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Argosy Foundation

Annual Giving
$17.0M
Grant Range
$0K - $1.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $17 million (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $100 - $1,000,000 (most under $500,000)
  • Geographic Focus: National, with priority given to Milwaukee, WI; Denver/Boulder, CO; and Burlington/Shelburne, VT areas
  • Total Assets: $43.7 million (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 555 E. Wells St., Suite 1650, Milwaukee, WI 53202

Additional Offices: Boulder, CO; Shelburne, VT; Birmingham, AL

Website: https://www.argosyfnd.org/

Important Note: The Argosy Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals for funding.

Overview

The Argosy Foundation is a private family foundation established in 1997 by John Abele, co-founder of Boston Scientific Corporation. With assets of approximately $43.7 million and annual grant distributions of $17 million, the foundation makes over 200 grants annually ranging from $100 to $1 million. The foundation's mission is "to support people and programs that make our society a better place to live" by employing "creative and entrepreneurial approaches that help people to help themselves." The foundation emphasizes leverage, learning, and replicable solutions across its funding areas: education (particularly STEM), arts and culture, health and human services (with recent focus on reproductive health and homelessness), and environmental conservation. Argosy takes a distinctive partnership approach to grantmaking, with all funding decisions made by family trustees through their own research and networks rather than through a public application process.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Argosy does not operate formal grant programs with set application cycles. Instead, the foundation identifies and cultivates partnerships with organizations that align with their strategic interests. Grants are awarded on an invitation-only basis following trustee decision-making.

Priority Areas

Education

  • STEM education, particularly robotics programs through FIRST (FIRST Robotics Competition, FIRST Tech Challenge, FIRST Lego League)
  • Technology innovation programs at universities
  • Innovative learning methods and assessment strategies
  • Education programs that create opportunities for underserved students
  • Notable support: Multi-year grants to FIRST Robotics, including $100,000 in 2005 and participation in $1.3 million three-year initiative for 187 rookie teams; Boston University Technology Innovation Scholars Program ($25,000+)

Arts and Culture

  • Performing arts organizations
  • Music education
  • Film and media
  • Notable support: Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra ($250,000 annually, over $7 million total); Milwaukee Ballet ($500,000 for capital campaign in 2019); 88Nine Radio Milwaukee; United Performing Arts Fund of Milwaukee; Milwaukee Film

Health and Human Services

  • Reproductive health and abortion access (increased focus area)
  • Homelessness and housing (increased focus area)
  • Workforce development programs
  • Human services giving prioritizes greater Milwaukee, Denver/Boulder, and Burlington/Shelburne, VT areas
  • Notable support: Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity (including unique FIRST robotics internship program); Champlain Valley Office of Economic Opportunity (VT)

Environment

  • Land and water conservation
  • Clean energy transition
  • Sustainable design and advocacy
  • Climate change resiliency research
  • Giving tends toward medium-sized local and regional organizations with strong community involvement
  • Notable support: Cook Inletkeeper (Alaska), River Revitalization Foundation (Milwaukee), Living Lands and Waters (Illinois), Meach Cove Farms (Vermont), Conservative Energy Network (Michigan), Renew Wisconsin, Conservation Law Foundation ($100,000 in 2013)

What They Don't Fund

  • Only grants to 501(c)(3) public charities and schools
  • Does not respond to unsolicited proposals
  • Does not fund projects outside their identified priority areas

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees (All Abele Family Members):

  • John Abele - Founder and Chairman; co-founder of Boston Scientific
  • Jeneye Abele - President & CEO (assumed role in 2011)
  • Chris Abele - Trustee (former CEO until 2011; former Milwaukee County Executive)
  • Alex Abele - Trustee (classical music composer based in Vermont)

Executive Leadership:

  • Dr. Emily Van Dunk - Executive Director (joined as program officer in 2006, became Executive Director in 2011); holds Ph.D. in political science from University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee; also founded Milwaukee Robotics Academy

Late Trustee:

  • Mary Seton Abele - Abele family matriarch and former trustee (deceased); supported maternal health and reproductive rights; was founding pastor of All Souls Interfaith Gathering in Shelburne, Vermont

Key Quotes from Leadership

John Abele on Empowerment: "Our intention is to empower, which means you have to take responsibility and you have to own it and you have to take risk, and then you have to pass that on. That to me is very important for a sustainable model."

John Abele on Competition: "What we want to do in our philanthropic activities, everything we do, we want to focus on raising the bar, not of winning by making our opponent lose."

On Partnership Approach: "Their role as a partner with the grantee is to maximize the likelihood of success and gain knowledge and best practice information that can be made available to others."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Argosy Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation does not accept unsolicited funding requests or proposals. Materials sent without explicit request may not receive a response.

How Grants Are Awarded: All funding decisions are made solely by the Board of Trustees (Abele family members) based on their own research, staff briefs and reports, and networking within the philanthropic community. The foundation takes a "due-diligence approach" to identify organizations and projects that align with their strategic interests and offer opportunities for leverage and learning.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation has documented specific ways they identify potential partners:

Foundation-Initiated Research: Staff conduct research and write briefs to support trustee decision-making. The foundation actively networks with peer organizations through memberships in Biodiversity Funders Group, Environmental Grantmakers Association, Grantmakers in Health, and other philanthropic associations to identify best practices and promising organizations.

Trustee Personal Interests and Connections: The foundation's giving reflects the specific interests of individual trustees. For example, Alex Abele's interest in classical music has influenced arts funding decisions, and Jeneye Abele's founding of Milwaukee Robotics Academy demonstrates the intersection of family interests with grantmaking priorities.

Long-Term Partnerships: The foundation emphasizes multi-year relationships rather than one-time grants. Organizations like FIRST Robotics and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra have received ongoing support over many years, suggesting the foundation values deep, sustained partnerships.

Geographic Connections: Strong preference for organizations in Milwaukee (headquarters location), Denver/Boulder area (office location), and Burlington/Shelburne, VT area (family connections and office location).

Value-Add Engagement: John Abele has stated he "welcomes the opportunity to become involved in the policy and decision making processes of the organizations he supports — an approach he calls 'value-add.'" This suggests the foundation seeks partnerships where they can provide more than just funding.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation operates without strict deadlines for proposal reviews, conducting ongoing evaluation throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable. The foundation makes approximately 200 grants annually, all through invitation only.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable due to invitation-only model.

Application Success Factors

Since the Argosy Foundation operates exclusively through trustee-identified partnerships, the following factors characterize their successful grantees:

Alignment with Foundation Philosophy:

  • Projects that demonstrate "creative and entrepreneurial approaches that help people to help themselves"
  • Organizations that seek to "add value to a field" with features or learning "applicable to other philanthropic endeavors"
  • Programs emphasizing innovation, leverage, and sustainability

Leverage and Learning Orientation: The foundation explicitly states: "We look for leverage in everything we do" and "Every program is a learning experience." Successful partners offer opportunities for the foundation to gain "knowledge and best practice information that can be made available to others."

Examples of Recently Funded Projects:

  • FIRST Robotics: Multi-year support for rookie teams, particularly from rural and central city areas facing fundraising challenges. Grants designed as "a booster, not a handout" to help teams "foster independence and self-sufficiency."
  • Milwaukee Habitat for Humanity/FIRST Internship Program: Innovative partnership pairing FIRST robotics students with Habitat construction projects, with interns completing work on "at least 50 houses since their internship started in 2017."
  • Media Literacy Now: Grant to "elevate their coalition work and build the capacity of their advocates" (2023).
  • Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra: $250,000 annual matching challenge grant to encourage new and increased donations, demonstrating the foundation's preference for grants that leverage additional funding.
  • Milwaukee Ballet: $500,000 capital campaign gift for Baumgartner Center for Dance construction.
  • Environmental Conservation: Medium-sized local and regional organizations with strong community involvement, such as Cook Inletkeeper (Alaska), River Revitalization Foundation (Milwaukee), and Meach Cove Farms (Vermont) conducting "lands-based research" to improve climate change resiliency.

Address Systemic Needs: As a private family foundation, Argosy aims "to address needs less likely to be addressed by governments or public foundations."

Replicable Solutions: The foundation seeks to "solve systemic problems, build teams and communities, create replicable solutions, and inspire others to contribute in their own ways."

Process-Based Support: Emphasizes "process-based support" and partnership approaches where the foundation can maximize success likelihood while gaining transferable knowledge.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - the Argosy Foundation identifies all grantees through trustee-led research and networking. Do not submit unsolicited proposals.

  • Geographic proximity matters significantly - Organizations in Milwaukee, Denver/Boulder, and Burlington/Shelburne, VT have substantially better chances due to the foundation's office locations and family connections to these communities.

  • Leverage is paramount - The foundation consistently emphasizes looking "for leverage in everything we do." Projects that can attract matching funds or multiply impact resonate strongly (e.g., MSO matching challenge).

  • Long-term partnerships over one-time grants - The foundation maintains ongoing relationships with key partners like FIRST Robotics (20+ years) and Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (15+ years). Once on their radar, organizations can expect sustained support.

  • Innovation and systems change - Focus on "creative and entrepreneurial approaches," "replicable solutions," and addressing "systemic problems" rather than direct service provision alone.

  • Learning and knowledge transfer - Projects should offer lessons "applicable to other philanthropic endeavors" and generate "best practice information that can be made available to others."

  • Empowerment over dependency - The foundation philosophy centers on helping people "help themselves and become self-sustaining," described as providing "a booster, not a handout."

References

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