Fotsch Family Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation focuses on Catholic institutions and education, and its recorded grants go to schools and universities, religious organisations, health-service and social-service charities, and community organisations, so work in those areas is the closest fit.
- It states that it does not accept unsolicited requests and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations, so an organisation should not send it a cold application and should look for a route to being invited.
- Typical grants fall between $1,500 and $125,000, about 8 in 10 of its 159 grants to organisations, with a median of $15,000 and half of grants at $15,000 or less, so a request near that level suits its usual giving; its largest grant was about $1,850,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- Repeat giving is strong, with 99% of its grant dollars to organisations in the filing going to organisations it had also funded in its earlier filings.
- The filing shows grants mainly in Wisconsin and New York, but no geographic focus is stated, so this describes past giving rather than a limit on who may apply.
Overview
Fotsch Family Foundation is a US private foundation based in Nashotah, WI.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (biztimes.com), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation focuses on supporting Catholic institutions and education. The filing records grants to schools and universities, religious organisations, health-service charities, social-service charities, and community organisations, alongside grants to local public bodies. These are examples of recipient types in the recorded giving; the filing describes the purposes as charitable contributions without identifying further funding fields. The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organisations, and the sources do not describe an open application route. Its reported giving includes contributions to local organisations.
Themes
- Catholic institutions
- Education
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Wisconsin and New York.
How to apply
The foundation states that it 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 159 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
1 other state: <1%
- The largest single recipient received 31% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations Fotsch 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 52 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $15,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Marquette University · Charitable contribution$1,848,2002024 tax year
- The Cardinal's Appeal · Charitable contribution$160,0002024 tax year
- The Salvation Army · Charitable contribution$125,0002024 tax year
- Childrens Hospital Of Wi Foundation · Charitable contribution$112,0002024 tax year
- Ronald Mcdonald Charities-Eastern Wi · Charitable contribution$94,2752024 tax year
- Christo Rey Jesuit High School · Charitable contribution$85,0002024 tax year
- Paulist Fathers · Charitable contribution$75,0002024 tax year
- University of Notre Dame · Charitable contribution$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Dr Colleen Lawton — Director
- James P Fotsch — Director
- Thomas A Fotsch — Vice President / Secretary / Treasurer
- Geraldine D Fotsch — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $2,901,946 | $2,866,882 | $57,326,749 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $2,881,333 | $2,843,377 | $60,420,158 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $3,394,178 | $3,286,475 | $69,108,842 | 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 Fotsch Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Nashotah, WI
Applying to Fotsch Family Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Nashotah, WI