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Gussel Foundation Inc at a glance

· Private foundation

Gussel Foundation Inc

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$289k
Granted FY2025still arriving
51
Grants FY2025still arriving
8
States reached
$25k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
05Through PlinthRead
01What it funds
0192% classified

What it funded, over time

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

Recreation & Sports$244kHealth$233kPublic Safety & Disaster$86kYouth Development$83kPhilanthropy$79kAnimals$52kMembership Benefit$40kFood & Nutrition$39kOther$0
02FY2025 · 51 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

By grant size · FY2025

  • Under $10k43 grants · $137k
  • $10k–50k8 grants · $152k
$3,000
Median grant
8
States reached
$2.4M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
AGRACE FOUNDATION INC$25,000
BEYOND BLESSED PANTRY$25,000
LEUKEMIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION$25,000
BREAKTHROUGH T1D$25,000
TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION$15,000
GIRLS ON THE RUN MINNESOTA$15,000
MADISON READING PROJECT$11,000
K9S FOR WARRIORS$11,000
WISCONSIN DELLS SOCCER BOOSTER CLUB$7,500
DELLS AREA UNITED FUND$7,000
KILBOURN FIRE DEPARTMENT$6,000
GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY$6,000
DEMPSEY CENTER$6,000
SPECIAL OLYMPICS-WI$5,000
JOAN HANSON FOUNDATION$5,000
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 (FY22–25, $21k) land where the poverty rate runs at 9%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 14% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Its grants skew toward lower-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%GIANNA HOMES SURSUM CORDA: $3k → 11%MENTORING POSITIVES: $5k → 10%FOUNDATION FOR DANE COUNTY PARKS: $3k → 10%WORLD ORPHAN FUND: $5k → 8%WORLD ORPHAN FUND: $3k → 8%WORLD ORPHAN FUND: $2k → 8%WORLD ORPHAN FUND: $1k → 8%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.

Which US states its grants reach

ME
MN
IL
WI
CA
WV
VA
MD
NC
FL
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.

82%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$853k · 54 repeat orgs$184k to everyone else

Grantees it renews have grown median revenue +11% since the first grant, against 0% for those funded once.

54 repeat relationships: 36 still active in FY2025, 18 since wound down; 14 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

54
17

Total granted

$853k
$60k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+11%
0%

Still filing today

35%
41%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 57% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $124k 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
HealthArts & CultureHuman ServicesYouth DevelopmentPhilanthropyFood & NutritionOther
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

  • KF
    KILBOURN FIRE DEPARTMENT
    5× · 2021–2025 · $43k · revenue +57% · 26% of their budget
  • WD
    WIS DELLS AREA UNITED FUND
    5× · 2021–2025 · $42k · revenue +5%
  • TT
    TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION INC
    3× · 2023–2025 · $37k · revenue +158%

Funded once

  • JD
    JUNIOR DIABETES RESEARCH FOUNDATION
    one grant, 2021 · $12k
  • SC
    SAUK COUNTY BOYS & GIRLS CLUB
    one grant, 2024 · $5k
  • MP
    Mentoring Positives Inc
    one grant, 2023 · $5k · revenue -40%
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
Natural Resources Foundation of

To protect wisconsin's lands, waters, and wildlife by providing funding, leading partnerships, and connecting all people with nature.

—
2
Gathering Waters Inc

Gathering waters (wisconsin's alliance for land trusts) strengthens land trusts to protect wisconsin's special places and grow healthy, vibrant communities. the stronger the alliance between gathering waters' staff and board members, land…

Environment
3
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Inc

The wisconsin wildlife federation has a dual mission to engage in conservation education and to advocate for sound conservation policy.

Environment
4
Wisconsin's Green Fire Incorporated

Advance science-informed analysis and policy solutions that address wisconsin's greatest conservation challenges.

Environment
5
Montana Wildlife Federation

The montana wildlife federation is a statewide conservation organization dedicated to protecting wildlife, wildlife habitat, and public access for outdoor recreation.

Animals
6
Door County Land Trust Inc

The door county land trust is a local, non-governmental non-profit organization whose mission is to preserve door county's exceptional lands and waters forever.

Environment
7
Willamette Riverkeeper

Willamette riverkeeper's guiding principle is: "we believe a river with excellent water quality, abundant natural habitat, safe for fishing and recreation is a basic public right." for 27 years, willamette riverkeeper (wrk) has acted as…

Environment
8
Disability Rights Wisconsin Inc

Legal protection and advocacy to protect the rights of people with disabilities in wisconsin.

—
9
Rainforest Trust

Rainforest trust saves endangered wildlife and protects our planet by creating rainforest reserves through partnerships, community engagement, and donor support.

International
10
Wisconsin Humane Society

The mission of the Wisconsin Humane Society is to make a difference for animals and the people who love them.

Animals
11
Mississippi Valley Conservancy Inc

The mission of mississippi valley conservancy is to conserve native habitats and farmlands in the driftless area for the health and well-being of current and future generations.

Environment
12
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.

—
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Foundation for Dane County Parks Inc; the most unlike its peers is Cal Center Presents. 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

38 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2026.

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 2026, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 38 of the 85 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.

2
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
10
Early backer (in before they grew)
36/38
Grantees still filing
19/38
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

SCHOOL DISTRICT OF WI DELLS: $210,402 · OtherSCHOOL DISTRICT OF WI DELLSJUNIOR DIABETES RESEARCH FUND: $53,000 · OtherJUNIOR DIABETES RESEARCH FUNDWISCONSIN DELLS AMERICAN LEGION: $25,000 · Other+64 more: $356,000 · Other+64 moreAgrace HospiceCare Foundation Inc: $73,000 · HealthAgrace HospiceC…BREAKTHROUGH T1D: $30,000 · HealthBREAKTHROUGH T1…LEUKEMIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $25,000 · HealthLEUKEMIA RESEAR…Dempsey Center for Quality Cancer Care: $6,000 · HealthENDOMETRIOSIS ASSOC INC: $5,500 · HealthRESOLVE Incorporated: $5,000 · HealthWIS DELLS AREA UNITED FUND: $42,000 · PhilanthropyTIM TEBOW FOUNDATION INC: $37,000 · PhilanthropyPROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION: $3,000 · PhilanthropyGIRLS ON THE RUN MINNESOTA INC: $27,000 · Youth DevelopmentMADISON READING PROJECT INC: $12,000 · Youth DevelopmentGIRLS ON THE RUN INTERNATIONAL INC: $12,000 · Youth DevelopmentKILBOURN FIRE DEPARTMENT: $43,000 · Public Safety & DisasterBEYOND BLESSED PANTRY: $25,000 · Food & NutritionBADGER PRAIRIE NEEDS NETWORK INC: $7,500 · Food & NutritionGREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY: $6,000 · Food & NutritionK9S FOR WARRIORS INC: $25,000 · AnimalsCOLUMBIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY: $9,000 · Animals
Other$644,402Health$144,500Philanthropy$82,000Youth Development$51,000Public Safety & Disaster$43,000Food & Nutrition$38,500Animals$34,000

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

25%50%75%100%$100k$1.0M$10M$100Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetAgrace HospiceCare Foundation Inc: $73,000 over 7y, 0.1% of budgetKILBOURN FIRE DEPARTMENT: $43,000 over 5y, 26% of budgetTIM TEBOW FOUNDATION INC: $37,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetBREAKTHROUGH T1D: $30,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetGIRLS ON THE RUN MINNESOTA INC: $27,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetLEUKEMIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION: $25,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetK9S FOR WARRIORS INC: $25,000 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetLITTLE EAGLE ARTS FOUNDATION: $13,000 over 3y, 4.7% of budgetMADISON READING PROJECT INC: $12,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetGIRLS ON THE RUN INTERNATIONAL INC: $12,000 over 2y, 0.1% of budgetThe World Orphan Fund Inc: $10,500 over 4y, 0.1% of budgetPHEASANTS FOREVER INC: $10,000 over 5y, 0.0% of budgetCOLUMBIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY: $9,000 over 5y, 0.4% of budgetSAMARITAN'S PURSE: $7,500 over 2y, 0.0% of budgetBADGER PRAIRIE NEEDS NETWORK INC: $7,500 over 3y, 0.0% of budgetDempsey Center for Quality Cancer Care: $6,000 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetGREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY: $6,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCAL CENTER PRESENTS: $5,500 over 3y, 56% of budgetENDOMETRIOSIS ASSOC INC: $5,500 over 2y, 1.6% of budgetBADGER HISTORY GROUP: $5,000 over 5y, 4.2% of budgetRESOLVE Incorporated: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetWISCONSIN LIONS FOUNDATION INC: $5,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetMentoring Positives Inc: $5,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetFRIENDS OF WISCONSIN STATE PARKS INC: $5,000 over 2y, 0.9% of budgetSAUK COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY INC: $5,000 over 1y, 1.8% of budgetVETERANS OF FOREIGN WARS NEENAH VALLEY POST 6003: $4,000 over 2y, 2.4% of budgetUNITED SPECIAL SPORTSMAN ALLIANCE I: $4,000 over 1y, 1.4% of budgetGIANNA HOMES - SURSUM CORDA: $3,000 over 1y, 0.2% of budgetPROSTATE CANCER FOUNDATION: $3,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetKINSHIP MENTORING OF COLUMBIA COUNTY INC: $2,000 over 2y, 2.6% of budgetAPPALACHIAN TRAIL CONSERVANCY: $1,500 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetMIDWEST ACCESS COALITION: $1,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetBADGER HONOR FLIGHT INC: $1,000 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.

  • Who funds Agrace HospiceCare Foundation Inc ↗
  • Who funds KILBOURN FIRE DEPARTMENT ↗
  • Who funds WIS DELLS AREA UNITED FUND ↗
  • Who funds TIM TEBOW FOUNDATION INC ↗
  • Who funds BREAKTHROUGH T1D ↗
  • Who funds GIRLS ON THE RUN MINNESOTA INC ↗
  • Who funds LEUKEMIA RESEARCH FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds BEYOND BLESSED PANTRY ↗
  • Who funds K9S FOR WARRIORS INC ↗
  • Who funds LITTLE EAGLE ARTS FOUNDATION ↗
  • Who funds MADISON READING PROJECT INC ↗
  • Who funds GIRLS ON THE RUN INTERNATIONAL INC ↗
  • Who funds The World Orphan Fund Inc ↗
  • Who funds PHEASANTS FOREVER INC ↗
  • Who funds COLUMBIA COUNTY HUMANE SOCIETY ↗
  • Who funds SAMARITAN'S PURSE ↗
  • Who funds BADGER PRAIRIE NEEDS NETWORK INC ↗
  • Who funds Dempsey Center for Quality Cancer Care ↗
  • Who funds GREATER CHICAGO FOOD DEPOSITORY ↗
  • Who funds CAL CENTER PRESENTS ↗
  • Who funds ENDOMETRIOSIS ASSOC INC ↗

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.

Alliant Energy Founda…Todd and Shari Nelson…The Evjue Foundation …Madison Community Fou…Gregory C Van Wie Cha…Veridian Foundation I…First Business Charit…Endres Manufacturing …Trustage Foundation I…Land O'Lakes Foundati…Madison Gas and Elect…Green Bay Packers Fou…
Alliant Energy Foundation IncWI23.5× affinity10 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Alliant Energy Foundation Inc · Todd and Shari Nelson Family Fdn Inc · The Evjue Foundation Inc · Madison Community Foundation · Gregory C Van Wie Charitable Foundation Inc · Veridian Foundation Inc · First Business Charitable Foundation Inc · Endres Manufacturing Foundation Inc · Trustage Foundation Inc · Land O'Lakes Foundation · Madison Gas and Electric Foundation Inc · Green Bay Packers Foundation

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 Gussel Foundation Inc funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Gussel Foundation Inc. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 10%4%15%34%60%funder's share of their income ↑0%25%50%75%100%share of the org’s income from government →median 0%
  • K9S for Warriors Inc: 0% of income from government
no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
1get no government money at all
5report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
0rely on government for over half their income
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.
05Through Plinth

Warm introductions · Powered by PlinthPlus

How do I get to Gussel Foundation Inc?

Find your warmest path to Gussel Foundation Inc through trustees and officers whose names appear on both boards. Search for your organization and Plinth traces the shortest route it can evidence.

Each link is a name appearing on two organizations’ public IRS 990 filings, matched on that name and, where the filings support it, on location. A same-state match has geographic support, which is a second matching feature rather than confirmation that the two are one person; a cross-state one is the likeliest to be two people who share a name. Every hop shows its tier, low-confidence and distant paths are held back rather than guessed, and it is worth confirming the person before you use the introduction.

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 85 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

Play a game based on Gussel’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