Mission:
To build a legacy of community philanthropy by connecting donor interests with community needs.

Background:
The Greater Milwaukee Foundation began in 1915 with a $25,000 gift. Today its total assets of $374.5 million rank it among the top twenty-five community foundations in the United States. The foundation has 855 individual charitable funds created by donors in Milwaukee, Waukesha, Ozaukee, and Washington counties. It makes grants of over $24.9 million annually to more than 700 local charitable groups. In the first quarter of 2004, it awarded $8.2 million in grants.

Outstanding Features:
The foundation's Web site includes a list of its funds, including regional and special funds such as the Wisconsin AIDS Fund and the Women's Fund; information on starting a fund; grant guidelines and the application process; types of giving; annual philanthropy report cards on charitable giving in the Greater Milwaukee area; and a list of publications available to the public, including a quarterly newsletter for accountants, attorneys, and advisors, and a brochure on putting your money where your heart is. Also on the site, Philanthropy Online links foundation donors to a database of information about local nonprofit organizations and their programs. Using POL, donors can make grant recommendations and view their quarterly statements, and nonprofit agencies can apply for grants.