Funders › Wisconsin

The Oscar Rennebohm Foundation Inc

Madison, WI · EIN 39-6039252. Reported 142 grants totalling $14.6M to 95 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$100,000median grant
$14.6Mgranted, 2021-2025
95recipients, as named on its returns
35%of grantees funded again the next year
$77.4Massets, latest filing

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. The Oscar Rennebohm 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.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $100,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $50,000 and $125,000; the smallest was $1,600 and the largest $500,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

$1,000 - $5,000
5 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
3 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
9 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
17 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
36 grants
$100,000 and Up
72 grants

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.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Centro Hispano of Dane CountyMadison, WI$1,070,000552025
Urban League of Greater MadisonMadison, WI$1,000,000552025
Access Community Health CentersMadison, WI$601,000442024
Edgewood CollegeMadison, WI$450,000442024
Dane Workforce Housing Fund LLCMadison, WI$405,063222022
Literacy NetworkMadison, WI$400,000332024
University of Wisconsin Wren SomphMadison, WI$400,000222025
Mckenzie Regional Workforce CenterMadison, WI$375,000112022
Dane County Department of Human ServicesMadison, WI$322,737112021
Center for Black Excellence and CultureMadison, WI$300,000112025
Madison Public LibraryMadison, WI$300,000112025
Uw Madison NursingMadison, WI$300,000222022
Uw OdysseyMadison, WI$300,000332023
Uw School of Human EcologyMadison, WI$300,000222023
Brairpatch Youth ServicesMadison, WI$295,000442025
The Salvation Army of Dane CountyMadison, WI$275,000222025
Aldo Leopold Nature CenterMadison, WI$250,000112024
Uw School of Nursing - Workforce InitiativeMadison, WI$250,000112023
One City PreschoolMadison, WI$249,000112021
University of Wisconsin - Prison Education InitiativeMadison, WI$240,000222025
United Way of Dane CountyMadison, WI$229,285112021
Madison College FoundationMadison, WI$220,000222024
Bayview FoundationMadison, WI$200,000112021
Center for Black ExcellenceMadison, WI$200,000112022
Tellurian Behavioral HealthMadison, WI$200,000222024
Uw Madison School of EducationMadison, WI$191,790112025
Madison Area Food Pantry GardensMadison, WI$175,000222025
Madison Metropolitan School DistrictMadison, WI$175,000222024
Badger Prairie Needs NetworkVerona, WI$150,000112024
Combat BlindnessMadison, WI$150,000112025
Madison Children's MuseumMadison, WI$150,000112023
Rise WisconsinMadison, WI$150,000222025
The River Food PantryMadison, WI$150,000112024
Foundation for Black Women's Wellness IncMadison, WI$130,000222025
YWCA MadisonMadison, WI$128,000222024
Mtz Charitable OrganizationMadison, WI$125,100112025
Boys & Girls Club of Dane CountyMadison, WI$125,000112023
University of Wisconsin School of NursingMadison, WI$125,000112025
University of Wisconsin School of Nursing Rennebohm ScholarshipsMadison, WI$125,000112024
Uw School of Nursing - CaresMadison, WI$121,026112024
Catholic Charities Diocese of MadisonMadison, WI$115,000222025
Journey Mental Health CenterMadison, WI$110,000332025
Madison Parks Foundation IncMadison, WI$104,000222025
Solace Friends IncMadison, WI$101,600222024
Access Community HealthMadison, WI$100,000112025
Big Brothers Big SistersMadison, WI$100,000112022
Habitat for Humanity IncMadison, WI$100,000112021
Hmong InsituteMadison, WI$100,000112025
Latino AcademyMadison, WI$100,000112022
Latino Academy of Workforce DevelopmentMadison, WI$100,000112025
The Playing FieldMadison, WI$100,000222024
Uw-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health Alzheimer's Biomarker LabMadison, WI$100,000112025
The Hmong InstituteMadison, WI$92,100222024
Domestic Abuse Intervention ServicesMadison, WI$90,150222025
Newbridge MadisonMadison, WI$86,293112023
Reach DaneMadison, WI$86,005112021
Eastmorland Community CenterMadison, WI$85,000112025
YMCA of Dane CountyMadison, WI$83,333112025
AgebetterMadison, WI$75,000112025
Agrace - Adult Day Care CenterMadison, WI$75,000112022
Justdane IncMadison, WI$75,000112025
Omega SchoolMadison, WI$75,000112023
Rise Community PartnershipMadison, WI$75,000112022
Project HomeMadison, WI$73,000112024
Porchlight IncMadison, WI$70,000222025
First Congregational Church - Prison Ministry ProjectMadison, WI$60,000222025
Simpson Street Free PressMonona, WI$60,000222024
African Center for Community Development IncMadison, WI$50,000112024
East Madison Neighbor Hood CenterMadison, WI$50,000112022
Jump in Foundation Inc Dba Miracle League of Dane CountyMadison, WI$50,000112025
Logan James Herr Foundation Dba Logans Heart and SmilesMadison, WI$50,000112023
Madison Area Community Land Trust CorpMadison, WI$50,000112023
Madison Community FoundationMadison, WI$50,000112021
Madison Reading ProjectMadison, WI$50,000112021
Salvation ArmyMadison, WI$50,000112021
Unidos WiMadison, WI$50,000112023
Wisconsin State Historical Society IncMadison, WI$50,000112021
Bayview Community CenterMadison, WI$40,000112025
ClimbMadison, WI$40,000112022
Madison Police DepartmentMadison, WI$40,000112023
Bethel Homeless MinistriesMadison, WI$30,000112024
Kennedy Heights Community CenterMadison, WI$30,000112025
Miracle League of Dane CountyMadison, WI$30,000112022
The Road Home Dane CountyMadison, WI$30,000222024
Community Action CommissionMadison, WI$25,000112021
Gilda's ClubMiddleton, WI$25,000112023
Good Shepherd Food PantryMadison, WI$25,000112025
New BridgeMadison, WI$25,000112021
Anesis TherapyMadison, WI$10,000222025
Community Support NetworkMadison, WI$10,000112023
Dane County ParksMadison, WI$10,000112025
Vera Court Neighborhood CenterMadison, WI$10,000112025
Bgcdc Vel PhilipsMadison, WI$5,000112024
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Dane CountyMadison, WI$4,700112024
Focused InterruptionMadison, WI$4,000112025

32 of 95 (34%) 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 35%, 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.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 60 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.

Human Services
21 grants
Education
10 grants
Mental Health
5 grants
Arts & Culture
3 grants
Community Improvement
3 grants
Housing & Shelter
3 grants
Religion
3 grants
Employment
2 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202123$2,941,732$100,000
202219$2,805,358$100,000
202327$2,536,443$100,000
202436$3,151,426$75,000
202537$3,153,223$75,000

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.

Already committed for future years

Form 990-PF has a separate schedule for grants approved but not yet paid. The Oscar Rennebohm Foundation Inc has 36 of them, worth $5,700,066. This is the one part of the filing that looks forward rather than back.

OrganizationLocationApproved
City of Madison Senior CenterMadison, WI$656,509
Uw WrensomphMadison, WI$400,000
The Center for Black Excellence and CultureMadison, WI$300,000
The Center for Black Excellence and CultureMadison, WI$300,000
Centro Hispano CaminosMadison, WI$270,000
The Salvation Army of Dane CountyMadison, WI$270,000
Uw School of Nursing - Workforce InitiativeMadison, WI$250,000
The Salvation Army of Dane CountyMadison, WI$250,000
Uw Madison School of EducationMadison, WI$250,000
University of Wisconsin - Prison Education InitiativeMadison, WI$240,000
University of Wisconsin Wren SomphMadison, WI$200,000
Uw Madison School of EducationMadison, WI$191,790
YMCA of Dane CountyMadison, WI$166,667
Eastmorland Community CenterMadison, WI$160,000
Centro Hispano Capital CampaignMadison, WI$150,000

Where its money goes

Madison, WI
$14.4M
Verona, WI
$150K
Monona, WI
$60K
Middleton, WI
$25K

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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.

Fidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund34 shared recipientsMadison Community Foundation34 shared recipientsThe Evjue Foundation Inc32 shared recipientsUnited Way of Dane County Inc29 shared recipientsMadison Gas and Electric29 shared recipientsAlliant Energy Foundation Inc25 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $100,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Wisconsin.
  3. 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.
  4. 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.

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from The Oscar Rennebohm 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: Po Box 5187, Madison, WI, 53705. 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 39-6039252 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email [email protected] and we will correct it.