Kelben Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The filing shows the foundation funding health, mental health and education, and most of its organisation grants are modest: about 8 in 10 of its 193 grants fall between $1,000 and $10,000, and half are $3,000 or less, so a request near the $3,000 median is a sensible starting point.
- That $1,000 to $10,000 band is typical rather than a ceiling, since its largest grant was about $5,350,000, to United Way Charities; no geographic focus is stated, though organisation-grant dollars are concentrated in Wisconsin, which a Wisconsin organisation may want to weigh.
- Only 5% of its organisation grant dollars went to organisations it had funded in earlier filings, so prior relationships appear to count for less than the size pattern.
- The filing says it accepts applications against fixed deadlines, but the only deadline it lists is March 20 for individual scholarship applicants, so an organisation should check the foundation's current process before preparing a request.
- Scholarships are for individuals who live in Milwaukee, meet a grade-point standard, show financial need and plan full-time study at an accredited four-year college, so a nonprofit should not apply for them.
Overview
Kelben Foundation is a US private foundation based in Milwaukee, WI.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (pathwayshigh.org, greatermilwaukeefoundation.org), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Kelben Foundation has funded scholarships for needy high school seniors, endowments for professorships, and other educational and health initiatives. It also donates to local nonprofits, with a particular focus on health, mental health and education, and has awarded scholarships to Milwaukee Public School graduates. The organisation-grant filings show support for social-service agencies, educational institutions, public-health causes, community support, disaster aid and animal welfare; organisation-grant dollars are concentrated in Wisconsin. Scholarship applicants must meet the stated grade-point standard, demonstrate financial need, reside in Milwaukee and plan full-time study at an accredited four-year college.
Themes
- Education
- Health
- Scholarships
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in the United States and Wisconsin.
How to apply
Scholarship applicants submit the Kelben Scholarship Application Form, a high school transcript and at least two letters of recommendation.
Deadlines: Scholarship applications: March 20 (individual applicants only).
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 5% 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 193 grants to organisations were $3,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 32% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 5% of grant dollars went to organisations Kelben Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 91% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 61 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $3,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- United Way · Social services$4,005,9832024 tax year
- Children's Wisconsin Foundation · Donation$100,0002024 tax year
- Lutheran Social Services · Social service agency$30,0002024 tax year
- Swim MKE · Donation$10,5002024 tax year
- Ozaukee Family Services · Social service agency$10,0002024 tax year
- All-In Milwaukee · College education support$10,0002024 tax year
- Doctors Without Borders · Donation$9,0002024 tax year
- Wisconsin Humane Society · Animal welfare$9,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Jack T Kellner — Director
- Kristin Kellner Schultz — Director
- Laura Kellner Lueck — Director
- Ted D Kellner — V Pres, Secretary, Directo
- Mary T Kellner — President, Treasurer, Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $8,169,450 | $7,460,716 | $66,700,221 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,342,192 | $5,648,339 | $78,218,728 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $5,681,909 | $4,906,979 | $92,126,267 | 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.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to Kelben Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (414) 236-6223
- Milwaukee, WI
Applying to Kelben Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (414) 236-6223
- Milwaukee, WI