Pleasant T Rowland Foundation Inc
Brookfield, WI · EIN 39-1868295. Reported 274 grants totalling $28.0M to 135 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. Pleasant T Rowland 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 $5,725. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,000 and $50,000; the smallest was $250 and the largest $4,567,124. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| American Players Theater | Spring Green, WI | $4,642,124 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Fountain Valley School | Colorado Springs, CO | $3,319,991 | 11 | 3 | 2025 |
| Uw Foundation | Madison, WI | $2,947,902 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| One City Learning Centers | Madison, WI | $2,300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| One City Early Learning Centers | Madison, WI | $1,976,492 | 10 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wyso | Madison, WI | $1,238,523 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| The Playing Field | Madison, WI | $1,000,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| The Reading League | Syracuse, NY | $805,400 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Capital City Theatre | Middleton, WI | $737,500 | 5 | 3 | 2025 |
| Madison Children's Museum | Madison, WI | $716,667 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| University of Wisconsin Foundation | Madison, WI | $550,500 | 3 | 2 | 2025 |
| Wlacc | Skaneateles, NY | $507,647 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Centro Hispano | Madison, WI | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Madison College | Madison, WI | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Taliesin Preservation Inc | Spring Green, WI | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Taliesin Preservaton Inc | Spring Green, WI | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| University of Wisconsin - Odyssey Project | Madison, WI | $500,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Aldo Leopold Nature Center | Monona, WI | $340,000 | 5 | 3 | 2025 |
| Madison Public Library Foundation Inc | Madison, WI | $315,000 | 5 | 3 | 2025 |
| One City Schools | Madison, WI | $299,216 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Arts & Literature Laboratory Inc | Madison, WI | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| River Food Pantry | Madison, WI | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Root to Rise | Madison, WI | $200,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Madison Opera | Madison, WI | $150,000 | 3 | 2 | 2025 |
| Wells College | Aurora, NY | $150,000 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| Madison Public Market | Madison, WI | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Madison Public Market Foundation | Madison, WI | $125,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Madison Symphony Orchestra | Madison, WI | $121,500 | 4 | 3 | 2025 |
| Madison Museum of Contemporary Art | Madison, WI | $105,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Friends of Boca Grande Community Center | Boca Grande, FL | $103,000 | 4 | 3 | 2025 |
| Agrace Foundation | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Children's Theater of Madison | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Families & Schools Together Inc | Stoughton, WI | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Madison Youth Choirs | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Wisconsin Historical Foundation | Madison, WI | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wisconsin Chamber Orchestra | Madison, WI | $92,500 | 5 | 3 | 2025 |
| United Way of Dane County | Madison, WI | $90,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Simpson Street Free Press | Monona, WI | $85,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Madison Ballet | Madison, WI | $80,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| PBS Wisconsin | Madison, WI | $75,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Friends of Patrick Tavern | Aurora, NY | $65,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Madison Parks Foundation | Madison, WI | $55,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Olbrich Botanical Society | Madison, WI | $55,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Literacy Network | Madison, WI | $51,555 | 2 | 1 | 2025 |
| Madison Parks Foundation (formerly Camp Randall Rowing Club Inc | Madison, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Madison Youth Choir | Madison, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Latino Chamber of Commerce | Madison, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wisconsin Yourth Symphony | Madison, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Youth Symphony | Madison, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wisconsin Youth Symphony Orchestras | Madison, WI | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Chazen Museum of Art | Madison, WI | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| United Way | Milwaukee, WI | $45,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Madison Downtown Partners Inc | Madison, WI | $37,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Meriter Foundation | Madison, WI | $32,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation | Boca Grande, FL | $30,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Wi Institute for Learning Disabilities | Madison, WI | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Veterans Museum Foundation | Madison, WI | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Chazen Museum of Art (formerly Elvejhem) | Madison, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Madiscon Public Library Foundation | Madison, WI | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Everglades Foundation | Palmetto Bay, FL | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Center for Black Excellence and Culture | Madison, WI | $21,600 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kids From Wisconsin | Milwaukee, WI | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| King Ferry Food Pantry | King Ferry, NY | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Theater Bus | Madison, WI | $16,300 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Forward Theater | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Four Seasons Theatre | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Goodman Community Center | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| International Crane Foundation | Baraboo, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Middleton Community Orchestra | Middleton, WI | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Opera for the Young | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Ten Chimneys Foundation | Genesee Depot, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| The Festival Choir of Madison | Madison, WI | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Children's Dyslexia Center - Madison | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Goodman Community Centre | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hoffman Institute | San Anselmo, CA | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Holy Wisdom Monastery | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Interlochen Center for the Arts | Interlochen, MI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Junior Achievement of Wisconsin Inc | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Lunart Inc | Middleton, WI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Madison Public Art Project | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Second Harvest Food Bank of Southern Wi | Madison, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Suzuki Strings of Madison | Madison, WI | $8,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Arts for All Wisconsin | Madison, WI | $7,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Wisconsin Public Radio | Milwaukee, WI | $7,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Kammer Family Foundation | Madison, WI | $7,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Kanopy Dance Company | Madison, WI | $6,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Madison Cello Ensemble | Madison, WI | $5,350 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society | Madison, WI | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Benedictine Life Foundation - St Benedict | Middleton, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Children's Dyslexia Center | Madison, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Hoffman Institute Foundation | San Rafael, CA | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Junior Achievement of Wi Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Klj Movement | Monona, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Madison Community Foundation | Madison, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Myarts | Madison, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Prairie Music & Arts | Sun Prairie, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Vogel Foundation | Madison, WI | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Aurora Ledyard Historical Society | Aurora, NY | $4,700 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Reading League | Wauwatosa, WI | $3,847 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Aurora Free Library | Aurora, NY | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Clean Lakes Alliance | Madison, WI | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Domestic Abuse Intervention Services | Madison, WI | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Friends of the Arboretum | Madison, WI | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Johann Fust Library Foundation | Boca Grande, FL | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| The Sewing Machine Project | Monona, WI | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Bach Dancing & Dynamite Society | Half Moon Bay, CA | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Frontenac Historical Society & Museum | Union Springs, NY | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Friends of Pheasant Branch Conservancy | Middleton, WI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Gasparilla Island Conservation & Improvement Assn | Boca Grande, FL | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Handel Aria Competition | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Shake Rag Alley Inc | Mineral Point, WI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Wi Academy for Graduate Service Dogs | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Wiconsin Academy of Science Arts and Letter | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Academy for Graduate Service Dogs | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Wisconsin Academy for Graduate Service Dogs (wags) | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wisconsin Academy of Science Arts and Letters | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wisconsin Academy of Sciences Arts and Letters | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Boca Grande Woman's Club | Boca Grande, FL | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Braille Library & Transcribing Services Inc | Madison, WI | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Dane Arts | Madison, WI | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Rape Crisis Center | Madison, WI | $1,500 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Seeding Equity | Spring Green, WI | $1,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Pheasant Branch Inc | Middleton, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Friends of the Uw Libraries | Madison, WI | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Gasparilla Island Conservation & Improvement | Boca Grande, FL | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Marion Institute | Marion, MA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Middleton Outreach Ministry | Middleton, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Shake Rag Alley Center for the Arts | Mineral Point, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Thursday's Child | Mt Hope, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Unidos | Madison, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Way Forward Resources | Middleton, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Wayforward Resources | Middleton, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Boca Grande Art Center | Boca Grande, FL | $500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Boca Grande Art Centre | Boca Grande, FL | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
68 of 135 (50%) 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 56%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. 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.
- American Players Theater
ANNUAL OPERATING EXPENSES
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 168 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 | 1 | $4,567,124 | $4,567,124 |
| 2022 | 3 | $3,488,883 | $1,238,523 |
| 2023 | 80 | $3,427,843 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 77 | $7,340,311 | $5,000 |
| 2025 | 113 | $9,185,653 | $11,500 |
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
82% of its giving went to organizations in Wisconsin. 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 $5,725. 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 Wisconsin.
- 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 Pleasant T Rowland 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: 3415 Gateway Road 200, Brookfield, WI, 53045. 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 39-1868295 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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