West Wings Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,040,000 - $1,110,815
• Success Rate: N/A (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $25,000 - $950,000
• Geographic Focus: Minnesota, Georgia, Florida, Wyoming

Contact Details

• Mailing Address: PO Box 4158, Jackson, WY 83001
• Phone: Not publicly listed
• Email: Not publicly listed
• Website: No public website
• Application Portal: None - invitation-only funding

Overview

The West Wings Family Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 2018 by the Hilde family, with assets of approximately $27 million. Founded by the late Al Hilde Jr., who built a successful portable sanitation and mobile office business empire through Satellite Industries and Satellite Shelters, the foundation continues under the leadership of his wife Jayne and their three sons. The foundation distributes between $1 million and $1.1 million annually to preselected charitable organizations, focusing primarily on human services, arts and culture, and philanthropic initiatives. As an invitation-only funder, they do not accept unsolicited applications and work exclusively with organizations they have identified or with whom they have existing relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation makes grants ranging from $25,000 to $950,000, with an average grant size of approximately $367,000. They typically award 1-6 grants per year through trustee-discretion funding.

Priority Areas

• Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Foundations
• Human Services
• Arts, Culture & Humanities
• Faith-based initiatives and ministries

What They Don't Fund

As an invitation-only funder, they do not fund unsolicited requests. The foundation states explicitly in their IRS filings that they "only make contributions to preselected charitable organizations."

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by the Hilde family:

• Bret A. Hilde - President and Director (receives $125,000 annual compensation)
• Jayne C. Hilde - Vice President/Chairman and Director
• Timothy G. Hilde - Treasurer/Secretary and Director
• Todd L. Hilde - Director

The foundation was established following the success of Al Hilde Jr.'s business ventures in the portable sanitation and mobile office industry. Al Hilde Jr., who passed away in 2023, founded Satellite Industries in 1958 and Satellite Shelters in 1972, building a national presence in the mobile solutions sector.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded exclusively to preselected charitable organizations identified by the foundation's trustees. The foundation explicitly states in their Form 990-PF filings that they "do not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - decisions are made at the discretion of the trustees for preselected organizations.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept public applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organizations cannot apply directly to this foundation.

Application Success Factors

As this is an invitation-only funder, traditional application success factors do not apply. Organizations that have received funding from West Wings Family Foundation typically:

• Have existing relationships with the Hilde family or their business networks
• Operate in the foundation's geographic focus areas (Minnesota, Georgia, Florida, Wyoming)
• Align with the family's philanthropic interests in human services, arts and culture, or faith-based initiatives
• Have been identified by trustees through their professional or personal networks

Recent grant recipients include Into The Jordan Ministries, which received $100,000 in 2023 for program support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• West Wings Family Foundation is an invitation-only funder that does not accept unsolicited applications
• The foundation has strong geographic preferences for Minnesota, Georgia, Florida, and Wyoming
• With annual giving of approximately $1 million and only 1-6 grants per year, they make substantial awards to selected organizations
• The foundation is family-run with all decision-making concentrated within the Hilde family trustees
• Organizations cannot apply directly but may benefit from building relationships within the Hilde family's business and philanthropic networks
• The foundation has connections to the portable sanitation and mobile office industry through the family's business background

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: West Wings Family Foundation Form 990-PF filings 2018-2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/822958788. Accessed February 7, 2026.
• Instrumentl 990 Report: West Wings Family Foundation Grant Analysis. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/west-wings-family-foundation. Accessed February 7, 2026.
• Cause IQ: West Wings Family Foundation Profile and 2023 Grant Information. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/westwings-family-foundation,822958788/. Accessed February 7, 2026.
• Charity Navigator: West Wings Family Foundation Basic Profile. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/822958788. Accessed February 7, 2026.
• Satellite Shelters: "Remembering Al Hilde Jr." https://www.satelliteco.com/blog/remembering-al-hilde/. Accessed February 7, 2026.
• Wyoming Secretary of State: Business Entity Records for West Wings Family Foundation. Accessed February 7, 2026.