Argosy Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Argosy Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals and reviews only the proposals it has itself invited, so a cold request is unlikely to be considered and the realistic route is to be approached by the foundation.
- Only 501(c)3 public charities and schools are eligible, so confirm that status before anything else, then check that your work falls within education, arts and culture, health and human services, or the environment.
- Typical grants fall between $5,000 and $100,000 with a median of $27,500, so a request of that order fits, although the largest grant was about $1,350,000, so that band is not a ceiling.
- In the filing, 79% of grant dollars to organisations went to groups the foundation had also funded in earlier filings, so new applicants face established grantees, but that is not a reason to stay away.
- Reviews of invited proposals have no set timelines, so plan for an open-ended wait and frame the proposal around the foundation's stated interests in added value to a field, collaboration and assessed outcomes.
Overview
Argosy 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 its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Argosy Foundation supports people and programmes that make society a better place to live, using creative and entrepreneurial approaches that help people help themselves and become self-sustaining where possible. It names education, arts and culture, health and human services, and the environment as funding areas, while having no fixed programme categories. Grants are limited to 501(c) 3 public charities and schools. Its process-based partnerships favour projects that add value to a field and may offer learning relevant to other philanthropic work; it seeks leverage and applies due diligence to charitable investments. The foundation values rigorous research and analysis, collaboration, responsible stewardship, effective staff, assessed outcomes and learning. Its approach emphasises infrastructure, long-term capacity-building, shared engagement, defined benchmarks and an exit strategy.
Themes
- Education
- Arts and culture
- Health and human services
- Environment
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Vermont, Colorado, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, District of Columbia and the United States.
How to apply
The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. It reviews proposals it has solicited, without set review timelines.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 79% 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 770 grants to organisations were $27,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The trustees look for projects that add value to a field and may offer features applicable to other philanthropic programmes.
- The foundation values rigorous research, data and analysis, including best practices, risk contingency and scenario modelling in proportion to a decision's impact.
- It seeks collaboration where it can improve efficiency, scalability or pooled-voice advocacy.
- The trustees expect disciplined and responsible use of financial and intellectual resources.
- The foundation supports partners in developing effective staff, particularly in leadership.
- It assesses its own and its nonprofit partners' effectiveness and learns from the findings.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 25%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 19%
- The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 79% of grant dollars went to organisations Argosy Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- <1% of grant dollars went directly to organisations outside the US (Canada).
- 6% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 280 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $28,750 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Hack Club · Stem project$1,355,0002024 tax year
- Baptist Health South Florida Foundation · Research project$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Boys & Girls Clubs of America · Planning project$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Shelburne Farms · Capital campaign$1,000,0002024 tax year
- Association of American Colleges and Universities · Education project$666,6672024 tax year
- For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology · Stem project$585,0002024 tax year
- Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra · General support$300,0002024 tax year
- Minneapolis Foundation · Environmental policy project$290,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Mary S Abele — Trustee
- John E Abele — Chair
- Christopher S Abele — Trustee
- Jennifer L Abele — CEO / President
- Kenneth C Zolot — Administrative Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $14,826,450 | $12,508,458 | $33,588,273 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $17,010,018 | $14,525,208 | $43,728,635 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $19,513,924 | $16,820,284 | $74,038,941 | 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Argosy Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Milwaukee, WI
- argosyfnd.org
Applying to Argosy Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Milwaukee, WI
- argosyfnd.org