Bleser Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The filing says the foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests, so a cold application is unlikely to be considered, and an organisation without an invitation should not send one.
- About 8 in 10 of its 127 grants to organisations fall between $3,000 and $125,000, with a median of $15,000, so a modest request in that region is the realistic size; the largest grant was $250,000, so this band is typical rather than a ceiling.
- Repeat support dominates: 99% of its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing went to groups it had also funded in an earlier filing, which suggests that existing relationships matter a great deal.
- The filing states no geographic focus and no programme or set of priorities, though its grants are mainly in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado, so any approach should rest on an introduction and on describing your work in terms of education, health care, faith or community services where it genuinely fits.
Overview
Bleser Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Windsor, CA.
What they fund
Profile based on the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) 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
The foundation's recorded gifts are described as unrestricted charitable gifts and reach organisations working across several fields. Recipients include universities, colleges, schools and scholarship funds; hospitals and health-related centres; churches, parishes and faith-based organisations; and local food pantries and other community services. Its grants also reach youth and mentoring organisations, libraries, arts groups, nature centres and conservation organisations, animal welfare bodies, housing and disability services, and civic and educational initiatives. This record shows a broad mix of institutional recipients, with repeated support for education, health care, faith communities and community services. It does not identify a stated programme or a set of application priorities.
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Wisconsin, Minnesota and Colorado.
How to apply
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 99% 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 127 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to organisations Bleser Family Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 42 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $14,500 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Marquette University · Unrestriced charitable gift$225,0002024 tax year
- SNC Scholarship Fund · Unrestriced charitable gift$225,0002024 tax year
- Mayo Clinic Fund · Unrestriced charitable gift$200,0002024 tax year
- Craig Hospital · Unrestriced charitable gift$200,0002024 tax year
- Sacred Heart School · Unrestriced charitable gift$120,0002024 tax year
- Waisman Center - Uw Madison · Unrestriced charitable gift$100,0002024 tax year
- Children's Hospital · Unrestriced charitable gift$100,0002024 tax year
- Safe Haven · Unrestriced charitable gift$60,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Christa Schoenhofen — Secretary / Treasurer
- James E Bleser — Vice President, Director
- Mary B Hayes — 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 | $2,093,044 | $1,793,000 | $34,817,745 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,178,994 | $1,960,000 | $36,631,677 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,002,529 | $1,757,000 | $37,189,909 | 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 Bleser Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Windsor, CA
Applying to Bleser Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Windsor, CA