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Intelligent Future Foundation

Annual Giving
$2.4M
Grant Range
$375K - $2.0M

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,375,000
  • Success Rate: Not applicable (invitation only)
  • Decision Time: Not applicable (preselected grantees)
  • Grant Range: $375,000 - $2,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Wisconsin (particularly Central Wisconsin)

Contact Details

Executive Director: Jennifer Rauscher

The foundation does not maintain a public website or publish contact information. As a private foundation that only makes contributions to preselected organizations, direct contact information is not publicly available.

Overview

The Intelligent Future Foundation is a Delaware private foundation (EIN 87-3077791) established to support experiences that connect, engage, and inspire the next generation of innovators and manufacturers. With total assets of $13.7 million as of 2023, the foundation maintains a giving rate of 17.4% of assets. The foundation focuses on advanced manufacturing, engineering, and aviation education, primarily supporting initiatives in Wisconsin through what it terms the "Wisconsin Initiative." The foundation appears to be closely affiliated with CTech Manufacturing and is a member of the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance, working to develop the future workforce in advanced manufacturing fields in the Wausau, Wisconsin area.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through a highly selective, invitation-only model:

  • Wisconsin Initiative Grants: $375,000 - $2,000,000 (awarded with expenditure responsibility)
  • The foundation typically awards 2 grants annually totaling approximately $2.4 million

Priority Areas

  • Advanced manufacturing education and workforce development
  • Engineering programs and initiatives
  • Aviation-related educational experiences
  • Next generation innovator development
  • Technical education equipment and programming

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not accept unsolicited grant applications and only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations.

Governance and Leadership

Jennifer Rauscher serves as Executive Director of the Intelligent Future Foundation. She also holds the position of Director of Workforce Strategy & Partnerships at CTech Manufacturing, where she focuses on education, talent pipeline, and strategic partnerships. Her dual role suggests close alignment between the foundation's mission and CTech Manufacturing's workforce development goals.

The foundation is registered in Delaware but operates with a focus on Wisconsin-based initiatives.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Intelligent Future Foundation 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 leadership to organizations that align with their mission of supporting the next generation of innovators and manufacturers in Wisconsin.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's close affiliation with CTech Manufacturing and membership in the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance suggests that organizations may come to the foundation's attention through:

  • Active participation in the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance network
  • Existing relationships with CTech Manufacturing's workforce development initiatives
  • Connections through the Wisconsin advanced manufacturing and technical education ecosystem, particularly in the Wausau area

Given Jennifer Rauscher's dual role as Executive Director of the foundation and Director of Workforce Strategy & Partnerships at CTech Manufacturing, organizations working in manufacturing education and workforce development in Central Wisconsin who engage with CTech Manufacturing's partnership programs may have indirect pathways to the foundation's awareness.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are made to preselected organizations at the foundation's discretion.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept applications, traditional success factors do not apply. However, based on recent grant awards, the foundation values:

Organizations in the Foundation's Network:

  • The D.C. Everest Education Foundation Inc received $2.0 million for general and unrestricted purposes in 2022, representing a major investment in educational infrastructure in the D.C. Everest Area School District in Schofield, Wisconsin
  • Engineering Tomorrow Co received $375,000 for the Wisconsin Initiative in 2022, supporting engineering education programs

Key Characteristics of Funded Work:

  • Focus on K-12 and technical education in advanced manufacturing
  • Strong connection to workforce pipeline development
  • Located in or serving Wisconsin communities
  • Alignment with advanced manufacturing, engineering, or aviation education
  • Capacity to handle large grants with expenditure responsibility

Strategic Alignment: The foundation's grants support systemic change in education systems rather than small programmatic work, as evidenced by the large grant sizes and focus on general/unrestricted support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications - traditional grant writing will not be effective
  • The foundation focuses exclusively on Wisconsin-based initiatives, particularly in Central Wisconsin
  • Grant sizes are very large ($375,000 - $2,000,000), suggesting the foundation seeks transformational rather than incremental change
  • Strong preference for advanced manufacturing, engineering, and aviation education
  • Organizations connected to CTech Manufacturing or the Central Wisconsin Manufacturing Alliance ecosystem may have indirect pathways to consideration
  • The foundation makes very few grants (2 annually), suggesting highly selective strategic partnerships
  • Executive Director Jennifer Rauscher's role at CTech Manufacturing indicates workforce development alignment is critical

References

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