U.S. Oil/Schmidt Family Foundation

Founded in 1985, the U.S. Oil/Schmidt Family Foundation, Inc. supports programs and organizations that offer opportunities to the disadvantaged, improve the quality of people’s lives, and strengthen communities. Grants are given to organizations based in the communities where we operate as well as organizations based in the Midwest that provide outreach to impoverished regions throughout the world.

The U.S. Oil/Schmidt Family Foundation awards grants in the following categories:

  • Education and scholarship - primarily initiatives that involve parents and families in education events, scholarship programs, the promotion of a safe educational environment, and programs that support children’s basic educational needs.
  • International relief ­- U.S.-based missionaries working in third world countries, with special emphasis on programs offering assistance to orphans, disenfranchised youth and families, promoting education, and encouraging self-sufficiency.
  • Health and human services - focus primarily on providing access to basic health and support services for those in greatest need; these grants are intended to ensure a safety net in the communities where U.S. Oil operates and provide resources for organizations that promote and develop individual and communal self-sufficiency.
  • Community development - organizations in the Fox Valley and Green Bay area that improve the quality of life locally, assist in giving voice to populations of special interest, and develop a communal capacity to constructively respond to issues.
  • Arts and culture - support quality community-based arts organizations in the Fox Valley and Green Bay area, generally focusing on providing access to arts organizations and creative opportunities for students and disadvantaged populations, cultivating growth in the arts community, or integrating cultural programs into mainstream educational programs.
  • Environmental stewardship -Fox Valley- and Green Bay-based organizations that strive to preserve and conserve our natural resources, increase access to these resources, and promote education and awareness of the need for stewardship.

Funding criteria

To assess prospective grantee organizations, the foundation uses the following criteria, among others:

  • Clarity of mission
  • Programmatic focus and effective
  • Service population
  • Geographic focus
  • Caliber of management/staff
  • Financial health of organization
  • Board leadership and involvement

Particular consideration will be given to projects that promise demonstrable long-range benefits that include an evaluation plan and have the potential to attract support from a broad base of philanthropic sources. Grantees receiving grants more than $10,000 are required to submit a progress report at the end of the one-year grant cycle. However, all grantees are asked to notify the foundation of any substantive organizational, programmatic, or personnel changes.

Restrictions

  • Government-sponsored programs (where 50% or more of an organization’s budget is obtained from government contracts or initiatives) are ineligible for foundation support.
  • Grants are not made to support individuals, to underwrite conference expenses, or to fund medical procedures or medical costs for individuals.
  • Proposals from non-profit agencies will be considered for programmatic, capital, and general operating needs.
  • While the foundation provides significant support for several relief organizations providing services in third world countries, unsolicited proposals from outside of the United States, even those with affiliates in the United States, will not receive a response.
  • All applicants must have a funding recipient mechanism that meets requirements of the United States Tax Code as an eligible 501(c)(3) charitable organization.

How to apply

If you would like to apply for a grant, please submit all of the following:

  • A letter of intent no longer than two pages describing the nature of the organization’s work, the proposed project schedule (if applicable), and the amount requested.
  • Organizational budget for the current year
  • Project budget, if applicable
  • Copy of the applicant’s tax exempt letter from the IRS
  • Email contact information

Foundation staff will pre-screen letters of intent quarterly and, if the organization’s work coincides with the foundation’s goals, might request further information.

All materials should be sent to:

Terri Green, Foundation Manager
PO Box 25
Combined Locks, WI 54113
920.831.8818 
tgreen@usoil.com

Annual progress report

All grantees receiving more than $10,000 must submit a progress report at the end of the one-year grant cycle and should notify the foundation of any substantive organizational, programmatic, or personnel changes. Please complete the online form or print the form and send it to:

Terri Green
PO Box 25
Combined Locks, WI 54113
920.831.8818 
tgreen@usoil.com

History of the foundation

Art, Ray, and Bill Schmidt founded the U.S. Oil/Schmidt Family Foundation, Inc. in 1985 to honor the philanthropic legacy of their parents, Albert and Margaret Schmidt; support the communities in which their business operates; and provide ongoing assistance to organizations serving the poor and disenfranchised.

Today a team of second, third, and fourth generation members of Albert and Margaret’s family carry on the foundation’s work. Its mission, however, is based in the values taught by the couple to their eight children: volunteerism, financial support for charitable organizations, appreciation for their community and many blessings, and the importance of promoting a healthy community through strong families.
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