Greater Milwaukee Foundation Grant Program

The Greater Milwaukee Foundation’s third discretionary grant cycle supports projects and programs aligned with its strategic vision of “a Milwaukee for all.” This initiative promotes inclusive community and economic development across Milwaukee, Ozaukee, Washington, and Waukesha counties. The Foundation emphasizes grantmaking that addresses systemic disparities, particularly those affecting communities of color, through a values-based investment framework designed to shift power, improve policy, and elevate diverse representation in decision-making bodies. Cycle 3 of the Foundation's grantmaking opened on September 8, 2025, and closed on September 26, 2025. Eligible applicants must be 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations with a minimum of four unrelated board members and at least 10% of board composition reflecting people of color, excluding the executive director in this calculation. Grants typically range around $50,000 per year and may span one to three years, depending on the proposed work and available funding. Funding supports general operations, capital/facility needs, and program or project-based activities. No matching funds are required. Grants are issued under several priority areas, including Arts and Culture, Aging and Older Adults, Early Childhood Education, Entrepreneurship and Small Business Development, Environment, Healthy Birth Outcomes (by invitation only), and Medical Research. Each priority area includes a unique focus, such as embedding artists in communities, improving green space access in communities of color, or promoting intergenerational cohesion for older adults. Capital grants are available, particularly for early childhood facility improvements and upgrades. Applications must be submitted via the Foundation’s grant portal. The timeline includes open office hours on September 5, 2025, followed by committee and board review meetings in December 2025. Interested organizations are encouraged to review detailed guidelines by portfolio area and reach out to the relevant program officer for clarification. Contacts include LaShawndra Vernon for Arts and Culture, Carrie Scholz for Aging and Environment, Jeannie Fenceroy for Early Childhood Education, Theresa Scott for Entrepreneurship, and Janel Hines for Medical Research. Benjamin Porter manages the invitation-only Healthy Birth Outcomes portfolio. This grant program operates on a recurring annual cycle and based on the current schedule, the next anticipated cycle is expected to begin in March 2026.