Judd S. Alexander Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 23-7323721 · since 1974juddsalexanderfoundation.org·Marathon County, Wausau·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$1.8M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$1,000 to $1M

Grant range

From the funder's website

$18,500

Typical grant (median)

33 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

If your project directly benefits Marathon County residents, with a priority on the Wausau area, and fits its themes of economic development, arts and culture, youth and adult camps, children and human services, education or recreation, the foundation is worth approaching.
Do not apply for ongoing requests for general operating support, annual fund-raising campaigns or dinners, endowments or operating deficits, which it does not fund.
Its grants run from $1,000 to $1,000,000, but half of its 96 grants to organisations across its recent filings were $20,000 or less, so a modest, specific request is a realistic place to start.
It accepts applications on a rolling basis, but its directors prefer not to consider proposals from the same organisation more than once every 12 months, and the filing shows 40% of its grant dollars to organisations in its latest year went to groups it had also funded earlier, so a prior relationship may help.
Set out attainable, quantifiable outcomes within a specific timeframe, show you have the capacity to achieve them, and send a proposal packet to the foundation's Wausau address.

Overview

Judd S. Alexander Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wausau, WI.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The foundation supports quality of life and economic development in the Wausau area, and fosters public-private partnerships that engage the whole community for the benefit of current and future generations in Marathon County. It funds projects related to economic development, arts and culture, enrichment programmes for youth and adults with special needs, children and human services, education and recreation. Non-profit organisations may apply when their projects directly benefit Marathon County residents and meet the foundation’s tax-status requirements. It welcomes requests from local project leaders and also initiates funding for important local projects. Its giving includes substantial capital projects and funding to help non-profit organisations grow, expand their programmes or offer new services to the community. It encourages applicants to develop and rely upon diverse funding sources.

Themes

Economic development
Arts and culture
Youth and adult camps
Children and human services
Education
Recreation

Geographic Focus

Marathon County. Priority: Wausau area.

What They Don't Fund

Ongoing requests for general operating support
Annual fund-raising campaigns or fund-raising dinners
Operating deficits
Endowments
Charities operated by service clubs
Organizations that make grants to others (with limited exceptions)
Activities that are normally tax supported (the Foundation may, in selective cases, join with taxing entities in supporting special projects)
Medical research
Organizations or projects whose mission is to prevent, eradicate, and/or alleviate the effects of a specific disease
Requests from hospitals (unless they are for community wide capital campaigns with a stated goal and beginning and ending dates)
Activities to propagate a religious faith or restricted to one religion or denomination
Support of political candidates
Memorials
Production costs of films, videos or television programs
Purchase of commercial television or radio time
The writing or publication of books
International programs and organizations
Second requests for a capital campaign for which the Foundation has previously approved a grant
Conferences
Group travel
Honoraria for distinguished guests

How to apply

Applicants send a proposal packet to Gary W. Freels at the Foundation’s Wausau address.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 40% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 96 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

Applicants should identify attainable and quantifiable project outcomes and goals within a specific time frame.
The foundation assesses whether the applicant has the capacity to achieve the outcomes it sets out.
The Directors prefer not to consider proposals from an organisation more frequently than once every 12 months.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.

Grant dollars by state

Wisconsin98%

Georgia<1%

California<1%

Virginia<1%

Minnesota<1%

The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 40% of grant dollars went to organisations Judd S. Alexander Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
2% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

33 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $18,500

How much do they typically give?

Share of 33 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k6%

$2.5k–$5k0%

$5k–$10k33%

$10k–$25k18%

$25k–$50k18%

$50k–$100k12%

$100k–$250k9%

$250k–$500k0%

$500k–$1M3%

Median $18,500 (tax year 2024)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Robert W. Monk Gardens · Visitor and education center
$750,0002024 tax year
City of Wausau · Wausau police department support
$235,9202024 tax year
Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce · Central wi ai resource center
$125,0002024 tax year
Hagar House · Safe parking and expanded support project
$100,0002024 tax year
Institute for Reforming Government · Center for leadership training program & building bridges campaign
$62,0002024 tax year
Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area · Roof capital project
$60,0002024 tax year
Faith Christian Academy · Expansion project
$50,0002024 tax year
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin · K-12 programs for business/economic education
$50,0002024 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Dennis M Deloye — Director
John Tubbs — Director
John Dudley — Director
Dwight E Davis — Director, Vice President
Lon E Roberts — Director,Sec-Treas
Gary W Freels — Director, President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$3,455,378	$1,624,172	$65,168,043	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$3,833,505	$2,350,750	$67,756,426	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$5,126,124	$1,800,709	$68,333,860	Filing for 2024 tax year

Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.