Grant funders / Wisconsin / Higher Education
Higher Education Grant Funders in Wisconsin
1010 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to Wisconsin nonprofits in recent years, together directing $530.1M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a full giving profile, and Bespoke Grants will match all 1010 against your nonprofit's specific mission, for free.
1010
Higher education funders
$530.1M
Given to Wisconsin nonprofits
14,090
Grants on record
2026
Most recent giving
Most active higher education funders in Wisconsin
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Wisconsin giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | William F Vilas Trust Estate | Wisconsin | $47.6M | 12 | 2025 |
| 2 | University of Wisconsin - Eau Claire | Wisconsin | $46.9M | 7 | 2024 |
| 3 | Friends of Pbs Wisconsin Inc | Wisconsin | $34.5M | 6 | 2024 |
| 4 | Ab Nicholas Scholarship Foundation | Wisconsin | $18.1M | 2291 | 2025 |
| 5 | Madison Area Technical College | Wisconsin | $17.9M | 5 | 2023 |
| 6 | University School of Milwaukee | Wisconsin | $17.9M | 5 | 2023 |
| 7 | Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc | Wisconsin | $16.8M | 170 | 2024 |
| 8 | The Burke Foundation Inc | Wisconsin | $16.8M | 19 | 2025 |
| 9 | University of Wisconsin - River Falls | Wisconsin | $14.7M | 7 | 2025 |
| 10 | The Uw - Platteville Foundation Inc | Wisconsin | $13.7M | 7 | 2025 |
| 11 | Stout University Foundation Inc | Wisconsin | $11.4M | 10 | 2025 |
| 12 | Sonnentag Foundation Ltd | Wisconsin | $10.9M | 3 | 2022 |
| 13 | Marshall & Ilsley Foundation Inc | Wisconsin | $7.8M | 11 | 2020 |
| 14 | Ray Foundation Inc | Florida | $7.6M | 8 | 2025 |
| 15 | The Robert D and Patricia E Kern | Wisconsin | $7.2M | 3 | 2023 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in Wisconsin — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 1010 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. Free, no credit card.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →Higher Education funders in other states
Other causes funded in Wisconsin
How this list is built. Bespoke Grants indexes 13M+ grants from public IRS Form 990 filings. This page shows foundations whose giving carries a documented higher education focus and that have funded Wisconsin nonprofits. Giving figures reflect each funder's total recent grants to Wisconsin recipients. IRS data publishes on a 1–2 year lag; figures are current through the most recent available filings.