About the Foundation

Wisconsin Historical Society
headquarters building

Welcome to the Wisconsin Historical Foundation's Web site. The Wisconsin Historical Foundation is a not-for-profit 501 (c) (3), tax-exempt Wisconsin corporation, established for the exclusive support of the Wisconsin Historical Society and the Society's mission. The Foundation currently supports the Society in several capacities, including fundraising, membership, special events, and external relations. The Foundation's Board of Directors oversee the Foundation staff.

Several close friends of the Wisconsin Historical Society established the Foundation in September 1954 in the interest of ensuring that the Society could receive support for programs that the state could not fund. The formation of the Foundation recognized that institutions wholly reliant on public funding seldom achieve and maintain excellence. A separate board was elected to manage the Foundation, and although it had no staff and did not actively solicit gifts at that time, its creation allowed the Society to grow its assets through bequests.

In 1997, the Society hired a development-consulting firm to assess the needs of the Society and direct the transformation of the Foundation to include a staff actively raising funds in support of the Society. In 1998 the Society also contracted with the Foundation to run its membership program. Since that time, Society membership has grown from 3,500 to more than 12,000. Thanks to the generosity of many members and friends, the Foundation received more than $3 million in 2005 to benefit the Society. For detailed financial information you may wish to view the Foundation’s tax statement, the IRS Form 990. (Note: this requires establishing one's own login and password on the Guidestar site.)

Wisconsin Historical Foundation
816 State Street
Madison, WI 53706-1482
608-261-9364

For general inquiries, please contact Ann Fisher or visit the Contact Foundation Staff page for additional staff.