Skip to content
Daniel W Erdman Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Daniel W Erdman Foundation Inc

Its FY2024 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$708k
Granted FY2024still arriving
11
Grants FY2024still arriving
2
States reached
$525k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0197% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2024.

Education$806kArts & Culture$213kEnvironment$160kHousing & Shelter$100kHealth$60kFood & Nutrition$55kHuman Services$47kPhilanthropy$33kOther$0
02FY2024 · 11 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2024

  • Under $10k4 grants · $18k
  • $10k–50k5 grants · $115k
  • $50k–250k1 grant · $50k
  • $250k+1 grant · $525k
$22,127
Median grant
2
States reached
$4.5M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UW FOUNDATION$525,000
ONE CITY$50,000
BAYVIEW FOUNDATION$25,000
RURAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INSTITUTE$25,000
THE NATURE CONSERVANCY$25,000
CXC$22,127
MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART$17,500
ACCESS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS$5,000
MADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART$5,000
MADISON AREA FOOD PANTRY GARDENS$5,000
GROUNDSWELL CONSERVANCY$3,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–24, $225k) land where the poverty rate runs at 10%, against an area that typically sits at 8%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 8%MADISON AREA FOOD PANTRY GARDENS: $25k → 10%MADISON AREA FOOD PANTRY GARDENS: $25k → 10%MADISON AREA FOOD PANTRY GARDENS: $5k → 10%GOODMAN COMMUNITY CENTER: $5k → 10%ONCE CITY SCHOOLS: $100k → 10%ONE CITY SCHOOLS INC: $50k → 10%ONE CITY SCHOOLS: $15k → 10%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

78%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$1.1M · 13 repeat orgs$324k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +47% since the first grant, against +18% for those funded once.

13 repeat relationships: 6 still active in FY2024, 7 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2024 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

13
12

Total granted

$1.1M
$210k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+47%
+18%

Still filing today

85%
67%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2024, 83% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $115k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24
Arts & CultureEducationHuman ServicesEnvironmentCommunity ImprovementHealthOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.

Backed again, and grew

  • UO
    UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION
    5× · 2020–2024 · $566k · revenue +29%
  • OC
    ONE CITY SCHOOLS INC
    3× · 2020–2023 · $165k · revenue +47%
  • MA
    Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens
    3× · 2021–2024 · $55k · revenue +6%

Funded once

  • CA
    CXC ACADEMY
    one grant, 2023 · $42k
  • IG
    Individual grant recipient
    one grant, 2022 · $25k
  • CF
    CENTER FOR BLACK EXCELLENCE AND CULTURE INC
    one grant, 2022 · $25k · revenue -70%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
The Uwm Real Estate Foundation Inc

To partner with the public and private sectors to develop and hold real estate for the benefit of the university of wisconsin-milwaukee. the uwm real estate foundation, inc. holdings may include any properties that advance the mission of…

Housing & Shelter
2
Downtown Madison Inc

Make downtown madison an economically strong, equitable, inclusive, and vibrant place to live, work, and visit.

—
3
Wisconsin Policy Forum Inc

We conduct impartial public policy research and analysis to drive informed debate and effective decision-making in the state of wisconsin.

Public Benefit
4
Minneapolis College of Art and Design

Mcad provides a transformative education within a community of support for creative students of all backgrounds to work, collaborate, and lead with confidence in a dynamic, interconnected world.

Education
5
Midwest Dairy Association

Midwest dairy works with others to give consumers an excellent dairy experience increasing sales, fostering innovation, and inspiring consumer confidence of dairy products and practices.

—
6
Madison Professional Police Officers Association Inc

The madison professional police officers association represents law enforcement professionals who serve the city of madison, wisconsin, as either police officers, detectives, investigators, or sergeants.

—
7
Landmark Conservancy Inc

Landmark conservancy is a nationally accredited, nonprofit conservation organization serving 20 counties across northwest wisconsin. their mission is to conserve wisconsin's natural legacy for everyone...forever.

Environment
8
Madison Community Foundation

Madison community foundation will engage greater madison in philanthropy to advance a more vibrant and equitable community.

Philanthropy
9
Madison Art Gallery
—
10
University of Iowa Facilities Corporation

The university of iowa facilities corporation acquires and holds property for the benefit and use of the university of iowa.

—
11
The University School of Milwaukee Corporation

University school of milwaukee cultivates excellence in learning, leadership, and citizenship for prekindergarten through 12th grade students. students are engaged, known, and valued within our passionate independent school community…

Education
12
Wisconsin Waterfowl Association Inc

The purpose of the association shall be to restore and conserve wisconsin's waterfowl and wetland resources; to educate state waterfowlers during their progression from natural resource consumer to steward; and to promote governmental…

Environment
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Madison Public Schools Foundation Inc; the most unlike its peers is The Nature Conservancy. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

22 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 22 of the 30 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
3
Early backer (in before they grew)
22/22
Grantees still filing
16/22
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION: $566,000 · EducationUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION+3 more: $32,500 · Education+3 moreTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $135,000 · OtherTHE NATURE CONSERVANCYBAYVIEW FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 · OtherBAYVIEW FOUNDATION INCONE CITY: $50,000 · OtherONE CITYCXC ACADEMY: $42,125 · OtherCXC ACADEMYACCESS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS INC: $35,000 · OtherACCESS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS INCIndividual grant recipient: $25,000 · OtherUW - MILWAUKEE FOUNDATION: $22,500 · OtherCXC: $22,127 · OtherRed Caboose Child Care Center Inc: $20,000 · OtherCENTRAL CROSS COUNTRY SKI FOUNDATION: $20,000 · Other+3 more: $30,000 · Other+3 moreONE CITY SCHOOLS INC: $165,000 · Human ServicesONE CITY SCHOOLS…Madison Area Food Pantry Gardens: $55,000 · Human ServicesMadison Area Foo…+1 more: $5,000 · Human ServicesWISCONSIN HISTORICAL FOUNDATION INC: $50,000 · Arts & CultureWISCONSIN HIS…MADISON YOUTH ARTS CENTER INC: $50,000 · Arts & CultureMADISON YOUTH…MADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART INC: $25,000 · Arts & CultureMADISON MUSEU…MADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC: $25,000 · Arts & CultureMADISON SYMPH…CENTER FOR BLACK EXCELLENCE AND CULTURE INC: $25,000 · Arts & CultureCENTER FOR BL…MUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART INC: $17,500 · Arts & CultureMUSEUM OF WIS…RURAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INSTITUTE: $25,000 · HealthGROUNDSWELL CONSERVANCY INC: $15,000 · EnvironmentCLEAN LAKES ALLIANCE INC: $10,000 · EnvironmentMADISON PUBLIC MARKET FOUNDATION INC: $20,000 · Community Improvement
Education$598,500Other$501,752Human Services$225,000Arts & Culture$192,500Health$25,000Environment$25,000Community Improvement$20,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetUNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN FOUNDATION: $566,000 over 5y, 0.1% of budgetONE CITY SCHOOLS INC: $165,000 over 3y, 1.9% of budgetTHE NATURE CONSERVANCY: $135,000 over 4y, 0.0% of budgetBAYVIEW FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 over 4y, 0.6% of budgetMadison Area Food Pantry Gardens: $55,000 over 3y, 4.9% of budgetWISCONSIN HISTORICAL FOUNDATION INC: $50,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetMADISON YOUTH ARTS CENTER INC: $50,000 over 2y, 6.1% of budgetACCESS COMMUNITY HEALTH CENTERS INC: $35,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetMADISON MUSEUM OF CONTEMPORARY ART INC: $25,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetMADISON SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC: $25,000 over 4y, 0.3% of budgetCENTER FOR BLACK EXCELLENCE AND CULTURE INC: $25,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetRURAL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH INSTITUTE: $25,000 over 1y, 1.6% of budgetRed Caboose Child Care Center Inc: $20,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetMADISON PUBLIC MARKET FOUNDATION INC: $20,000 over 1y, 18% of budgetMUSEUM OF WISCONSIN ART INC: $17,500 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetGROUNDSWELL CONSERVANCY INC: $15,000 over 5y, 0.3% of budgetMADISON PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION INC: $15,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetCLEAN LAKES ALLIANCE INC: $10,000 over 3y, 0.6% of budgetUNITED WAY OF DANE COUNTY INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetEDGEWOOD UNIVERSITY INC: $7,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetIRWIN A AND ROBERT D GOODMAN COMMUNITY CENTER INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

Co-funders

Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.

Madison Gas and Elect…Madison Community Fou…The Evjue Foundation …Green Bay Packers Fou…Alliant Energy Founda…Summit Credit UnionJohn J Frautschi Fami…Pleasant T Rowland Fo…Endres Manufacturing …Nimick Forbesway Foun…Trustage Foundation I…Ascendium Education S…
Madison Gas and Electric Foundation IncWI36.5× affinity15 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Madison Gas and Electric Foundation Inc · Madison Community Foundation · The Evjue Foundation Inc · Green Bay Packers Foundation · Alliant Energy Foundation Inc · Summit Credit Union · John J Frautschi Family Foundation Inc · Pleasant T Rowland Foundation Inc · Endres Manufacturing Foundation Inc · Nimick Forbesway Foundation · Trustage Foundation Inc · Ascendium Education Solutions Inc

How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Daniel W Erdman Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Daniel W Erdman Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%5%11%20%funder's share of their income ↑0%23%45%68%90%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    11report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–90%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 30 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2024, released 2024. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Daniel W Erdman’s filings →

    More from the funding graph

    The unnamed billions
    grants reported with no recipient in the public record
    The regranting layer
    51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
    The DAF merry-go-round
    $9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
    The endowment market
    who holds foundation money, and what just moved
    The camps
    funders cluster by geography, not ideology
    By state
    where grant money is based, and what stays home