Sommerhauser Foundation Inc
Milwaukee, WI · EIN 39-1805123. Reported 103 grants totalling $471,802 to 65 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation told the IRS it does not accept unsolicited requests: it contributes only to organizations it selects itself.
Does this foundation accept applications?
No -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation to check a box if it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds". Sommerhauser Foundation Inc checked it on its most recent filing, as 78% of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered did. An unsolicited request is unlikely to go anywhere.
Organizations it funds that make grants of their own
6 of the organizations Sommerhauser Foundation Inc funded make grants themselves, and it reported 11 grants totalling $69,650 to them. That is 23% of the $300,602 of its giving we could match to a registered organization. Each is classified by the IRS as a philanthropy or grantmaking organization, reported grants to at least 25 organizations of its own, and has at least 10 funders behind it.
All of them file Form 990, which never asks whether an organization funds only groups it picks, so there is no answer on record either way.
What that does not mean. It does not mean an application to any of them reaches this foundation's money. A private foundation's grant to a community foundation or a federated campaign is often a donor-advised fund or a gift designated for a purpose the foundation chose, and has nothing to do with any open programme the receiving organization runs. Its return's purpose text sometimes names a family fund or a designated purpose, which is the plainest case of money no applicant can reach; where it names none, neither return says which. The list is who this foundation paid that also makes grants. Whether any of them would fund you is a question for its own page.
| Grantmaker | Kind | State | Received | Grants | Years | Last | Only funds organizations it picks? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| United Way of Greater Milwaukee & | federated giving programme | Wisconsin | $59,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 | Its form does not ask |
| Milwaukee Jewish Federation Inc | federated giving programme | Wisconsin | $5,150 | 2 | 2 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
| Community Foundation of the Texas Hill | community foundation | Texas | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 | Its form does not ask |
| Community Fdn of Greater Des Moines | community foundation | Iowa | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
| Gary Sinise Foundation | grantmaking organization | Tennessee | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | Its form does not ask |
| Maui United Way | federated giving programme | Hawaii | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | Its form does not ask |
A floor, not a full list. A grantmaker appears here only where this foundation's return named it clearly enough for us to match the name to an EIN, which we manage for about two thirds of 990-PF grant rows, and only where that grantmaker has a page on this site. There may be more. Dollars here are summed by EIN across every spelling on its returns, so a figure can differ from the matching row in the full list below, which groups names as written. And the IRS classification cannot tell a grantmaker from a funders' association or a donor-advised fund sponsor, so a payment to one of these may be dues or an account rather than support for a grants programme.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $1,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $200 and $7,500; the smallest was $100 and the largest $27,652.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Children's Wisconsin Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $63,302 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $59,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| University of Nebraska Foundation | Lincoln, NE | $55,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Northwestern University Pritzker School of Law | Chicago, IL | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Aurora Health Care Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $30,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Childrens Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $25,100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Mayo Clinic Foundation | Rochester, MN | $23,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Nch Healthcare Systems Inc | Naples, FL | $16,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Penfield Children's Center | Milwaukee, WI | $15,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Northwestern Memorial Foundation (northwestern Memorial Healthcare) | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Northwestern University | Chicago, IL | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| The Medical College of Wisconsin Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Naples Community Hospital Inc | Naples, FL | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee Jewish Federation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $5,150 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Milwaukee County War Memorial Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Nch Healthcare Systems Inc (nch Healthcare Foundation) | Naples, FL | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Uja Federation of New York | New York, NY | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Uw Carbone Cancer Center (university of Wisconsin Foundation) | Madison, WI | $3,500 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| American Red Cross | Boone, IA | $3,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Aurora Health Care Foundation Inc (global & Executive Health Program) | Milwaukee, WI | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| United Performing Arts Fund Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $2,150 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Community Foundation of the Texas Hill Country | Kerrville, TX | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Uwm Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center | New York, NY | $1,650 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Macular Degeneration Research (brightfocus Foundation) | Clarksburg, MD | $1,100 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee | Milwaukee, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines | Des Moines, IA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Gary Sinise Foundation | Franklin, TN | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Huskers Athletic Fund (university of Nebraska Foundation) | Lincoln, NE | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Maui United Way Inc | Wailuku, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| United Community Center Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Whitefish Bay Public Library Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Young America's Foundation | Reston, VA | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Christo Rey Network | Chicago, IL | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Milwaukee Public Museum Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Pancreatic Cancer Action Network Inc | El Segundo, CA | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Congregation Sinai | Milwaukee, WI | $350 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Marquette University | Milwaukee, WI | $350 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Beth Tikvah Conservative Synagogue | Naples, FL | $300 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Denison University | Mount Vernon, OH | $300 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Beth El Synagogue | Omaha, NE | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| First Stage Milwaukee Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Milwaukee College Preparatory School | Milwaukee, WI | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Nebraska State Bar Foundation | Lincoln, NE | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| After Breast Cancer Diagnosis Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Alzheimer's Association | Milwaukee, WI | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Congregation Tifereth Israel | Lincoln, NE | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Cristo Rey Network | Chicago, IL | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| National Ms Society (bike Ms) | New York, NY | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Children's Hospital of Wisconsin Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $150 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| American Lung Association | Brookfield, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Autism Society of Southeastern Wisconsin Inc | Wauwatosa, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Camp Puhtok for Boys and Girls Inc | Monkton, MD | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Horizon's Lawlis Family Hospice (horizon Home Care & Hospice Inc) | Milwaukee, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Leukemia Research Foundation Inc | Northfield, IL | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| March of Dimes | Atlanta, GA | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Messmer Catholic Schools | Milwaukee, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Peninsula School of Art Inc | Fish Creek, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ronald Mcdonald House Charities Eastern Wi Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Securefutures Foundation Inc | Milwaukee, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| St Anne's Catholic Church | Boulder Junction, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| St Marcus Lutheran School | Milwaukee, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Student Organ Donation Advocates (layna Miller Memorial Fund) | St Louis, MO | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Defiant Requiem Foundation | Washington, DC | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
19 of 65 (29%) 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 42%, 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, and this foundation told the IRS it does not.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 54 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 | 27 | $105,200 | $250 |
| 2022 | 16 | $88,350 | $2,500 |
| 2023 | 20 | $90,750 | $1,000 |
| 2024 | 20 | $94,552 | $1,000 |
| 2025 | 20 | $92,950 | $1,500 |
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
49% of its giving went to organizations in Wisconsin.
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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. Unlike this foundation, none of them is on record as funding only organizations it picks, and each page says what its filings show.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Sommerhauser 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: 833 E Michigan St 1800, Milwaukee, WI, 53202. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS.
EIN 39-1805123 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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