capital Research Center | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Defending Education | Arlington, VA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Eau Claire YMCA | Eau Claire, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Independent Institute | Oakland, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Le Phillips Career Development Ctr | Eau Claire, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Middle East Forum | Philadelphia, PA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Spirit of America | Arlington, VA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Students for Liberty | Lansing, MI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Turning Point USA | Phoenix, AZ | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| University of California | Oakland, CA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Washington Legal Foundation | Washington, DC | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wsu Foundation | Pullman, WA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Le Phillips Memorial Public Library | Eau Claire, WI | $600 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Isaiah's Rock | Chino, CA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Redeemer Lutheran Church | Winona, MN | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Team Up Gymnastics Assoc | Chippewa Falls, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Providence Hospice of Seattle | Tukwila, WA | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Bright Focus Foundation | Clarksburg, MD | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cancer Research Institute | New York, NY | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Le Phillips Memorial Library | Eau Claire, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Lewy Body Dementia Assoc | Lilburn, GA | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Nra Civil Rights Defense Fund | Fairfax, VA | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Univ of Wisconsin Eau Claire Fdn | Eau Claire, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Wisconsin Fdn | Madison, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
25 of 80 (31%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 53%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Free to Choose Network Inc
SCHOLARSHIPS AND OPERATING FUNDS - Le Phillips Senior Center
OPERATING FUNDS, CAPITAL IMPROVEMENT - Torah Academy of Minneapolis
SECURITY UPGRADES, SCHOLARSHIPS - Friends of the Israel Defense Force
MEDICAL EQUIPMENT AND SUPPLIES - Liberty Justice Center
FELLOWSHIP & INTERNSHIP PROGRAMS - Bright Focus Foundation
MACULAR DEGENERATION RESEARCH
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 77 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 25 | $2,277,100 | $10,000 |
| 2022 | 27 | $2,105,500 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 28 | $1,981,300 | $15,000 |
| 2024 | 15 | $1,924,100 | $15,000 |
| 2025 | 45 | $1,928,400 | $10,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
25% of its giving went to organizations in Pennsylvania. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Pennsylvania.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Melvin S Cohen Foundation Inc's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: 3925 N Hastings Way, Eau Claire, WI, 54703. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 39-6075009 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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