Davis Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 26-3604136 · since 2009davisfoundation.com·Chippewa County, Chippewa Falls, Door County, Marathon County, Plymouth, Sheboygan County, United St…·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$3.3M

Annual giving, 2024 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$2,700 to $125k

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$15,000

Typical grant (median)

41 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

Davis Foundation's primary grant-making focus is Wausau/Marathon County, Door County, Chippewa Falls/Chippewa County and Plymouth/Sheboygan County, with occasional support for Wisconsin and the United States, so a request from one of the primary areas fits most clearly.
Its named interests include education, parks and recreation, senior wellbeing, economic development, visual and performing arts, human care and community health, and it prefers high-impact capital projects that benefit many people over time, so a request for operating support should be framed around a time-limited launch or transformation.
About 8 in 10 of its grants to organisations fall between $2,700 and $125,000, and the median grant is $15,000, so a request near that middle is a realistic size, although its largest grant was $1,000,000 and that band is typical rather than a ceiling.
Eligible organisations start with the Contact Us form and, only if invited, submit a letter of inquiry through its online portal; applications are accepted on a rolling basis.
About 59% of its grant dollars to organisations in the filing went to organisations it had funded before, so a first-time applicant should not assume an easy route, and organisations that are not tax-exempt 501(c)(3) or other publicly supported bodies fall outside its stated eligibility.

Overview

Davis 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

Its mission is to enhance communities through quality of life and economic development investments. Its primary grant-making focus is in Wausau/Marathon County, Door County, Chippewa Falls/Chippewa County and Plymouth/Sheboygan County, with occasional support for work intended to benefit people in Wisconsin and the United States. It gives to tax-exempt 501(c)(3) and other publicly supported organisations whose requests fit its geographic emphasis and fields of interest. Named interests include education, parks and recreation, senior wellbeing, economic development, visual and performing arts, human care and community health. It prefers high-impact grantmaking, especially capital projects that can benefit many people over time; operating support may be time-limited to launch initiatives or transform organisations and programmes with broad community benefit.

Themes

Education
Parks and recreation
Senior wellbeing
Economic development
Visual and performing arts
Human care services
Community health

Geographic Focus

Priority: Wausau/Marathon County; Door County; Chippewa Falls/Chippewa County; Plymouth/Sheboygan County; Wisconsin; the U.S.

How to apply

Eligible organisations begin by completing the Contact Us form. If the request aligns with the foundation’s interests, it may invite the organisation to submit a letter of inquiry through its online portal.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 59% 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 123 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

The foundation prefers high-impact grantmaking, especially capital projects with potential to benefit large numbers of people over an extended period.
It may provide operating support for limited periods to launch initiatives or undertake major transformations with broad community benefit.
The foundation seeks evidence of disciplined, long-range strategic planning, measurable objectives, appropriate timelines and prudent resource allocation.
It welcomes donor partnerships and collaboration among grantees to maximise resources and improve impact.
It places high value on leadership development in the organisations it supports.

Where grants go

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

Grant dollars by state

Wisconsin98%

Florida1%

Utah<1%

District of Columbia<1%

The largest single recipient received 18% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2024, 59% of grant dollars went to organisations Davis 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

41 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $15,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 41 grants in tax year 2024 by size

$1k–$2.5k2%

$2.5k–$5k17%

$5k–$10k20%

$10k–$25k22%

$25k–$50k12%

$50k–$100k12%

$100k–$250k5%

$250k–$500k5%

$500k–$1M2%

$1M and over2%

Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)

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

Monk Botanical Gardens · Expansion and new entrance project
$1,000,0002024 tax year
Woodson YMCA Foundation · Pledge for grant for expansion of the landing at the woodson ymca
$900,0002024 tax year
Woodson YMCA · Fiscal 24 subsidy ($150,000) and construction ($209,894)
$359,8942024 tax year
Bridge Street Mission · New building & renovation
$250,0002024 tax year
Greater Wausau Chamber of Commerce · Central wisconsin ai center startup support
$125,0002024 tax year
Greater Wausau Prosperity Partnership · Staffing grant
$100,5002024 tax year
Boys & Girls Club of the Wausau Area · Build financial sustainability through improved fundraising and marketing
$50,6002024 tax year
Northern Door Children's Center · Essential campaign - facility expansion grant
$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

Jeffrey Stubbe — Executive Director
Lon Roberts — Secretary / Director
Linda Davis — Vice President / Director
Dwight E Davis — President / Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$3,599,537	$2,181,750	$81,591,848	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$4,154,244	$3,100,267	$109,218,379	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$5,069,437	$3,348,866	$134,519,276	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.