Herzfeld Foundation

06/03/2026

When every child has access to music and the arts – as exemplified by the Milwaukee Public Schools' Biennial Music Festival – it expands thinking, nurtures creativity, creates community, and builds a stronger Milwaukee for all. That belief is at the heart of the Herzfeld Foundation's work, and we look forward to announcing more than $250,000 of new arts education grants to Milwaukee organizations after our Board of Directors meets on June 19.

Milwaukee Public Schools' biennial music festival returns May 6 and 7, bringing together thousands of students from 75 schools.

05/31/2026

More often than not, nonprofits in Milwaukee and across the country operate under significant resource constraints – pressures felt most acutely by the people and communities they serve every day. Across the city, organizations delivering essential support to families are facing shrinking funding alongside growing demand.

This is why sustained, committed philanthropy matters. The Herzfeld Foundation exists to show up for this city – not just in good times, but especially when the need is greatest. We're proud to stand alongside the organizations doing this work.

Foundations say they are trying to help nonprofits build resilience as federal funding shrinks and needs grow.

05/31/2026

Milwaukee’s small arts organizations are a key component of our city’s cultural life. Tucked throughout our communities, they create spaces for creativity and exploration, serving neighborhoods and communities across Milwaukee.

But as Magazine’s latest piece makes clear, many are operating on extraordinarily thin margins – continuing their work out of a deep love for the city and their art.

A vibrant Milwaukee isn’t defined only by our outstanding symphony orchestra and world-class art museum. We're also a city where small theater, music, and dance groups provide entertainment and enrichment to diverse individuals in affordable settings, and where neighborhood-based artists perform and teach in ways that all citizens can enjoy.

By investing in all elements of Milwaukee's arts ecosystem, we strive to ensure that small arts groups can continue providing spaces where people can gather, create, and connect. These organizations help strengthen our communities and are an essential part of our city’s DNA.

Some low-budget groups are finding their own ways to weather the storm.

05/26/2026

Does your organization support early education for Milwaukee's pre-K5 children? 👦👧 Our ECE grants are open now through July 1, and this year, we've expanded eligibility to include nonprofits focused on addressing systemic challenges in early literacy, arts, music, nature education, advocacy, and more.

Learn more about how your organization can apply in our latest blog: https://www.herzfeldfoundation.org/blog/herzfeld-foundation-now-accepting-early-childhood-education-grant-requests

05/20/2026

We recently had the pleasure of visiting La Familia de Arte to learn more about their latest project – working with community members to line the James E. Groppi Unity Bridge with 200 ceramic murals. This project honors those who marched for fair housing in Milwaukee in the 1960s. The goal is to complete 200 murals by the end of next year to honor the 200 days of marching.

05/19/2026

We're now on Facebook! During the past three decades, the Herzfeld Foundation has contributed more than $100 million to nonprofit organizations and initiatives that have enriched Milwaukee’s arts, cultural, educational, and civic landscapes. We're showing up on social media so we can spread the word about new grant opportunities, highlight the challenges that matter most to us, and enhance our connectivity with nonprofit leaders and fellow philanthropists.

05/18/2026

When two of our long-time grantees – the Betty Brinn Children's Museum and the Wisconsin Policy Forum – approached us last year to support a new collaboration, we jumped at the opportunity. With the museum searching for a new home, they engaged the Forum to research how other peer museums had pursued new facilities and maximized growth opportunities. We recently sat down with leaders from both organizations to discuss how the report (Room to Grow) will guide the museum's future. https://wispolicyforum.org/research/room-to-grow-the-present-and-future-of-the-betty-brinn-childrens-museum/

05/13/2026

Meta House, Inc. will soon open a new location in the Pigsville neighborhood, and we couldn’t be more excited. In part due to grant support from the Foundation, the new facility will feature a fully equipped art therapy room – ensuring that Meta House clients have access to this important therapeutic option. 🎨❤️

This expansion will double Meta House's residential capacity to serve women with substance use disorder challenges and their children, enhancing the organization's critical niche in the city's addiction recovery landscape.

The new campus will have 100 total beds for women in recovery from substance use disorder and their children, double the current capacity.

05/11/2026

Our Executive Director, Rob Henken, recently attended a program for middle and high school students at the IPAMA, featuring the Official Ko-Thi Dance Company. Both IPAMA and Ko-Thi Dance Company have applied for grants under our recently closed arts and culture grant opportunity, which drew 107 applications across four grant categories. Our Board will be considering these applications at its next meeting on June 19.

We remain committed to investing in small arts organizations and education initiatives across Milwaukee that reflect our city's rich and diverse arts and culture ecosystem.

05/08/2026

We had the privilege of celebrating Neighborhood House’s ribbon cutting for their brand-new playground – an exciting addition to their early childhood education program. We’re proud to have supported Neighborhood House’s general operations and early childhood programming over the past several years, helping strengthen Milwaukee’s communities and the families within them. 🛝