Highlands Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: ~$610,000 (2024 charitable disbursements per ProPublica)
• Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation-only funder)
• Decision Time: Not applicable (grants made at trustee discretion)
• Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed; approximately 9-16 grants made per year
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Wisconsin; also New York and Washington D.C.

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Contact Details

• Address: 6046 S Highlands Ave, Madison, WI 53705 (primary); also registered at 4717 Hammersley Road, Madison, WI 53711
• ProPublica Profile: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203941123
• Grantmakers.io Profile: https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/203941123-highlands-foundation-inc/
• No public website has been identified for this foundation
• No public email or phone listed

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Overview

Highlands Foundation Inc is a private family foundation based in Madison, Wisconsin, with EIN 20-3941123. It has been tax-exempt since March 2006 and has filed IRS Form 990-PF annually since 2009. The foundation is closely connected to the Bakke family, whose members also lead Sub-Zero Group Inc., the Madison-based, third-generation family-owned manufacturer of premium kitchen appliances. Leadership positions are entirely voluntary, with no officer compensation reported.

The foundation operates as a purely discretionary grantmaker, explicitly stating it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." It makes approximately 9 to 16 grants per year, with a geographic reach spanning Wisconsin, New York, and the District of Columbia. Its focus areas, based on IRS categorization, include education, philanthropy and voluntarism, and human services. As of the most recent filing, the foundation holds net assets of approximately $5.67 million.

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Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

This foundation does not publish named grant programs or defined funding streams. Grants are awarded at the discretion of its board of trustees to preselected organizations.

Priority Areas

Based on IRS NTEE categorization and available data:

• Education
• Human Services
• Philanthropy, Voluntarism, and Grantmaking

Geographic Focus

• Primary: Wisconsin (Madison area)
• Secondary: New York; Washington D.C.

What They Don't Fund

• Unsolicited requests for funds (explicitly stated)
• Organizations outside their preselected beneficiary network

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Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by an all-volunteer board with no reported officer compensation:

Name	Role	External Affiliation
Susan A Bakke	President	Bakke family; Sub-Zero Group
James J Bakke	Vice President	President & CEO, Sub-Zero Group Inc.; Sub-Zero Group Foundation (President)
Blaine R Renfert	Secretary & Treasurer	Associated with Sub-Zero Group / Bakster Farms LLC

On James J Bakke: He is a prominent Madison business figure recognized among Wisconsin's 275 Most Influential Business Leaders (BizTimes). Under his leadership, Sub-Zero Group has committed philanthropically through its separate Sub-Zero Group Foundation, which focuses on food ecosystem innovation and food security. The Highlands Foundation appears to be the Bakke family's personal philanthropic vehicle, separate from the corporate Sub-Zero Group Foundation.

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Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

Highlands Foundation Inc. explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are made entirely at trustee discretion to organizations the Bakke family has identified through their own networks and relationships.

There is no application portal, no submission deadline, and no published application form for this foundation. Cold applications will not be considered.

Getting on Their Radar

The following is specific intelligence gathered about this funder's likely relationship-building channels:

• Sub-Zero Group / Bakke Family Networks: Given the leadership overlap with Sub-Zero Group Inc., organizations operating in sectors relevant to the Bakke family's personal and business interests (education, human services, regional Wisconsin causes) are most likely to come to this foundation's attention through the family's existing professional and civic networks.
• Madison Civic and Business Community: James Bakke sits on boards including the Madison Ronald McDonald House and the Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers. Organizations operating in Madison's civic ecosystem may encounter Bakke family members through these channels.
• Relationship with Sub-Zero Group Foundation: The Sub-Zero Group Foundation is a separate entity with its own application process. Cultivating a relationship with the corporate foundation (which focuses on food security and innovation) may indirectly raise a nonprofit's profile with the Bakke family more broadly.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable. No formal application process exists, and grants are made on a discretionary basis by the board.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation only funds preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable.

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Application Success Factors

Because this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, the following patterns are relevant for grant writers seeking to understand this funder:

• Pre-existing relationships are essential: Every grant awarded by this foundation reflects a prior relationship between the Bakke family and the recipient organization. There is no pathway for unknown organizations to receive funding through a formal application.
• Scale of giving is modest but consistent: Approximately 9-16 grants per year over multiple years suggests a stable, small portfolio of trusted relationships rather than an expanding or open grantmaking program.
• Geographic anchoring: While the foundation gives in New York and D.C. in addition to Wisconsin, the primary base is Madison, WI. Local organizations well-embedded in Madison's civic life have the strongest natural alignment.
• Sector alignment: Education and human services organizations with roots in the Madison community are the most likely fit based on available categorization data.
• Do not cold-contact: The foundation's explicit policy against unsolicited requests means any unsolicited contact is unlikely to be productive and may be counterproductive.

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Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only funder. Highlands Foundation Inc. explicitly does not accept unsolicited grant requests. Pursuing this funder through a standard application approach will not succeed.
• Family foundation with Bakke/Sub-Zero ties. The foundation is the personal philanthropy vehicle of the Bakke family, whose public-facing identity is Sub-Zero Group Inc. Understanding the family's values and civic commitments is essential context.
• Small, consistent grant portfolio. The foundation makes 9-16 awards per year, suggesting deep, long-standing relationships with a small set of organizations rather than open, competitive grantmaking.
• Geographic anchoring in Madison, WI. Despite some national giving (New York, D.C.), the foundation's heartland is Madison, Wisconsin. Local organizations have the best natural fit.
• Relationship-building is the only path. Any prospect strategy must focus on building genuine relationships with the Bakke family through shared civic involvement, not grant applications. The Sub-Zero Group Foundation is a separate entity with a more public-facing profile and may be a more accessible entry point for organizations aligned with food security or innovation.
• No public contact details. The foundation maintains a very low public profile. There is no website, no published email, and no listed phone number. Do not spend time trying to make direct contact via traditional outreach.
• Consider the long game. Family foundations like this typically add new grantee relationships slowly and through personal trust. Organizations should focus on building authentic connections in the Madison civic community rather than targeting this foundation specifically.

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References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer — Highlands Foundation Inc. (EIN: 20-3941123) https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/203941123 Accessed: February 2025 Source for: leadership names (Susan A Bakke, James J Bakke, Blaine R Renfert), financial data (net assets $5,667,314; charitable disbursements $610,108 for 2024 fiscal year), tax-exempt since March 2006, category classification.

2. Instrumentl 990 Report — Highlands Foundation Inc., Madison, WI https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/highlands-foundation-inc-e1818762-8c2c-4e13-8dc6-5efc09470559 Accessed: February 2025 Source for: address (4717 Hammersley Road; 6046 S Highlands Ave), grant award counts by year (2019-2024), geographic reach (Wisconsin, New York, D.C.), focus areas (education, philanthropy, human services).

3. Grantmakers.io Profile — Highlands Foundation Inc. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/203941123-highlands-foundation-inc/ Accessed: February 2025 Source for: confirmation of 11 grants in 2024, 9 in 2023, 10 in 2022, 9 in 2021, 11 in 2020, 16 in 2019; board member data.

4. Cause IQ — Highlands Foundation, Madison, WI https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/highlands-foundation,203941123/ Accessed: February 2025 Source for: 2019 financial snapshot (total assets $22,622,565; grants paid $563,500).

5. BizTimes Media — James Bakke, Wisconsin 275 Most Influential Business Leaders https://biztimes.com/james-bakke-wisconsin275/ Accessed: February 2025 Source for: James Bakke's role as President and CEO of Sub-Zero Group Inc.; board memberships (Madison Ronald McDonald House, Association of Home Appliance Manufacturers, PDQ Corp.).

6. Sub-Zero Group Inc. Press Release — Sub-Zero Group Foundation Announces New Mission and Investments https://www.subzero-wolf.com/company/press-releases/sub-zero-group-foundation-announces-new-mission-and-investments-to-strengthen-local-community Accessed: February 2025 Source for: James Bakke's quote about the Sub-Zero Group Foundation legacy; confirmation of Bakke family's philanthropic involvement in Madison; $1.2M in grants announced May 2024.

7. Web search aggregated data — Multiple sources citing "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations" policy statement. Sources include Instrumentl, Grantmakers.io, and Cause IQ data aggregators.