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ARGOSY FOUNDATION

Argosy Foundation

Contact information:
(formerly The Abele Family Charitable Trust)
555 E. Wells Street Suite 1650
Milwaukee, WI 53202-3819
Email: info@argosyfnd.org

Website: www.argosyfnd.org

Type of foundation: Independent

Types of grants: Annual campaigns; Conferences/seminars; Emergency funds; Matching/challenge support; Program development; Research; Scholarship funds.

Description: The Foundation was established in 1997 in Massachusetts by John E. Abele, co-founder of Boston Scientific Corporation, a medical device company dedicated to less-invasive medicine. The company is a worldwide developer, manufacturer and marketer of medical devices. The Abele family members serve as the Board of Trustees.

The mission of the Foundation is to support people and programs that make our society a better place to live. The Foundation seeks to employ creative and entrepreneurial approaches that help people to help themselves and become self-sustaining whenever possible. Its intention is to solve systemic problems, build teams and communities, create replicable solutions and inspire others to contribute in their own ways.

The Foundation emphasizes process in structuring its grantee partnerships. It has a due-diligence approach that looks for the most effective, leveraged means of making charitable investments. It pursues partners and programs that show special ability not only to add value to a field, but that also may contain features or provide learning applicable to other philanthropic endeavors. Its role as a partner is to maximize the likelihood of success, as well as gain knowledge and best practice information that can be made available to others. It believes every program is a learning experience.

The Abele family had planned to more than double the Foundation's endowment in recent years, which would have made it one of the larger foundations in the nation with assets eventually approaching $2 billion. This effort has been delayed by the recession. The Foundation will be significantly reducing grantmaking levels for the foreseeable future. The Foundation makes grants in the areas of:

  • Arts, Culture & Humanities.
  • Education.
  • Environment.
  • Health.
  • Human Services.
  • International/Foreign Affairs.
  • Public/Society Benefit.

The Foundation also makes grants through its Contemporary Music Fund. This fund is designed to promote the proliferation and awareness of contemporary classical or "non-pop" music. It primarily provides project support for five purposes: commission of new works, training of musicians, performances, and recordings and broadcasting. A more detailed description of the Contemporary Music Fund and application guidelines can be found here. The fund will not support jazz.

Sample grants:

  • $471,200 to Wisconsin Eye Public Affairs Network for grant made in form of stock (2005).
  • $292,432 to WGBH Educational Foundation for grant made in form of stock (2006).
  • $200,000 to WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network (2007).
  • $200,000 to Arts Engine (2007).
  • $200,000 to WGBH Educational Foundation (2006).
  • $100,000 to WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network for civic education and engagement.
  • $100,000 to Milwaukee Art Museum for the transition of a local film festival (2008).
  • $100,000 to ETown (2007).
  • $100,000 to ETown (2006).
  • $80,000 to ECHO Lake Aquarium and Science Center for environmental film project (2008).
  • $80,000 to WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network (2007).
  • $80,000 to WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network (2006).
  • $75,000 to WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio for continuing support (2006).
  • $75,000 to WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio for continuing support (2005).
  • $75,000 to WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio (2005).
  • $75,000 to WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio (2004).
  • $60,000 to WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio (2004).
  • $50,000 to Vermont Public Radio (2007).
  • $50,000 to KBPS Public Radio Foundation (2006).
  • $50,000 to National Public Radio (2006).
  • $50,000 to Milwaukee International Film Festival (2006).
  • $50,000 to Milwaukee International Film Festival (2005).
  • $50,000 to Milwaukee International Film Festival (2004).
  • $50,000 to Milwaukee’s Future Foundation(2004).
  • $50,000 to National Public Radio, Washington, DC (2004).
  • $50,000 to Public Radio Capital, Boulder, CO (2004).
  • $35,680 to WGBH Educational Foundation (2006).
  • $30,000 to Radio for Milwaukee (2007).
  • $30,000 to WGBH Educational Foundation (2006).
  • $25,000 to American Music Center for a radio program featuring contemporary music (2008).
  • $25,000 to Public Radio Capital (2007).
  • $25,000 to Electronic Music Foundation (2006).
  • $22,000 to Handel Choir of Baltimore, 2008 for a documentary film (2008).
  • $20,000 to From the Top for a broadcast of contemporary music (2008).
  • $20,000 to Progressive, Inc. (2007).
  • $17,371 to WisconsinEye Public Affairs Network (2006).
  • $15,000 to Population Media Center (2006).
  • $10,000 to Vermont ETV (2006).
  • $10,000 to Mountain Lake Public Telecommunications Council (2005).
  • $10,000 to Minnesota Public Radio (2005).
  • $10,000 to Vermont ETV (2005).
  • $10,000 to Classical Recording Foundation (2005).
  • $9,000 to Ebb and Flow Arts for the commission, performance, and broadcast of contemporary music (2008).
  • $9,000 to WUWM Milwaukee Public Radio (2004).

Fit for public broadcasting: The Foundation has a strong history of support for public media, especially in Wisconsin, Vermont and Massachusetts. The Contemporary Music Fund may well be a prospect for stations nationwide that commission, record and/or present contemporary classical music (jazz is not considered for support).

Eligibility: Argosy Foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, except for the Contemporary Music Fund. Contemporary Music Fund grants will only go to organizations with 501(c)(3) status; fiscal sponsors will not be accepted.

Deadlines: The Contemporary Music Fund accepts proposals twice per year (due March 1 and September 1). NOTE: There will not be a September cycle in 2012.

How to apply: Unsolicited grant proposals are not considered, except for the Contemporary Music Fund. Applications for that fund should be submitted online.

Giving range: The average gift for public media projects is approximately $66,000. The Foundation has made gifts as high as $1.4 million. Contemporary Music Fund grants range up to $25,000.

Assets: $25,826,690 (2010).

Total giving: $1,770,500 (2010).

View 2010 Annual Report: http://www.argosyfnd.org/usr_doc/2010AnnualReport.pdf