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Isabel Bader 2021 Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$0.9M
Grant Range
$100K - $0.1M

Isabel Bader 2021 Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $880,000 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $70.5 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $100,000 - $150,000
  • Geographic Focus: Milwaukee, Wisconsin
  • Application Process: No public application process (trustee-directed grants)

Contact Details

Address: Milwaukee, WI
EIN: 88-6725502
Type: 501(c)(3) Private Foundation

Note: This is a private charitable trust without publicly available contact information for grant applications.

Overview

The Isabel Bader 2021 Charitable Trust was established in 2023 as a private foundation to continue the philanthropic legacy of Isabel Overton Bader, who passed away in August 2022 at age 95. The trust holds assets of approximately $70.5 million and is supported by the Isabel Bader 2005 Revocable Trust. In 2024, the foundation distributed $880,000 in grants to organizations in Milwaukee. Isabel Bader, together with her late husband Alfred Bader (who died in 2018), was instrumental in Milwaukee philanthropy for decades. She developed particular interests in indigenous communities, immigrant communities, Jewish education, holistic healthcare, and senior services. The trust operates as a private foundation making a small number of directed grants annually to causes aligned with Isabel Bader's philanthropic priorities.

Funding Priorities

Recent Grants (2024)

Based on available 990-PF filings, the trust made the following grants in 2024:

  • Shalem Healing - $150,000 (General Operations): A nonprofit holistic health clinic in Milwaukee's Harambee neighborhood providing integrative medical care to underinsured and uninsured patients
  • Eastcastle Place - $100,000 (General Operations): A 140-year-old nonprofit senior living community on Milwaukee's East Side offering a full continuum of care

Priority Areas

Based on Isabel Bader's documented philanthropic interests and recent grants, the trust appears to support:

  • Healthcare Access: Holistic and integrative healthcare for underserved communities, particularly the uninsured and underinsured
  • Senior Services: Nonprofit senior living communities that respect dignity and independence of residents
  • Jewish Education: Supporting Jewish educational institutions in Milwaukee (aligned with broader Bader family philanthropy)
  • Indigenous Communities: Programs benefiting indigenous communities in Milwaukee and Ontario
  • Immigrant Communities: Organizations serving immigrant populations
  • Arts and Culture: Support for arts programs that reach underserved communities

Grant Characteristics

  • Grants typically range from $100,000 to $150,000
  • Focus on Milwaukee-based organizations
  • Preference for general operating support
  • Small number of grants made annually (2-3 grants per year)

Governance and Leadership

The Isabel Bader 2021 Charitable Trust operates as a private foundation with no employees. The trust is administered by trustees who direct grant-making in accordance with Isabel Bader's philanthropic vision. The foundation is supported by the Isabel Bader 2005 Revocable Trust.

Isabel Overton Bader (1926-2022) was born in Kirkland Lake, Ontario, and graduated from Victoria University in Toronto. She was an educator who taught schoolchildren in Sussex, England before marrying Alfred Bader in 1982. Together with Alfred, she directed hundreds of millions of dollars in charitable giving. According to those who knew her, Isabel "yearned to 'do things better, do things faster'" and developed her own distinct philanthropic interests, particularly around indigenous and immigrant communities, expanding beyond her late husband's initial focus areas.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process. The Isabel Bader 2021 Charitable Trust is a private foundation that makes grants based on trustee discretion. Grants are directed to organizations aligned with the trust's mission and Isabel Bader's documented philanthropic interests rather than through a competitive application process.

The trust does not accept unsolicited applications or maintain a public grants program. Grant decisions appear to be made internally by trustees based on their knowledge of organizations and causes that align with Isabel Bader's legacy.

Getting on Their Radar

The trust operates through existing relationships and trustee-directed grant-making. Given the private nature of this foundation and its connection to the broader Bader philanthropic network in Milwaukee:

  • Bader Philanthropies Connection: Organizations may benefit from relationships with Bader Philanthropies, Inc., the larger Milwaukee foundation co-founded by Isabel and Alfred Bader, which has a public grants program and broader community engagement
  • Milwaukee Presence: The trust focuses on Milwaukee-based organizations, particularly those serving underserved communities in areas Isabel championed
  • Mission Alignment: Organizations working in healthcare access for underserved populations, senior services, Jewish education, indigenous communities, or immigrant services in Milwaukee are most aligned with documented giving patterns

Application Success Factors

Given the private, trustee-directed nature of this foundation, traditional application strategies do not apply. However, based on Isabel Bader's documented philanthropic approach and the trust's grant history:

Alignment with Isabel Bader's Values:

  • Serving Underserved Communities: Both 2024 grant recipients serve vulnerable populations - Shalem Healing serves uninsured/underinsured patients, while Eastcastle Place has a 140-year history of serving seniors with dignity
  • Holistic, Integrated Approaches: Shalem Healing's integration of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Nursing Science, Nutritional Science, and Western Medicine aligns with Isabel's interest in comprehensive solutions
  • Community-Based Milwaukee Organizations: All documented grants support locally-rooted organizations with deep community ties
  • Long-Standing, Established Organizations: Eastcastle Place's 140-year history suggests preference for organizations with proven track records

Isabel Bader's Documented Interests: According to reporting on her life and work, Isabel "developed her own interest, particularly around indigenous communities and immigrant communities" and "advised Bader Philanthropies on grants specifically focused on indigenous communities in Milwaukee and Ontario."

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • This is not a typical grant-making foundation: The Isabel Bader 2021 Charitable Trust operates as a private foundation making trustee-directed grants, not through a competitive application process
  • No public application mechanism exists: Organizations cannot submit unsolicited proposals to this trust
  • Very selective grant-making: With only 2-3 grants distributed annually from assets of $70.5 million, this trust makes highly selective, directed grants
  • Focus on Milwaukee: All documented grants support Milwaukee-based organizations
  • Substantial grant sizes: Recent grants of $100,000-$150,000 represent significant investments in selected organizations
  • Connection to Bader Philanthropies: Organizations seeking funding aligned with Isabel Bader's legacy should explore Bader Philanthropies, Inc., which has a public application process and continues the broader Bader family philanthropic mission
  • Mission alignment essential: The trust supports causes Isabel championed - healthcare access, senior services, indigenous communities, immigrant communities, and Jewish education in Milwaukee

References

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