Phoebe R & John D Lewis Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation makes contributions only to organisations it has preselected and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a small nonprofit should not send it a cold application; an approach is likely to work only through an existing connection to the foundation.
- Its grants are mostly modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $5,000 and $35,000, the median is $20,000, and half are $20,000 or less, so a request in that region matches its usual pattern, though its largest grant was $150,000 and the typical band is not a ceiling.
- Giving is highly repetitive, since in the latest filing 87% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had also funded in one of the two earlier filings, which makes it hard for a new organisation to break in.
- The filing states no geographic focus and shows grants mainly in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Illinois and California, so location alone is not a reason to rule an organisation out.
- The filing gives no timing or deadlines for approaches, so any outreach should be planned around building that connection first.
Overview
Phoebe R & John D Lewis Foundation is a US private foundation based in Green Bay, WI.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) only: no website or other web source for the foundation was found. Every statement is checked against the filings. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Its grants have gone to a broad mix of organisations, including museums, colleges and universities, schools, conservation and land-protection organisations, food and social-service providers, and community and youth organisations. Most recorded purposes are programme support; other gifts are recorded for annual funds, trails, land acquisition and management, education projects, environmental work and community initiatives. The filings do not state a particular charitable field or an applicant eligibility profile. They record giving to preselected charitable organisations and say unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Massachusetts, Wisconsin, Illinois and California.
How to apply
Contributions are made only to preselected charitable organisations; unsolicited requests are not accepted.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 87% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 122 grants to organisations were $20,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 11%
- The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 87% of grant dollars went to organisations Phoebe R & John D Lewis Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 10% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 41 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $20,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Martha's Vineyard Museum · Annual fund, catalyst fund$150,0002025 tax year
- Madison Community Foundation · Planned parenthood, torchlight fund$82,0002025 tax year
- Middlebury College · Parents' fund$50,0002025 tax year
- Bruce's Legacy · Program support$50,0002025 tax year
- Connections for the Homeless · Program support$30,0002025 tax year
- Southern Wisconsin Bird Alliance · Program support, land acquisition and management$30,0002025 tax year
- Sheriff's Meadow Foundation · Trail fund$25,0002025 tax year
- National Outdoor Leadership School · Program support$25,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Lloyd Eagan — President
- Bradley Lewis — Treasurer
- Meredith Degen — Secretary
- Thekla Metz — Vice President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $987,968 | $875,000 | $17,816,929 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $952,076 | $800,000 | $20,125,450 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $1,095,413 | $949,000 | $22,917,129 | Filing for 2025 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.
Sources
🎯 You've done the research. Now write an application they can't refuse.
Hinchilla combines funder's specific priorities with your organisation's past successful grants and AI analysis of what reviewers want to see.
Data privacy and security by default
Your organisation's past successful grants and experience
AI analysis of what reviewers want to see
A compelling draft application in 10 minutes instead of 10 hours
Spotted something that needs correcting? Let us know
At a glance
Applying to Phoebe R & John D Lewis Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Green Bay, WI
Applying to Phoebe R & John D Lewis Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Green Bay, WI