Brookwood Foundation

The Brookwood Foundation is a private family foundation rooted in the philanthropic legacy of the Heide family, one of Kenosha, Wisconsin's most prominent civic families. The foundation honors the memory of Christen P. Heide and Anna J. Heide, who were business and civic leaders in the Kenosha community beginning in the early 1900s. Established in 2001 and managed by the second and third generation of the Heide family — including trustees Charles H. Heide Jr., Kathryn H. Thompson, Krista J. Reck, and Paula J. Heide Poggenburg — the foundation channels deep commitment to education, environmental stewardship, and community betterment into transformative philanthropic investments. With approximately $11 million in assets and annual charitable disbursements exceeding $1.4 million, the Brookwood Foundation operates as one of the most active private grantmaking foundations in the Kenosha area. The family guiding philosophy, as articulated by Charles H. Heide Jr., is straightforward: "Work as hard as you can, learn as much as you can, do as much good as you can." The foundation does not maintain a public website or open application process, so engagement requires direct relationship-building with the Heide family trustees. Proposals aligned with higher education in southeastern Wisconsin — particularly those combining student development with practical research outcomes — represent the most promising path to funding.

According to the most recent IRS Form 990 filing (fiscal year 2024), the Brookwood Foundation holds total assets of $10,974,296 with zero liabilities, reflecting a conservatively managed and fully solvent endowment. The foundation generated $596,917 in total revenue, sourced from investment dividends ($262,984, or 44%), contributions ($177,048, or 30%), and capital gains from asset sales ($156,885, or 26%). Total expenses reached $1,529,222, with charitable disbursements of $1,481,115 — meaning approximately 97% of all expenditures went directly to philanthropic purposes. The foundation received a transformative $8.5 million contribution in 2021 that substantially expanded its asset base and grantmaking capacity. Officer compensation is modest: only one trustee (Paula J. Heide Poggenburg) receives $14,050, while three other trustees serve without pay. This lean structure ensures maximum resources flow to charitable programs. Grant sizes range from ongoing scholarship endowments to the landmark $1 million gift announced in December 2025. The foundation's asset-to-giving ratio is notably generous — disbursing roughly 14% of total assets annually, well above the IRS-required 5% minimum distribution for private foundations. Flagship programs include full-tuition student scholarships at UW-Parkside for students with financial need or hardship (established 2018), named scholarships honoring former instructors Lillian James and August Wegner, the Regenerative Environmental Research Collaborative (a five-year initiative studying water infiltration in farming lands), and Ranger Athletics enhancement at UW-Parkside.

Among Kenosha-area private foundations, the Brookwood Foundation ranks in the top tier for annual charitable disbursements. The following table compares it with peer foundations active in the Kenosha area:

The Brookwood Foundation's $1.5 million in annual giving places it alongside the UW-Parkside Foundation and well ahead of the Kenosha Community Foundation. Unlike the Jockey Being Family Foundation, which operates nationally, the Brookwood Foundation maintains a tight geographic focus on southeastern Wisconsin, maximizing its local impact per dollar disbursed. Its 14% annual payout rate substantially exceeds the standard 5% minimum required of private foundations, demonstrating an unusually high commitment to active grantmaking over asset preservation.

In December 2025, the Brookwood Foundation announced its largest single philanthropic commitment: a $1 million gift to the University of Wisconsin-Parkside. This transformative gift has two major components. First, a significant portion enhances the Ranger Athletic experience and elevates UW-Parkside's competitive profile. Second, the gift formalizes the Regenerative Environmental Research Collaborative — a five-year initiative engaging students in hands-on basic science research examining how water infiltrates farming lands, with the goal of publishing findings to assist farmers and land managers in resource preservation. Charles Heide, Foundation Co-Trustee, stated: "We are continuing our student-led basic science review of how water infiltrates our farming lands into year two. Our goal is to understand all aspects of these flows, then publish a source document that assists farmers, land managers." The foundation also established an undisclosed matching challenge grant designed to inspire additional community support and broaden donor participation. Previously, UW-Parkside named the Brookwood Foundation Main Place in Wyllie Hall in recognition of the family's sustained giving. The foundation's trajectory suggests a strategic shift toward larger-scale, multi-year institutional partnerships rather than smaller one-time grants.

The Brookwood Foundation operates as a private family foundation without a public website, open application cycles, or published deadlines. This means traditional grant-seeking strategies will not work. Instead, prospective applicants should focus on relationship-building with the four Heide family trustees: Charles H. Heide Jr., Kathryn H. Thompson, Krista J. Reck, and Paula J. Heide Poggenburg. The foundation's giving history reveals a strong preference for higher education institutions in southeastern Wisconsin, particularly UW-Parkside. Proposals should align with the foundation's core interests: student scholarships addressing financial need, environmental and agricultural research with practical applications, and collegiate athletics. Multi-year commitments with measurable outcomes appear favored over one-time project grants. The foundation's recent matching challenge grant structure suggests an appetite for proposals that leverage their dollars to attract additional community investment. Organizations connected to the Kenosha community with missions touching education, sustainability, or student development are best positioned. Direct outreach through community networks, UW-Parkside connections, or Kenosha civic organizations represents the most viable path to engagement with this foundation.