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Foundations / Wisconsin

The Brookby Foundation

Accepts applications Milwaukee, Wisconsin · EIN 383202330

The Brookby Foundation is a private foundation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. In tax year 2024 it gave $3.5 million in 151 grants; the typical grant was $1,500 and the largest $500,000. It accepts applications; its filing gives the instructions below.

From its IRS Form 990-PF for tax year 2024.

Giving in 2024 was up from $3.1 million the year before.

17% of its 2024 grantees had not received a grant from it the year before, a mix of repeat and new grantees.

Giving by year

Tax yearGrants paidNumber of grantsAssets
2023$3.1 million144$49.6 million
2024$3.5 million151$52.7 million

How to apply

ContactThe Brookby Foundation
1313 N Franklin Place 2002, Milwaukee, WI 53202
Phone or email(262) 478-0629
What to submitGrant requests are reviewed three (3) times each year. All grant requests shall be initiated with a letter of inquiry (LOI) using the online grant portal. A review of the loi will determine if the request aligns with our grantmaking strategies. Loi should be submitted by the dates below, in accordance with our grant cycle. Spring review is restricted to edith blodgett legacy fund requests. Only former blodgett foundation grantees are eligible to apply during the spring review cycle. New applicants are only eligible to apply during the summer and winter review cycles. Applicants may request funding once per calendar year. If loi is approved, a full application with supporting documents will be requested. Applicants will be notified if any additional information is required prior to review meeting.
DeadlinesSpring (before 2/15); summer (before 5/15); winter (before 9/15)
RestrictionsMay request funding once per calendar year

As written in the foundation's IRS filing for tax year 2024. Details may have changed since.

Foundation website IRS filings on ProPublica

What The Brookby Foundation funds

Where it gives

Its grants went to recipients in 23 states, the most to Michigan.

StateGrantsAmount
Michigan35$1.1 million
Wisconsin38$1.1 million
Oregon8$706,000
Illinois3$117,950
New York18$92,400
Colorado2$80,000
Florida2$75,200
Maryland5$61,000
Virginia3$36,500
Pennsylvania2$25,200

Grants paid in 2024

The 40 largest of 151 grants
RecipientPurposeAmount
Oregon Symphony
Portland, OR
General support$500,000
Inland Seas Education Association
Suttons Bay, MI
Campaign for the Future$200,000
UWM Foundation Inc
Milwaukee, WI
Launching the research vessel maggi sue$200,000
Grand Rapids Symphony
Grand Rapids, MI
Blue lake concert; matching challenge; & mayflower performance$166,423
Dairy Grazing Apprenticeship
Medford, WI
Climate-smart market opportunities, mmrv of managed grazing, workforce$160,000
All Classical Radio
Portland, OR
Media arts center$100,000
Urban Ecology Center
Milwaukee, WI
Imagine Campaign$100,000
Urban Ecology Center
Milwaukee, WI
Imagine campaign$90,000
Action for the Climate Emergency (ACE)
Boulder, CO
General Support$75,000
Michigan Civic Education Fund
Madison Heights, MI
General Support$75,000
Michigan League of Conservation Voters Education
Ann Arbor, MI
General Support$75,000
Mote Marine Laboratory
Sarasota, FL
Forging ahead: resilience and restoration in a changing environment$75,000
Leelanau Conservancy
Leeland, MI
Farmland preservation project$70,000
Wisconsin Conservation Voices
Madison, WI
General support$70,000
Environmental Law & Policy Center
Chicago, IL
Michigan-based environmental advocacy$60,000
Gathering Waters Wisconsin's Alliance for Land Tr
Madison, WI
Bringing alternative conservation funding & financing to wisconsin$60,000
Milwaukee Riverkeeper
Milwaukee, WI
General support$60,000
Peabody Institute of The Johns Hopkins University
Baltimore, MD
Student and Program Support at the Peabody Conservatory$60,000
Alliance for the Great Lakes
Chicago, IL
General support$50,000
Beloit College
Beloit, WI
The Brookby Foundation Student Environmental Experience Grant$50,000
Conservation Resource Alliance
Traverse City, MI
Accelerating Farmland and Water Quality Protection$50,000
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
Traverse City, MI
Accelerating Farmland and Water Quality Protection in Northwest Lower Michigan$50,000
Interlochen Center for the Arts
Interlochen, MI
West michigan student scholarships, interlochen public radio (ipr): science and conservation journalism$50,000
Portland Japanese Garden
Portland, OR
Path to Peace$50,000
So Percussion
Brooklyn, NY
Summer institute, new work development program$50,000
Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy
Traverse City, MI
Accelerating land and water quality protection focused on natural climate solutions$50,000
Leelanau Conservancy
Leeland, MI
Palmer woods addition$50,000
DA Blodgett-St John's
Grand Rapids, MI
Kent school services network$45,000
Camp Blodgett
Grand Rapids, MI
FIERCE Leadership Programs$35,000
Clean Wisconsin
Madison, WI
The scientific method: using data to mitigate climate change$35,000
Trout Unlimited
Arlington, VA
Scaling Enviro-DIY Monitoring and Engagement across the Great Lakes$35,000
Mequon Nature Preserve Inc
Mequon, WI
3 year fellowship$33,333
Blandford Nature Center
Grand Rapids, MI
Transformational Outdoor & Environmental Learning$30,000
Hunger Task Force Inc
West Milwaukee, WI
Hunger task force emergency food program and COVID-19 response$30,000
Riveredge Nature Center
Saukville, WI
Release the sturgeon: youth & community watershed education programming$30,000
WUWM-Milwaukee's NPR
Milwaukee, WI
WUWM Environmental Reporting Initiative$30,000
Inland Seas Education Association
Suttons Bay, MI
Campaign for the future$30,000
45th Parallel
Portland, OR
Capacity building$25,000
ACLU of Wisconsin Foundation
Milwaukee, WI
General Support$25,000
American Civil Liberties Union Foundation Inc
New York City, NY
General Support$25,000

Officers and trustees

As listed in Part VIII of the 2024 filing.

Questions people ask

Does The Brookby Foundation accept grant applications?

Yes. Its latest IRS filing says it accepts applications, with this on deadlines: Spring (before 2/15); summer (before 5/15); winter (before 9/15).

How much does The Brookby Foundation give?

$3.5 million in tax year 2024, across 151 grants, with a typical grant of $1,500.

Who runs The Brookby Foundation?

Its 2024 filing lists Wendy Greeney (President/Secretary), Paul Greeney (Vice President/Treasurer), Daniel Greeney (Managing Director) and Jonathan Greeney (Board Trustee).

What does The Brookby Foundation fund?

Based on its grants, mainly environment and conservation, arts and culture and education.

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