The Brookby Foundation
Historical FunderMilwaukee, Wisconsin · EIN 38-3202330 · Private foundation · Website
Grants paid (2024)$3.5M
Organizations funded151
Typical grant$1,500
Total assets$52.7M
Half of its grants to organizations were between $300 and $25,000.
From the return
How to apply
The foundation filed the following application information (Form 990-PF Part XV, tax year 2024):
| Contact | THE BROOKBY FOUNDATION |
|---|---|
| Address | 1313 N Franklin Place 2002, MILWAUKEE WI 53202 |
| Phone | 2624780629 |
| Form and materials | GRANT 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. |
| Deadlines | SPRING (BEFORE 2/15); SUMMER (BEFORE 5/15); WINTER (BEFORE 9/15) |
| Restrictions | MAY REQUEST FUNDING ONCE PER CALENDAR YEAR |
Copied as filed. Deadlines on a tax return describe the foundation's usual process; they are not confirmation of a current open cycle.
What it funds
Share of grant lines on the latest return, classified from the purpose each grant states.
Where it gives
74% of grants went outside Wisconsin.
Grants paid in tax year 2024
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 |
| Circle of Blue | Traverse City, MI | General support | $25,000 |
| Pennsylvania Voice | Philadelphia, PA | General Support | $25,000 |
| YWCA West Central Michigan | Grand Rapids, MI | Nurse examiner | $25,000 |
| Seeds | Traverse City, MI | SEEDS Workshop Roof | $15,200 |
| Digital Arts Film and Television dba DAFT | Royal Oak, MI | DAFT Operating Support | $15,000 |
| Harbor District Inc | Milwaukee, WI | Environmental Programming | $15,000 |
| Hospice of Michigan | Ada, MI | Hospice of michigan grief support services- west michigan | $15,000 |
| League of Women Voters of Wisconsin | Madison, WI | General Support | $15,000 |
| National Parks Conservation Association | Washington, DC | Expanding how coalition access to students and small community-based organizations | $15,000 |
| One Arizona | Phoenix, AZ | General Support | $15,000 |
| Planned Parenthood of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Making proud choices | $15,000 |
| River Revitalization Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | Riverine-Tern Internship Program 2024 | $15,000 |
| Sixteenth Street Community Health Centers | Milwaukee, WI | Healthy communities, big and small - after-school and summer camp programs | $15,000 |
| Chamber Music Northwest | Portland, OR | Chamber Music Northwest 2024 Season and Young Artist Institute | $10,000 |
| Grand Rapids Civic Theatre | Grand Rapids, MI | Scholarship Program | $10,000 |
| Metropolitan Youth Symphony | Portland, OR | Music access and coaching program | $10,000 |
| Midwest Environmental Advocates Inc | Madison, WI | Defending Environmental Health & Water Quality | $10,000 |
| Milwaukee Water Commons | Milwaukee, WI | 2024 water school | $10,000 |
| Natural Resources Foundation of Wisconsin | Madison, WI | Recovering wisconsin's southern kettle moraine grassland habitat | $10,000 |
| Wisconsin Democracy Campaign | Madison, WI | General Support | $10,000 |
Showing the 60 largest of 151 grants to organizations.
Grants approved for future payment
| Recipient | Location | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Urban Ecology Center | Milwaukee, WI | Imagine campaign | $0 |
| Grand Traverse Regional Land Conservancy | Traverse City, MI | Accelerating Farmland and Water Quality Protection in Northwest Lower Michigan | $0 |
| Leelanau Conservancy | Leeland, MI | Friends of farming & palmer woods addition | $0 |
| Inland Seas Education Association | Suttons Bay, MI | Campaign for the Future | $0 |
| UWM Foundation | Milwaukee, WI | Launching the Research Vessel Maggi Sue & Brookby Scholarships in Water Literacy | $0 |
| Camp Blodgett | Beloit, WI | FIERCE Leadership Programs | $0 |
| DA Blodgett - St John's | Grand Rapids, MI | Kent School Services Network | $0 |
| Gathering Waters | Madison, WI | Bringing Alternative Conservation Funding & Financing to Wisconsin: A two-year proposal | $0 |
| Grandville Avenue Arts & Humanities | Grand Rapids, MI | General purpose | $0 |
| Mote Marine Laboratory | Sarasota, FL | Forging ahead | $0 |
| Planned Parenthood of Michigan | Ann Arbor, MI | Making proud choices | $0 |
| YWCA West Central Michigan | Grand Rapids, MI | Nurse examiner | $0 |
| Conservation Resource Alliance | Traverse City, MI | Accelerating farmland and water quality protection | $0 |
| Grand Rapids Civic Theater | Grand Rapids, MI | Scholarship program | $0 |
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants paid | Grant lines |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $3,464,606 | 165 |
| 2023 | $3,112,645 | 150 |
Sources
- IRS Form 990-PF, tax year 2024, filed Nov 17, 2025 - IRS e-file batch, object ID 202543219349105374
- IRS Tax Exempt Organization Search for EIN 38-3202330
- Profile updated Nov 5, 2026
Facts on this page come from the foundation's own IRS Form 990-PF filings as published by the IRS. Grantvello does not know whether a foundation is accepting proposals right now: a past grant is not an open opportunity. Always confirm current guidelines with the funder before applying.