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Henry J. Predolin Foundation
The Henry J. Predolin Foundation was established in 1998 in Madison, Wisconsin as a private 501(c)(3) entity, funded by the estate of the late Henry J.
Henry J. Predolin Foundation
The Henry J. Predolin Foundation was established in 1998 in Madison, Wisconsin as a private 501(c)(3) entity, funded by the estate of the late Henry J. Predolin. Predolin's wealth originated from his ownership of Spancrete Industries, Inc., a regional manufacturer of precast concrete products. Under the direction of President Robert E. Chritton, the Predolin family's longtime attorney, the foundation channels its assets into a defined set of charitable causes within its home community. Investment oversight is guided by board member David Erickson, CIO of Ascension Investment Management and a CFA charterholder. While the foundation's portfolio is not publicly disclosed in detail, it is known to hold a mixed pool of assets including corporate stock, corporate bonds, and government obligations — consistent with a conservative total-return mandate designed to sustain grantmaking indefinitely. The foundation's primary deployment is grantmaking rather than venture or private equity, heavily concentrated on local institutions including Edgewood College, where it has endowed the Henry Predolin School of Nursing, Predolin Hall, and the Henry J. Predolin Humanities Center. Beyond education, the foundation's charitable scope extends to medical research, treatment programs, and food and housing initiatives for indigent children. It functions as a major corporate partner and leadership donor to the United Way of Dane County, and supports programs providing dairy products to vulnerable families. With an estimated AUM of roughly $69 million (Altss estimate), the foundation operates with a lean administrative footprint; its last known organizational changes or grant distributions have not been publicly updated in the past 24 months. The foundation's structural differentiator is its profound geographic and institutional concentration. Rather than acting as a generalist grantmaker, the Predolin Foundation is a single-campus philanthropic engine for Edgewood College and tightly defined Dane County safety-net programs. This makes it a descendant of the founder's original business logic — serve the region — translated directly into philanthropic charter.
General information
Firm type
Endowment / Foundation
Year founded
1998
Location
Region
North America
Country
United States
City
Madison
Corporate office
Madison, WI, United States
Principals
Robert E. Chritton
President
David Erickson
Board Member and CIO of Ascension Investment Management
Sector focus
Frequently asked questions
What was the source of the wealth that endowed the Henry J. Predolin Foundation?
The foundation's endowment originates from the estate of Henry J. Predolin, who built his wealth as the owner of Spancrete Industries, Inc. Spancrete was a manufacturer of precast concrete products based in the Upper Midwest. Liquidated upon Predolin's passing, his business assets were directed into the private foundation he established in 1998 to serve Dane County, Wisconsin.
How does the foundation allocate its capital between grants and investments?
The foundation operates as a traditional private foundation, annually distributing roughly 5% of net assets as qualifying distributions to maintain its tax-exempt status. Its investment portfolio is managed conservatively across corporate equities, corporate bonds, and government obligations, with oversight from board member David Erickson, the CIO of Ascension Investment Management. The portfolio aims to preserve intergenerational grantmaking capacity rather than maximize returns through illiquid alternatives.
Who makes the grantmaking decisions at the Henry J. Predolin Foundation?
The foundation is governed by a board that includes President Robert E. Chritton, who served as the Predolin family's attorney and has overseen the foundation since its inception. Investment policy is shaped by David Erickson, a CFA charterholder and CIO of Ascension Investment Management. No professional program staff or separate investment committee has been publicly identified, suggesting a board-driven grants-approval process typical of small private foundations.
What institutions or programs are the primary beneficiaries of the foundation's philanthropy?
Edgewood College in Madison, Wisconsin is the foundation's flagship charitable partner, receiving funding for the Henry J. Predolin School of Nursing, the Henry J. Predolin Humanities Center, and a residential facility. The foundation also provides dairy products to low-income families through Dane County programs, supports medical research and treatment initiatives, and funds indigent food and housing programs. It maintains a significant relationship as a major donor to the United Way of Dane County.
Does the foundation accept unsolicited grant proposals from organizations outside Dane County?
Based on the foundation's giving history, which is concentrated on Edgewood College and Dane County health and human-service initiatives, its grantmaking appears geographically restricted. There is no indication of a public-facing grant-application portal, and the foundation's IRS filings suggest a largely pre-identified, relationship-based set of grantees consistent with a place-based private foundation.
Profile maintained by Altss using OSINT (open-source intelligence), regulatory filings, licensed data partners, and verified direct submissions. Read the methodology. Last updated: . Continuous refresh with full update cycles at least every 30 days.
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