Open Foundations · Wisconsin

Lori and David Nicholas Family Foundation Inc

Mequon, Wisconsin · EIN 871448344. Its Form 990-PF says giving is not restricted to organizations picked in advance, which is how a private foundation files that it accepts unsolicited requests. It paid $2.5M across 26 grants in 2025, a median of $50K each.

All Wisconsin foundations · All states

$2.5M
paid in 2025
26
grants paid
$50K
median grant
14%
to first-time recipients
$52.4M
assets on file

How to apply, as filed

Straight off Part XV of the return. Where the foundation left a line blank, this says so rather than guessing.

Send requests to
LORI NICHOLAS
Address
11501 N PORT WASHINGTON RD STE 220, MEQUON, WI, 53092
Phone
4146598348
Form the request should take
TYPE WRITTEN LETTER WITH HISTORY AND PURPOSE OF ORGANIZATION
Submission deadline
NONE
Restrictions on awards
TO 501 (C)(3) EXEMPT ORGANIZATIONS AND GOVERNMENT UNITS

As filed on the Form 990-PF for tax year 2025, IRS filing object id 202631269349103608. Printed word for word, including the entries that only say to see a website or an attachment.

What it funds, in its own words

The words that come up most often across the purposes it wrote on its 2025 grants. These are the foundation's own words, not a category we assigned.

door countydesignatedcenterschool

Biggest grants in 2025

The 15 largest of the 26 grants paid in 2025, with the purpose the foundation wrote for each.

#RecipientStateAmountPurpose as filed
1Nativity Jesuit AcademyWI$600,000DESIGNATED FOR THE NICHOLAS FAMILY FIELD
2Friends of Peninsula State Park IncWI$300,000DESIGNATED FOR THE MOUNTAIN BIKE TRAIL PROJECT.
3The Ridges Sanctuary IncWI$265,000TO SUPPORT PHASE 0 OF THE MASTER PLAN IMPLEMENTATION AND PURCHASE OF EQUIPMENT TO USE IN THE RESEARCH PROJECT WITH UW MADISON.
4Door County Community Foundation IncWI$250,000TO SUPPORT THE DOOR COUNTY WINTER COMMONS CAMPAIGN, SISTER BAY ICE RINK
5Afar IncWI$200,000TO SUPPORT THE UNIVERSAL PARK PROJECT.
6Friends of the Domes Inc - Milwaukee Domes AllianceWI$200,000DESIGNATED FOR THE RESTORATION/RENOVATION PROJECT
7Uwm Foundation IncWI$100,000DESIGNATED TO THE CENTER FOR WATER POLICY AT THE SCHOOL OF FRESHWATER SCIENCES.
8Door County BookmobileWI$85,000TO SUPPORT THE BOOKMOBILE RENOVATION AND OPERATIONAL NEEDS.
9Peninsula School of Art IncWI$75,000TO SUPPORT THE ARTIST IN RESIDENCE PROGRAM AND THE DIRECTOR SALARY FOR THE DOOR COUNTY PLEIN AIR FESTIVAL.
10Radio MilwaukeeWI$70,000TO SUPPORT THE 'UNIQUELY MILWAUKEE' AUDIO SHORTS.
11Reflo IncWI$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT.
12St Jude the Apostle SchoolWI$50,000DESIGNATED FOR SECURITY UPGRADES
13The Medical College of Wisconsin IncWI$50,000DESIGNATED FOR APHASIA RESEARCH. SPECIFICALLY LANGUAGE LAB IN MEMORY OF GINNY WAGNER
14Village of Egg Harbor Peg Egan PacWI$50,000TO SUPPORT THE PEG EGAN PERFORMING ARTS CENTER.
15Friends of Schlitz Audubon Nature Center IncWI$30,000DESIGNATED FOR THE SCHLITZ AUDUBON ENVIRONMENTAL EDUCATION CENTER.

Giving by year, and who received it

Grants paid by year

Every year of this foundation's grants that Civly holds
Tax yearGrantsPaid
20221$30K
202326$2.1M
202424$2.5M
2025 (partial year)26$2.5M

Where the money went

Share of 2025 grant dollars by recipient state
Wisconsin96%
Florida4%

Who decides

Officers, directors and trustees as filed, with the year of the return they appeared on.

David NicholasOFFICER · 2025
Lori NicholasOFFICER · 2025

Every figure on this page is that foundation's own latest filed year, which is 2022 or later. This foundation is listed because its Form 990-PF says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations and it paid at least 5 grants totaling $100K or more that year. Latest-year grants and terms per foundation from IRS 990-PF e-file returns; the newest tax year is partial until the IRS finishes releasing it. Grants are de-duplicated on funder, year, recipient and amount, so identical repeat grants collapse into one and totals can run low. Full method.

Source: IRS Form 990-PF e-file releases (public domain). Analysis: Civly.

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