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Gerald W & Sharon K Wadina Family Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Gerald W & Sharon K Wadina Family Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it funds preselected organizations and did not take unsolicited requests; check the foundation's own site before ruling it out.

$229k
Granted FY2025still arriving
4
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$100k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
0195% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.

Human Services$566kEducation$422kHealth$225kArts & Culture$53kPhilanthropy$25kHousing & Shelter$25kReligion$15kYouth Development$6kOther$0
02FY2025 · 4 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k1 grant · $8k
  • $50k–250k3 grants · $222k
$71,500
Median grant
2
States reached
$1.9M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
THE BRYON RIESCH PARALYSIS FOUNDATION$100,000
LA CASA DE ESPERANZA INC$71,500
MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL$50,000
EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION INC$7,500
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 (FY17–21, $10k) land where the poverty rate runs at 5%, against an area that typically sits at 9%. 0% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 9%WHITE STONE WARRIORS: $5k → 5%ZACHARAIAH'S ACRES INC: $5k → 5%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.
$1.0M · 10 repeat orgs$293k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +45% since the first grant, against +25% for those funded once.

10 repeat relationships: 3 still active in FY2025, 7 since wound down; 1 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

10
19

Total granted

$1.0M
$193k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+45%
+25%

Still filing today

40%
58%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 56% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $100k went to new ones.

50%100%’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

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

’17’18’19’20’21’22’23’24’25
HealthHuman ServicesArts & CultureEducationHousing & ShelterYouth DevelopmentOther
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

  • LA CASA DE ESPERANZA INC
    9× · 2017–2025 · $546k · revenue +45%
  • MU
    MARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL
    9× · 2017–2025 · $347k
  • ES
    EVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION INC
    5× · 2017–2025 · $45k

Funded once

  • SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDRENgraduated
    one grant, 2019 · $75k · revenue +126%
  • TC
    TESTICULAR CANCER AWARENESS FOUNDATIONgraduated
    one grant, 2024 · $20k · revenue +28%
  • AL
    American Liver Foundation
    one grant, 2018 · $13k · revenue -77%
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
Target Als Foundation Inc

Our mission is to break down barriers to als research to find effective treatments. by uniting academia, the pharma and biotech industry, government, venture capital, related nonprofits, and the als community, we aim to overcome the…

Education
2
Children's Health Care

We champion the health needs of children and families. we are committed to improving children's health by providing the highest-quality, family centered care, advanced through research and education.

Health
3
Fred Hutchinson Cancer Center

Fred hutch cancer center ("fred hutch") unites innovative research and compassionate care to prevent and eliminate cancer and infectious disease. continued on schedule o

Health
4
Gundersen Lutheran Medical Foundation Inc

The mission of gundersen lutheran medical foundation, inc. is to improve the lives of patients and our larger community through medical education, research, outreach, and the philanthropic support of gundersen health system.

Health
5
Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center

Leadership in the prevention, treatment, and cure of cancer through excellence, vision and cost effectiveness in patient care, outreach programs, research, and education.

Health
6
Cystic Fibrosis Foundation

To cure cf and provide all people with cf the opportunity to lead long, fulfilling lives by funding research and drug development, partnering with the cf community, and advancing high-quality, specialized care.

Health
7
Marc Lustgarten Pancreatic Cancer Foundation

The lustgarten foundation is the largest private funder of pancreatic cancer research in the world. see schedule o.the lustgarten foundation is boldly leading the way through hope and innovation, turning fear into action through education…

Human Services
8
The Johns Hopkins Hospital

For more than 125 years, the mission of the johns hopkins hospital has been to lead the world in the diagnosis and treatment of disease and to train tomorrow's great physicians, nurses and scientists. above all, we aim to provide the…

Health
9
Mila's Miracle Foundation

The mission of mila's miracle foundation is to find and fund paths to a cure for batten and other life-threatening neurological disorders. families in this community have been pivotal in raising the necessary funds and awareness. together,…

Health
10
Lung Cancer Research Foundation

The mission of the lung cancer research foundation is to improve lung cancer outcomes by funding research for the prevention, diagnosis, treatment and cure of lung cancer.

Health
11
Lehigh Valley Hospital

Our mission is to heal, comfort and care for the people of our community by providing advanced and compassionate health care of superior quality and value, supported by education and research.

Health
12
University of Minnesota Physicians

University of minnesota physicians serves as the integrated group practice for the university of minnesota medical school full-time faculty to provide the highest quality healthcare to patients and their families.university of minnesota…

Health
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is La Casa De Esperanza Inc; the most unlike its peers is White Stone Warriors Inc. 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

19 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. 19 of the 32 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.

1
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
1
Early backer (in before they grew)
18/19
Grantees still filing
12/19
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

LA CASA DE ESPERANZA INC: $545,765 · OtherLA CASA DE ESPERANZA INCMARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL: $347,000 · OtherMARQUETTE UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOLEVANS SCHOLARS FOUNDATION INC: $45,000 · Other+13 more: $122,844 · Other+13 moreBRYON RIESCH PARALYSIS FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 · HealthBRYON RIESCH PARA…SHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN: $75,000 · HealthSHRINERS HOSPITAL…TESTICULAR CANCER AWARENESS FOUNDATION: $20,000 · HealthTESTICULAR CANCER…American Liver Foundation: $13,000 · HealthAmerican Liver Fo…+2 more: $7,000 · HealthLATINO ARTS INC: $20,000 · Arts & CultureMILWAUKEE WORLD FESTIVAL INC: $6,935 · Arts & CulturePLAYERS PHILANTHROPY FUND INC: $20,000 · PhilanthropyUNITED WAY OF GREATER MILWAUKEE & WAUKESHA COUNTY INC: $3,200 · PhilanthropyWAUKESHA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $2,000 · PhilanthropyTHE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN INC: $10,000 · EducationZACHARIAH'S ACRES INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesWHITE STONE WARRIORS INC: $5,000 · Human ServicesCOPS N KIDS READING CENTER INC: $5,000 · Youth DevelopmentLIVING HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC: $5,000 · Housing & Shelter
Other$1,060,609Health$215,000Arts & Culture$26,935Philanthropy$25,200Education$10,000Human Services$10,000Youth Development$5,000Housing & Shelter$5,000

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

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetLA CASA DE ESPERANZA INC: $545,765 over 9y, 0.5% of budgetBRYON RIESCH PARALYSIS FOUNDATION INC: $100,000 over 1y, 21% of budgetSHRINERS HOSPITALS FOR CHILDREN: $75,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetTESTICULAR CANCER AWARENESS FOUNDATION: $20,000 over 1y, 5.4% of budgetHABITAT FOR HUMANITY OF WAUKESHA COUNTY INC: $20,000 over 2y, 0.3% of budgetLATINO ARTS INC: $20,000 over 3y, 2.6% of budgetPLAYERS PHILANTHROPY FUND INC: $20,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetAmerican Liver Foundation: $13,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetTHE MEDICAL COLLEGE OF WISCONSIN INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMILWAUKEE WORLD FESTIVAL INC: $6,935 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBLOOD CANCER UNITED INC: $6,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCOPS N KIDS READING CENTER INC: $5,000 over 1y, 26% of budgetGOLD IN SEPTEMBER CHARITABLE TRUST: $5,000 over 1y, 0.5% of budgetZACHARIAH'S ACRES INC: $5,000 over 1y, 1.1% of budgetWHITE STONE WARRIORS INC: $5,000 over 1y, 4.9% of budgetLIVING HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetUNITED WAY OF GREATER MILWAUKEE & WAUKESHA COUNTY INC: $3,200 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetWAUKESHA COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION: $2,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetAmerican Heart Association Inc: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% 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.

Baird Foundation IncGreater Milwaukee Fou…Generac Foundation IncUnited Way of Greater…Green Bay Packers Fou…Ge Aerospace Foundati…Annex Charitable Foun…Evan & Marion Helfaer…Herbert H Kohl Charit…Chubb Charitable Foun…American Endowment Fo…Charities Aid Foundat…
Baird Foundation IncWI19.5× affinity9 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Baird Foundation Inc · Greater Milwaukee Foundation Inc · Generac Foundation Inc · United Way of Greater Milwaukee & Waukesha County Inc · Green Bay Packers Foundation · Ge Aerospace Foundation · Annex Charitable Foundation Inc · Evan & Marion Helfaer Foundation · Herbert H Kohl Charities Inc · Chubb Charitable Foundation · American Endowment Foundation · Charities Aid Foundation America

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 Gerald W & Sharon K Wadina Family Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Gerald W & Sharon K Wadina Family Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 20%2%8%17%30%funder's share of their income ↑0%5%10%15%20%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • Shriners Hospitals for Children: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
2get no government money at all
2report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
⤢ axis zoomed · 0–20%
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 32 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 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

Source object · view filing

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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