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The Kellogg Family Foundation Inc

Annual Giving
$0.0M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.0M

The Kellogg Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

  • EIN: 39-1775567
  • Total Assets: $46-48 million
  • Annual Giving: $10,000-$23,000 (recent years)
  • Decision Time: N/A - No public application process
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $20,000
  • Geographic Focus: Primarily Wisconsin, with selective national grants
  • Application Type: Invitation only / Pre-selected organizations

Contact Details

Address: 833 E Michigan St, Suite 1800, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Phone: (414) 273-3500

Care of: Godfrey & Kahn SC (legal counsel)

Note: The foundation does not accept unsolicited applications or inquiries about funding.

Overview

The Kellogg Family Foundation Inc was established in 1994 by Bonnie and William S. Kellogg as a private family foundation to support their philanthropic interests. William "Bill" Kellogg is the former CEO of Kohl's Department Stores who led the company's management buyout in 1986 and took it public in 1992 before stepping down in 1999. With total assets of approximately $46-48 million, the foundation generates income primarily through investment dividends and interest to fund its charitable activities. The foundation's mission centers on supporting the values held dear by the Kellogg family: faith, family, education, health, and community. The foundation's primary philanthropic focus is the Kellogg PEAK Initiative, a year-round youth development program serving approximately 550 Milwaukee children annually. In 2024, the foundation made its largest single gift to date: a $10 million donation to the Milwaukee Public Museum's Future Museum project, naming a gallery in honor of William's parents, Winifred and Spencer Kellogg.

Funding Priorities

Primary Philanthropic Vehicle

Kellogg PEAK Initiative (Founded and operated by the foundation)

  • Year-round social-emotional learning and leadership program for Milwaukee youth
  • Serves 550+ children ages 7-18 annually
  • Operates a program center in Milwaukee's Midtown neighborhood and a residential summer camp in Boscobel, WI
  • Focuses on zip codes 53215, 53204, 53209, 53206, and 53205
  • Participants attend with 100% of costs covered in exchange for commitment to engagement and community service

Grant-Making Activity

The foundation makes modest grants to pre-selected charitable organizations. Recent grants (2023) include:

  • Maui United Way: $10,000 (General Operating Support)
  • Elmbrook Senior Taxi Inc: $20,000 (Vehicle Replacement Program)
  • American Red Cross: $10,000 (General Operating Support)
  • Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center: $5,000 (General Operating)

Major Gifts

  • Milwaukee Public Museum: $10 million (2024) - Largest private donation to the museum's Future Museum project

Priority Areas

Based on grants and activities:

  • Children and youth welfare
  • Education and leadership development
  • Community services
  • Health care
  • Disaster relief and emergency services
  • Support for people with disabilities
  • Senior services

Geographic Focus

  • Primary: Wisconsin (especially Milwaukee area)
  • Secondary: Selective national and international organizations (Hawaii, New York)

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation's focused approach suggests limited interest in:

  • Organizations outside their pre-identified network
  • Causes not aligned with children's welfare or community health
  • Unsolicited requests regardless of merit

Governance and Leadership

Board Members (all serve voluntarily without compensation):

  • William S. Kellogg - President and Treasurer; Former CEO of Kohl's Department Stores (1978-1999); Founded the foundation with his wife Bonnie
  • Kurt A. Kellogg - Vice President and Secretary; Son of William and Bonnie Kellogg
  • Madelaine Kellogg - Board member
  • Peter M. Sommerhauser - Assistant Secretary
  • James N. Phillips - Director

William S. Kellogg's Leadership Philosophy: "My dad has been blessed in his life and he always wanted to pay it forward and help the youth in Milwaukee." - Kurt Kellogg, speaking about his father's motivation for founding PEAK Initiative

On the Milwaukee Public Museum gift, William S. Kellogg stated: "Wisconsin was a special place to my late parents... As a family, we enjoyed frequent trips up north."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Kellogg Family 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 at the discretion of the foundation's board of trustees based on:

  • Pre-existing relationships with the organization
  • Alignment with the Kellogg family's values and interests
  • Trustee knowledge of and connection to the organization's work
  • Organizations identified through the foundation's own research and networks

Getting on Their Radar

Given the extremely limited and specific information available about this foundation's selection process, and the fact that their primary philanthropic vehicle is the self-operated PEAK Initiative rather than external grants, there is no documented path for organizations to proactively seek funding from this foundation.

The foundation's major gifts (such as the $10 million to Milwaukee Public Museum) and modest annual grants appear to stem from:

  • Personal family connections to the institutions
  • Long-standing relationships with Milwaukee-area organizations
  • Board members' direct knowledge of community needs
  • Organizations connected to the foundation's focus on children's welfare in Milwaukee

Application Success Factors

Since there is no public application process, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, analyzing the foundation's giving patterns reveals:

What the Foundation Values

  1. Children's Welfare: This is the foundation's primary focus, as evidenced by PEAK Initiative and the museum gift's emphasis on free admission for youth participants.

  2. Milwaukee Connection: The majority of funding stays local to Milwaukee and Wisconsin, with William Kellogg's stated commitment to "help the youth in Milwaukee."

  3. Long-term Impact: Rather than distributing many small grants, the foundation invests deeply in initiatives like PEAK that serve children year after year.

  4. Family Legacy: Major gifts honor family members (Winifred & Spencer Kellogg Gallery) and reflect the family's Wisconsin roots.

  5. Direct Service Organizations: Recent grants support organizations providing direct services (senior transportation, disaster relief) rather than advocacy or research.

Organizations They Have Supported

Analysis of recent grants shows support for:

  • Youth development programs (PEAK Initiative)
  • Emergency services (American Red Cross)
  • Senior services (Elmbrook Senior Taxi)
  • Disaster relief (Maui United Way)
  • Medical research and care (Memorial Sloan Kettering)
  • Cultural institutions serving families (Milwaukee Public Museum)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant-seeking methods
  • Primary focus is self-operated PEAK Initiative - The foundation's main philanthropic work is operating their own youth program, not funding other organizations
  • Extremely modest external grant-making - Despite $46M+ in assets, the foundation typically gives only $10,000-$23,000 annually to outside organizations
  • Milwaukee children's welfare is the core mission - Organizations working with Milwaukee youth have received the foundation's largest investments
  • Family connections matter - Major gifts reflect personal family history and values (parents' memory, Wisconsin heritage)
  • Quality over quantity in giving - The foundation prefers deep investment in select organizations rather than broad distribution of funds
  • Pre-existing relationships are essential - All grants appear to go to organizations already known to trustees
  • Not a viable funding prospect for most organizations - Grant writers should consider this foundation "invitation only" and not invest time in cultivation efforts

References

  1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Kellogg Family Foundation Inc (EIN 39-1775567), https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/391775567 (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  2. Cause IQ - Kellogg Family Foundation, Milwaukee, WI, https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/kellogg-family-foundation,391775567/ (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  3. Grantmakers.io Profile - Kellogg Family Foundation c/o Godfrey and Kahn SC, https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/391775567-kellogg-family-foundation-co-godfrey-and-kahn-sc/ (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  4. Milwaukee Public Museum Press Release, "The Kellogg Family Foundation Donates $10 Million to Support Future Museum," https://www.mpm.edu/press/press-releases/kellogg-family-foundation-donates-10-million-support-future-museum-names (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  5. BizTimes Milwaukee, "Milwaukee Public Museum project secures its largest private donation," https://biztimes.com/milwaukee-public-museum-project-secures-its-largest-private-donation/ (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  6. BizTimes Milwaukee, "Lake Valley Camp adopts new name honoring founding philanthropist Bill Kellogg," https://biztimes.com/lake-valley-camp-adopts-new-name-honoring-founding-philanthropist-bill-kellogg/ (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  7. BizTimes Milwaukee, "Kellogg PEAK Initiative opens new $5 million program center in Midtown," https://biztimes.com/kellogg-peak-initiative-opens-new-5-million-program-center-in-midtown/ (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  8. PEAK Initiative Website, https://www.peakinitiative.org/ (Accessed January 5, 2026)

  9. GuideStar Profile - The Kellogg Family Foundation Inc, https://www.guidestar.org/profile/39-1775567 (Accessed January 5, 2026)

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