Ellsworth and Carla Peterson
Sturgeon Bay, WI · EIN 39-6566719. Reported 145 grants totalling $796,531 to 97 organizations across tax years 2020-2023. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
Does this foundation accept applications?
Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. Ellsworth and Carla Peterson did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $1,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $411 and $2,000; the smallest was $20 and the largest $380,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Door County YMCA Door County YMCA | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $406,200 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Door County YMCA Endowment Fd Door County YMCA Endowment Fd | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| YMCA YMCA | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $26,100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Peninsula Players Theatre Peninsula Players Theatre | Fish Creek, WI | $26,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| United Way of Door County United Way of Door County | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $23,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Northern Sky Theater Northern Sky Theater | Fish Creek, WI | $22,600 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Crossroads at Big Creek | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Sail Training Foundation Sail Training Foundation | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $15,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Straub Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $15,100 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Door County Habitat for Humanity Door County Habitat for Humanity | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $11,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Children First Development Center Children First Development Center Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $10,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Third Avenue Playworks Third Avenue Playworks | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $10,350 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Northern Door Child Care Center Northern Door Child Care Center | Sister Bay, WI | $7,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Egg Harbor Historical Society Egg Harbor Historical Society | Egg Harbor, WI | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Lawrence University Lawrence University | Appleton, WI | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Door Community Auditorium Door Community Auditorium | Fish Creek, WI | $4,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Sunshine Resources Sunshine Resources | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $4,211 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Door County Maritime Museum Door County Maritime Museum | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Help of Door County Inc Help of Door County Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Wisconsin Humane Society - Door Co General Operations | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $3,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Lakeshore Cap Inc Lakeshore Cap Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $3,200 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Peninsula School of Art | Fish Creek, WI | $3,200 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Door County Land Trust Door County Land Trust | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $3,100 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Mayo Clinic Mayo Clinic | Rochester, MN | $3,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Razom for Ukraine Razom for Ukraine | New York, NY | $3,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Door County Medical Center Found Door County Medical Center Found | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $2,950 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Crossroads at Big Creek Crossroads at Big Creek | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Door County Historical Society Door County Historical Society | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $2,200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Birch Creek Music Performance Ctr Birch Creek Music Performance Center | Egg Harbor, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Door County Housing Partnership Inc Door County Housing Partnership Inc | Baileys Harbor, WI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Door County Medical Center Auxiliar Door County Medical Center Auxiliary | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Friends of PBS Wisconsin Friends of PBS Wisconsin | Madison, WI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Inland Seas Education Association | Suttons Bay, MI | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Macular Degeneration Research Macular Degeneration Research | Clarksburg, MD | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Montana Free Press | Helena, MT | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| The Rotary Foundation the Rotary Foundation | Evenston, IL | $2,000 | 2 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jak's Place | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Northern Door Child Care Center | Sister Bay, WI | $1,500 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Door Cancer Inc Door Cancer Inc | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,200 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Diamond Head Theater Diamond Head Theater | Honolulu, HI | $1,100 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Lawrence University | Appleton, WI | $1,100 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Money Management Councelors Money Management Councelors | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,100 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Door County | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Boys and Girls Club of Door County Boys and Girls Club of Door County | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Children's Alliance of Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Hawaii Community Foundation Hawaii Community Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Hawaii Theatre Center Hawaii Theatre Center | Honolulu, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Holy Cross Catholic School | Green Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Honolulu Museum of Art Honolulu Museum of Art | Honolulu, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Miller Art Museum Miller Art Museum | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mission Partners for Christ Mission Partners for | Manhattan, IL | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Montana Free Press Montana Free Press | Helena, MT | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Parents & Children Together Parents & Children Together | Honolulu, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| PBS Wisconsin Pbx Wisconsin | Madison, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Peninsula Music Festival Peninsula Music Festival | Sister Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Peninsula School of Art Peninsula School of Art | Fish Creek, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Rotary International Rotary International | Evanston, IL | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Southern Door Community Auditorium Southern Door Coummunity Auditorium | Brussels, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Straub Foundation Straub Foundation | Honolulu, HI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sturgeon Bay School Playground Fd Sturgeon Bay School District | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Usmma Alumni Assoc & Foundation Usmma Alumni Association & Foundation Inc | Kings Point, NY | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Usmma Alumni Association | Great Neck, NY | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Usmma Alumni Association & Foundati Usmma Alumni Association & Foundation Inc | Kings Point, NY | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Wise Womens Gathering Place | Green Bay, WI | $1,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Birch Creek Music Center | Egg Harbor, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Birch Creek Music Performancecenter Birch Creek Music Performance Center | Egg Harbor, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| First Presbyterian Church of Menomi First Presbyterian Church of Menominee | Menominee, MI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts Hawaii Academy of Recording Arts | Honolulu, HI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Holy Trinity Church Holy Trinity Church | Honolulu, HI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Kolberg Athletic Club Kolberg Athletic Club | Brussels, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Midsummer's Music Ltd Midsummer's Music Ltd | Sister Bay, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Muse Sturgeon Bay Muse Sturgeon Bay | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| PBS Hawaii | Honolulu, HI | $500 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Badger Boys State | Portage, WI | $400 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Wisconsin Humane Society - Door Co Hope Lights & Memorial | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $400 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Destination Sturgeon Bay Destination Sturgeon Bay | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $300 | 3 | 3 | 2022 |
| Door Shakespeare | Sister Bay, WI | $250 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| American Heart Association American Heart Association | Dallas, TX | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Badger Boys State Badger Boys State | Portage, WI | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Door County Medical Center Foundati Door County Medical Center Foundation | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| First Lutheran Church First Lutheran Church | Green Bay, WI | $200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Holy Trinity Catholic Church Holy Trinity Catholic Church | Milwaukee, WI | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| League of Women Voters League of Women Voters | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| National Wwii Museum National Wwii Museum | New Orleans, LA | $200 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Alpine Christ Church | Longview, TX | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| College Ready | Green Bay, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| College Ready College Ready | Green Bay, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hawaiian Humane Society Hawaiian Humane Society | Honolulu, HI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Mercy Ships Mercy Ships | Garden Valley, TX | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| National Ms Society-Wi Chapter National Ms Society-Wi Chapter | Hartland, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Rotary Club of Sturgeon Bay | Sturgeon Bay, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Unicef | Fairfield, CT | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| US Navy Memorial US Navy Memorial | Washington, DC | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wisconsin Public Radio Wisconsin Public Radio | Madison, WI | $100 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Ronald Mcdonald House Ronald Mcdonald House | Chicago, IL | $25 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wounded Warrior Project | Topeka, KS | $25 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Southern Door Fire Dept | Forestville, WI | $20 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
35 of 97 (36%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold.
Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 33%, across 3 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.
- Northern Sky Theater Northern Sky Theater
REKINDLE CAMPAIGN&GENERAL OPERATIONS - United Way of Door County United Way of Door County
LEADERSHIP CIRCLE CAMPAIGN - Northern Door Child Care Center Northern Door Child Care Center
CAPITAL CAMPAIGN & REKINDLE CAMPAIGN - Door County Medical Center Found Door County Medical Center Found
SCHOLARSHIP FUND/DENTAL CLINIC - Peninsula School of Art
GENERAL OPERATIONS & MEMORIAL
What kind of organizations it funds
By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 54 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 36 | $439,645 | $750 |
| 2021 | 42 | $103,825 | $1,000 |
| 2022 | 31 | $57,661 | $1,000 |
| 2023 | 36 | $195,400 | $1,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.
Where its money goes
Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 94% of this one's giving went to organizations in Wisconsin. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.
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Funders that support the same organizations
These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $1,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Wisconsin.
- Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
- Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Ellsworth and Carla Peterson's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2020-2023). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.
Address of record on the latest return: 3797 Bay Shore Drive, Sturgeon Bay, WI, 54235. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.
EIN 39-6566719 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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