Nicholas Family Foundation Trust
Accepts applications
Nicholas Family Foundation Trust is a private foundation in Mequon, Wisconsin. In tax year 2025 it gave $3.9 million in 51 grants; the typical grant was $50,000 and the largest $500,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.
From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2025.
- Grants paid, 2025$3.9 million
- Number of grants51
- Typical grant$50,000
- Largest grant$500,000
- Assets$81.1 million
- New grantees18%
Giving in 2025 was up from $3.4 million the year before.
18% of its 2025 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Number of grants | Assets |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | $3.4 million | 50 | $77.3 million |
| 2024 | $3.4 million | 49 | $84.9 million |
| 2025 | $3.9 million | 51 | $81.1 million |
How to apply
| Contact | Lynn Nicholas Nicholas Family Found 10309 North River Road, Mequon, WI 53092 |
|---|---|
| Phone or email | (262) 242-3040, lnicholas23@att.net |
| What to submit | Type written letter with history and purpose of organization |
| Restrictions | To 501 (c)(3) exempt organizations |
What Nicholas Family Foundation Trust funds
Where it gives
Its grants went to recipients in 5 states, the most to Wisconsin.
| State | Grants | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wisconsin | 43 | $2.8 million |
| Illinois | 2 | $850,000 |
| California | 4 | $175,000 |
| Oregon | 1 | $25,000 |
| Tennessee | 1 | $10,000 |
Grants paid in 2025
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Rockford Park District Foundation | Annual campaign. Supports enhancements and programming at the nicholas conservatory and gardens. | $500,000 |
| Children's Wi Foundation | Annual campaign. To advance the work of pediatric patient care, research and teaching by children's hospital. | $400,000 |
| Williams Heart Foundation | Annual campaign. Dedicated research to help fight heart disease. | $350,000 |
| United Way of Greater Milwaukee | Annual campaign. Serves the community by developing and maximizing resources to enable positive change in the lives of people in milwaukee. | $325,000 |
| Historic Haymarket Milwaukee | Capital campaign. Supports permanent or special exhibit habitats, educational programs, or names for a curatorial chair for the milwaukee public museum. | $200,000 |
| Church of the Atonement | Capital campaign. | $150,000 |
| Peninsula School of Art & Gallery | Capital campaign. To provide enriching art educational experiences for participants of all ages and abilities to inspire creativity and build community. | $100,000 |
| Prevent Blindness Wisconsin | Annual campaign. Promote health vision and eye safety. | $100,000 |
| The Samaritan Family Wellness Foundation Inc | Annual campaign. To support program for psycho therapy at uw madison. Committed to serving individuals, families and organizations through whole person wellness services including coaching, consultation and psycho therapy. | $100,000 |
| UW Foundation - Guarding Against Cancer | Guarding against cancer event. Dedicated to cancer elimination through research, education, advocacy and service. | $100,000 |
| Wisconsin Humane Society | Annual campaign. To support abused, neglected and forgotten animals. | $95,000 |
| ALS Association SE Wi Chapter | Annual campaign. Dedicated to the fight against als through research, patient support and information awareness. | $75,000 |
| American Red Cross Greater Milw Chapter | Annual campaign. To provide relief to victims of disasters and help people prevent, prepare for and respond to emergencies. | $75,000 |
| Lad Lakest Rose Center | Annual campaign. Changing heartache to hope for women, girls and families in need by providing residential care, stabilization placement and respite care. | $75,000 |
| Macc Fund | Annual campaign. Supports research into effecive treatments and cure for childhood cancer. | $75,000 |
| Elmbrook Humane Society | Annual campaign. To provide shelter for homeless animals, promote the human animal bond and prevent animal cruelty and neglect. | $50,000 |
| Family Promise of Ozaukee County | Capital campaign. To provide emergency shelter, meals & expert mgmt to homeless children and their families. | $50,000 |
| Haws of Waukesha County | Annual campaign. No-kill shelter dedicated to strengthing the relationship between animals and humans through adoptions and education. | $50,000 |
| Madison Area Music Association | Annual campaign. To provide leadership and support for school music programs that encourage lifelong involvement in music for all students and promote music as an integral part of a school curriculum. | $50,000 |
| Nativity Jesuit Academy | Annual campaign. To address the needs of latino community, where there is a demand for quality catholic schools. | $50,000 |
| Rawhide Youth Services | Annual campaign. To support residential treatment and counseling services dedicated to changing the lives of at risk youth and their families. | $50,000 |
| The Dove Project | Annual campaign. To support the end of the dog meat trade in south korea. To place rescued dogs in forever homes. | $50,000 |
| The la Belle Foundation | Annual campaign. Devoted to saving, rehibilitating and advocating for dogs. | $50,000 |
| UW Foundation | Annual canpaign. Supporting the educational, literary and scientific endeavors of uw-milwaukee. | $50,000 |
| Uwm Foundation - Athletics | Capital campaign. To promote the welfare of and advance the objectives of uw-madison by encouraging the interest, engagement, and financial support of alumni, donors and friends. | $50,000 |
| Versiti Blood Research Institute Foundation | Annual campaign. Support blood research. Blood health innovators who enhance lives through integration of science, medicine and service. | $50,000 |
| Wags and Walks | Annual campaign. To reduce euthanasia in local shelters and to increase awareness of rescue dogs being wonderful pets. | $50,000 |
| The Gathering of Southeastern Wisconsin | Annual campaign. Provides food for the hungry. Also sponsors job task forces, children's tutoring, community-based bible study and social service referrals. | $40,000 |
| Sojourner Foundation | Annual campaign. Prevent and eliminate violence in a family setting by providing shelter for battered women and children. | $35,000 |
| Balance Inc | Annual campaign. Dedicated to improving the quality of life for persons with developmental disabilities. | $25,000 |
| Birch Creek Music Performance Center Inc | Annual campaign. Summer music academy in door cty wi for advanced young musicans. | $25,000 |
| Bridge to Brighter | Annual campaign. Provides vital services to support and strengthen youth in and aging out of the foster system in milwaukee. | $25,000 |
| Exceptional Children's Foundation | Annual campaign. Offers specialized educational and therapeutic programs and services to children, youth and young adults challenged by learning, developmental, emotional or medical disabilities. | $25,000 |
| First Stage Children's Theater | Annual campaign. Provide exceptional, professional theater experiences and serve as theater arts-in-education resource for educators. | $25,000 |
| Make-A-Wish Foundation of Wisconsin | Annual campaign. Grants the wishes of children with life-threatening illnesses to enrich the human experience with hope, strength and joy. | $25,000 |
| Oshkosh Area Humane Society | Annual campaign. To provide compassionate care and comfort to animals in need and to build community that promotes humane treatment of all animals. | $25,000 |
| Our Next Generation Inc | Annual campaign. Enhancing education & life skills of children through programs such as the homework club. | $25,000 |
| Peninsula Golf Associates | Annual campaign. Support of the improvements that make peninsula golf course a special place. | $25,000 |
| Peninsula Players Theater Foundation | Capital campaign. To support a tradition of theatrical excellence and natural beauty on shorefront property in door county. | $25,000 |
| St Coletta Day School of Milwaukee | Annual campaign. Provide an academic curriculum designed to meet the special learning needs of each student to help prepare them to reach full learning potential. | $25,000 |
Officers and trustees
- Nancy J Nicholas
- Lynn S Nicholas
- Susan N Fasciano
- David O Nicholas
Questions people ask
Does Nicholas Family Foundation Trust accept grant applications?
Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications.
How much does Nicholas Family Foundation Trust give?
$3.9 million in tax year 2025, across 51 grants, with a typical grant of $50,000.
Who runs Nicholas Family Foundation Trust?
Its 2025 filing lists Nancy J Nicholas (Trustee), Lynn S Nicholas (President - Trustee), Susan N Fasciano (Trustee) and David O Nicholas (Trustee).
What does Nicholas Family Foundation Trust fund?
Based on its grants, mainly health, science and research and education.