Funding search · EIN 390806190 · Milwaukee, WI
United Way of Greater Milwaukee &
A grantmaking public charity (files IRS Form 990, Schedule I). Charities like this often run real grant programs with application cycles.
- 2,302
- grants reported
- $181.7M
- total given
- 2021–2024
- filing years
- $32,825
- median grant
Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2021–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.
What they fund
Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is builtReport an error
Funding pattern
What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.
Where the money goes
- Donor-designated pass-through gifts to Milwaukee-area nonprofits
- Family homelessness, shelter, eviction prevention and right to counsel
- Health care access through Milwaukee Health Care Partnership and clinics
- Early childhood education, youth development, out-of-school programs
- Financial stability: employment, VITA, financial wellness counseling
- Counseling and mental health services for children and families
Typical grant
Median grant is about $33,000, with the middle half between roughly $12,500 and $76,000. The seven-figure checks are donor designations passed through to large institutions like UW Foundation and Children's Wisconsin, plus the Legal Aid Society right to counsel work; program grants to service agencies usually land between $100,000 and $500,000. Giving repeats heavily year over year, with the same agencies (Boys & Girls Clubs, COA, Pathfinders, Community Advocates, Aurora Family Service) appearing across multiple lines and multiple years.
Their words
Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.
- “DONOR DESIGNATIONS”
- “SAFE AND STABLE HOMES”
- “FAMILY HOMELESSNESS”
- “MILWAUKEE HEALTH CARE PARTNERSHIP”
- “EARLY CHILDHOOD EDUCATION”
Positioning adjacent work
- Tie adjacent work to an existing line item name like Safe and Stable Homes or Family Homelessness.
- Ask in the $100,000 to $300,000 range for a named program, not a general operating request.
- Emphasize direct service delivery to Milwaukee County residents, with case management and measurable household outcomes.
- Partner with a repeat grantee rather than competing; they fund the same agencies for multiple distinct programs.
Worth knowing: This is overwhelmingly a Milwaukee and Waukesha County funder, and the out-of-state grants to Pennsylvania, Illinois and Ohio are almost entirely donor designations routed to other United Ways, not independent grantmaking. A relatively small set of established human services agencies takes most of the discretionary dollars, and several receive three or four separate program grants in the same year, which signals long relationships over open competition.
7 grants matching “prism” · $545,500
- $25,000
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Capacity building
- $10,000
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $75,000
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Capacity building
- $200,500
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $25,000
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Capacity building
- $10,000
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Reducing barriers to employment & advancement
- $200,000
Prism Economic Development Corporation · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
Top recipients
Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee17 grants · $7.6M
- University of Wisconsin - Foundation4 grants · $6.4M
- Impact13 grants · $6.0M
- Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee11 grants · $5.6M
- Children'S Wisconsin12 grants · $4.8M
- Medical College of Wisconsin5 grants · $4.2M
- Community Advocates30 grants · $3.8M
- Milwaukee Health Care Partnership9 grants · $3.0M
- St Augustine Preparatory Academy4 grants · $2.8M
- Pathfinders21 grants · $2.6M
Giving over time
Grant history
The 100 largest of 2,302 grants.
- $2.3M
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,early literacy program,sponsor-a-scholar ,centralized services,community schools
- $2.2M
University of Wisconsin - Foundation · Madison, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $2.1M
Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Right to counsel
- $2.0M
University of Wisconsin - Foundation · Madison, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $1.9M
Impact · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Impact 2-1-1,donor designations,family flex fund,family homelessness
- $1.8M
Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,civil division,family homelessness,right to counsel
- $1.5M
University of Wisconsin - Foundation · Madison, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $1.4M
St Augustine Preparatory Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $1.3M
Children'S Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,milw healthcare partnership,milwaukee start right,counseling for children and families
- $1.3M
Medical College of Wisconsin · Wauwatosa, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $1.3M
Waukesha County Community Foundation · Waukesha, WI · 2021
Waukesha parade
- $1.2M
Medical College of Wisconsin · Wauwatosa, WI · 2023
Donor designations,milw healthcare partnership
- $1.2M
Milwaukee Jewish Federation · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $1.1M
Legal Aid Society of Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Right to counsel program
- $1.1M
Medical College of Wisconsin · Wauwatosa, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $1.1M
Children'S Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $1.0M
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $1.0M
Community Advocates · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Homeless outreach nursing center,emergency support/advocacy continuum,family support center ,donor designations,school housing case managers,rental housing resource center,school housing case managers,family homelessnes… read allHomeless outreach nursing center,emergency support/advocacy continuum,family support center ,donor designations,school housing case managers,rental housing resource center,school housing case managers,family homelessness,techquity,state shelter subsidy grant,state shelter subsidy grant less
- $1.0M
Journey21 · Waukesha, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $1.0M
Impact · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Family flex fund
- $926,934
Milwaukee Health Care Partnership · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Milwaukee health care partnership
- $920,235
Children'S Wisconsin · Wauwatosa, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $902,956
Children'S Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $861,043
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
School achievement
- $817,991
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Centralized services
- $817,698
Impact · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Impact 2-1-1
- $817,698
Impact · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Impact 2-1-1
- $815,500
Milwaukee Health Care Partnership · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Milwaukee health care partnership,milw healthcare partnership
- $791,824
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $703,220
Impact · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Impact 2-1-1
- $686,854
St Augustine Preparatory Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $657,890
University of Wisconsin - Foundation · Madison, WI · 2023
Donor designations
- $622,349
Silver Spring Neighborhood Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Community food bank,youth social development,elaine schreiber child development center,donor designations,community schools
- $620,907
Pathfinders · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,safe & stable homes,supported housing,prevention education program,clinical services,pathfinders youth shelter
- $605,645
Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association · Madison, WI · 2022
Milwaukee healthcare partnership
- $600,870
American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Disaster cycle services,donor designations
- $596,287
American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Disaster cycle services
- $596,287
American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Local disaster response
- $587,676
Coa Youth & Family Centers · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,opportunities, chances, and decisions,early childhood education,hippy (home instruction for parents of preschool youth),youth development
- $585,165
Hope House of Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Family homelessness
- $581,618
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $572,289
Milwaukee Jewish Federation · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $572,240
Aurora Family Service · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Afs family therapy training institute,family enrichment,afs financial wellness
- $551,491
Curative Care Network · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Children's services,donor designations
- $532,598
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Milwaukee · St Francis, WI · 2023
Supported parenting program - wauk. County,pregnancy and parenting support services,outreach & case management,in home support & hoarding intervention,community counseling,donor designations
- $511,629
United Community Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Safe spaces: youth,safe spaces: older adults,academic achievement,preschool,donor designations
- $504,659
Checota 2 for 1 Match Scholarship · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $500,000
Impact · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Sash family flex fund
- $486,750
Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $484,827
Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations
- $480,443
Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Centralized services
- $478,143
Milwaukee Jewish Federation · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations
- $463,337
American Red Cross in Southeastern Wisconsin · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Disaster cycle services
- $462,728
Curative Care Network · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Children's services
- $462,095
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Leadership & critical life skills development for girls
- $462,095
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Leadership & critical life skills development for girls
- $457,577
Penfield Children'S Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,behavioral health clinic,early intervention/parent program,lead safe home kit
- $454,480
Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $436,774
St Augustine Preparatory Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations
- $435,100
Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $432,773
Milwaukee Urban League · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,mul employment assistance/employment forward,community schools
- $419,385
Wisconsin Community Services · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Driver's license recovery,healthy youth initiative,youth enhanced support ,community reintegration services,criminal justice recovery services,reducing barriers to employment
- $412,829
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,leadership & critical life skills dev. For girls
- $408,814
City Forward Collective · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $403,045
Froedtert Hospital Foundation · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $402,000
Promise Scholarship Fund · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $401,000
Milwaukee Health Care Partnership · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Milw healhcare partnership
- $398,810
Curative Care Network · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Adult day services
- $398,329
Milwaukee Health Services · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Milw healhcare partnership
- $390,500
Community Advocates · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
School housing case managers
- $388,776
Matc Foundation · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations
- $381,678
Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations,capacity building
- $381,567
Sixteenth Street Community Health Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Milw healthcare partnership
- $378,870
Curative Care Network · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Adult day services
- $378,240
Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $365,774
City Forward Collective · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Donor designations
- $362,155
Aurora at Home · West Allis, WI · 2021
Aurora at home health
- $352,119
City Forward Collective · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $350,500
Dr Howard Fuller Collegiate Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $350,000
Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association · Madison, WI · 2024
Milwaukee health care partnership
- $350,000
Wisconsin Primary Health Care Association · Madison, WI · 2023
Milwaukee health care partnership
- $350,000
Sixteenth Street Community Health Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Milwaukee healthcare partnership
- $349,591
City Forward Collective · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $348,500
Milwaukee Health Care Partnership · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Milwaukee healthcare partnership
- $348,257
La Casa De Esperanza · Waukesha, WI · 2023
Workforce development,early childhood education,school age education program,financial stability,donor designations,vita
- $346,105
Penfield Children'S Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Early intervention/parent program
- $344,047
Aurora at Home · West Allis, WI · 2022
Aurora at home health
- $343,242
Marquette University · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Donor designations
- $342,987
Three Harbors Council Boy Scouts of America · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Learning for life
- $341,760
St Augustine Preparatory Academy · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $339,571
Medical College of Wisconsin · Wauwatosa, WI · 2024
Donor designations
- $337,792
Girl Scouts of Wisconsin Southeast · Milwaukee, WI · 2024
Leadership & critical life skills development for girls
- $337,671
Creating Healthier Communities Local · Alexandria, VA · 2022
Donor designations
- $328,800
Penfield Children'S Center · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Early intervention/parent program
- $325,919
Aurora Family Service · Milwaukee, WI · 2022
Afs financial wellness
- $325,919
Aurora Family Service · West Allis, WI · 2021
Afs financial wellness
- $321,287
Next Door Foundation · Milwaukee, WI · 2021
Donor designations
- $314,777
Creating Healthier Communities Local · Alexandria, VA · 2021
Donor designations
- $311,038
Ymca of Metropolitan Milwaukee · Milwaukee, WI · 2023
Day camp,early childhood education ,donor designations
- $301,861
Nami Waukesha · Waukesha, WI · 2022
Waukesha recovery
Grants already paid are the record; PaperOrbit reads your paper and finds the funders whose record matches it — then explains why.
Search funders like this oneSource: IRS Form 990, Schedule I, as filed by this organization. These are grants already paid. Grants paid directly to individuals are reported to the IRS only as totals, so they do not appear as named lines here.

