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Theodore W Batterman Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$5.5M
Grant Range
From $12K

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $5,503,524 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $57.24 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: Varies (scholarship program offers $12,000 over 4 years)
  • Number of Awards: 91 (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Rock and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin (with office in Milwaukee)
  • Application Process: No public application process - invitation only/preselected organizations

Contact Details

Address: 833 East Michigan Street, Suite 1800, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Overview

The Theodore W. Batterman Family Foundation Inc. was established in 1990 and received tax-exempt status in February 1992. Based in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, this private family foundation has grown to hold total assets of $57.24 million as of 2024. The foundation focuses its grantmaking on three primary areas: Christian faith advancement, education, and organizations located in Rock and Jefferson Counties in Wisconsin. In 2023, the foundation distributed $5,503,524 through 91 separate awards, demonstrating a consistent commitment to supporting multiple organizations within their focus areas. The foundation is family-managed and maintains a strategic approach to philanthropy, with most grants going to organizations in specific Wisconsin counties where the Batterman family has established roots.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation supports multiple types of grants:

  • Educational Scholarships: The Theodore W. Batterman Family Foundation Scholarship provides five awards of $12,000 each (paid over four years) to graduating seniors at Fort Atkinson High School who are top students with significant community or school service and are pursuing undergraduate degrees
  • General Grants: 91 awards made in 2023 totaling over $5.5 million to various organizations
  • Application Method: Invitation only - preselected organizations

Priority Areas

The foundation gives primarily for:

  • Christian faith advancement: Supporting churches, religious organizations, and faith-based initiatives
  • Education: Including scholarships for high school graduates and support for educational institutions
  • Organizations in Rock County and Jefferson County, Wisconsin: Geographic focus on these specific counties

What They Don't Fund

  • Unsolicited applications: The foundation explicitly states it does not accept unsolicited requests for funds
  • Organizations outside their geographic focus or priority areas

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is led by family members who serve in key governance roles:

  • Christopher T Batterman: President and Treasurer
  • Laura G Batterman Wilkins: Vice President and Secretary
  • Linda C Batterman Johnson: Vice President
  • Joan D Klimpel: Assistant Secretary

The foundation operates with no officer compensation reported, indicating volunteer family leadership. The governance structure ensures family involvement in all funding decisions, which aligns with their practice of funding only preselected organizations.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded through trustee discretion and pre-existing relationships with organizations in their focus areas. Organizations are selected by the foundation's leadership based on their alignment with funding priorities and connection to Rock and Jefferson Counties in Wisconsin.

Exception: The Theodore W. Batterman Family Foundation Scholarship for Fort Atkinson High School students has a defined application process administered through the Fort Atkinson Community Foundation. Contact the high school guidance office or community foundation for scholarship application details.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's scholarship program provides insight into their values and priorities: they seek to support top academic performers who demonstrate significant community or school service. Organizations working in Rock and Jefferson Counties, Wisconsin, particularly those focused on Christian faith advancement and education, align with their documented giving patterns.

Given the foundation's family governance structure and focus on specific Wisconsin counties, relationships with organizations appear to develop through:

  • The family members' personal connections to Rock and Jefferson Counties
  • Direct trustee knowledge of organizations operating in their geographic focus areas
  • The scholarship program demonstrates their commitment to Fort Atkinson and surrounding communities

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation making grants to preselected organizations, decisions are made at the discretion of trustees throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as the foundation does not accept them.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, there is no traditional application success strategy. However, the foundation's giving patterns reveal:

  • Geographic alignment is critical: Organizations must serve Rock County or Jefferson County, Wisconsin
  • Mission alignment: Christian faith advancement and education are the primary focus areas
  • Community impact: The scholarship criteria emphasize both academic excellence and "community or school service of a significant nature," suggesting the foundation values tangible community impact
  • Long-term relationships: The foundation's practice of funding preselected organizations suggests they develop sustained relationships with grantees over time
  • Scale of giving: With 91 awards in 2023 from $5.5 million in total giving, the foundation supports a diverse portfolio of organizations, not just a handful of large recipients

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation only funds preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited proposals
  • Geographic specificity: Focus on Rock and Jefferson Counties is central to their mission - organizations outside this area are unlikely to receive funding
  • Family foundation: All leadership positions are held by Batterman family members, indicating personal connections and trustee discretion drive funding decisions
  • Strong educational focus: Scholarship program for Fort Atkinson High School students demonstrates commitment to educational advancement in their focus communities
  • Christian values: Faith advancement is a core priority alongside education
  • Consistent grantmaking: 91 awards in 2023 shows they support multiple organizations rather than concentrating funds with a few recipients
  • Alternative pathway: For individual students in Fort Atkinson, the scholarship program provides a defined application pathway worth $12,000 over four years

References

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