Key Takeaways
- Medical College of Wisconsin $50 million gift: Linda T. and John A. Mellowes and the Charter Manufacturing Foundation gave the money, announced Oct. 19, 2026.
- Tied for largest gift in its history: BizTimes reports the gift matches the largest philanthropic gift in the college's history, a $50 million contribution from the Kern Family Foundation.
- Form 990 records (the annual information return nonprofits file with the IRS): the gift equals 22.1% of the $226,082,409 in contributions the college reported for fiscal 2025.
The Medical College of Wisconsin received a $50 million gift from Linda T. and John A. Mellowes and the Charter Manufacturing Foundation, announced Monday, Oct. 19, 2026. BizTimes reports the gift is meant to expand precision medicine research, develop genomic data infrastructure and recruit leading medical talent.
Form 990 records: the $50 million gift against the college's contributions
The college's most recent Form 990, as shown on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, covers the fiscal year that ended June 2025. It reports $226,082,409 in contributions and $1,758,334,139 in total revenue for that year. Neither the college's Oct. 19 release nor BizTimes prints those totals.
The $50 million equals 22.1% of contributions and 2.8% of revenue for that year. The same comparison gives 22.5% of contributions for fiscal 2024 and 23.3% for fiscal 2023. These filings predate the Oct. 19 announcement.
Charter Manufacturing Foundation: what the IRS filings show
The announcements name the Charter Manufacturing Foundation but not its legal name. ProPublica lists a private foundation called Charter Manufacturing Company Foundation Inc., employer identification number (EIN) 39-1486363. Its 2024 Form 990-PF, the annual return private foundations file, names Linda T. Mellowes as president and John A. Mellowes as vice president and treasurer. The match rests on the similar name and those officers.
That foundation reported $20,010,331 in total assets at the end of 2024, about 40% of the $50 million. The sources therefore do not show how the gift was split between the foundation and the couple.
What the college says the gift will fund, and what the release leaves out
The college says the gift will accelerate its efforts to advance precision medicine and become a destination for health. It says that in 2009 it and clinicians from Children's Wisconsin became the first in the world to successfully treat a patient by sequencing their genome. It also says its Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine has driven translational research, which moves laboratory findings toward treatment, since 2017. That research now powers first-in-human clinical trials at Children's Wisconsin and Froedtert Hospital. The release names no trials, patient counts or outcomes.
The release also says Dr. Marni J. Falk joined as executive director of the Medical College of Wisconsin Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Institute for Genomic Medicine and Precision Therapeutics, effective Oct. 1, 2026.
The Mellowes gifts from 2022 to 2026
The couple gave $10 million in 2022. On May 6, 2022, the college dedicated its Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine Center in their honor as the Linda T. and John A. Mellowes Center for Genomic Sciences and Precision Medicine, according to the college's 2022 release. The release describes Charter Manufacturing as a steel and iron production and manufacturing company founded in the 1930s.
BizTimes reported in 2022 that John A. Mellowes was a former chief executive officer of Charter Manufacturing Co. In the Oct. 19, 2026 release, Linda T. and John A. Mellowes said, "We are proud that we can get exceptional, innovative care right here in our hometown, and we want everyone to have that experience," and Shekar N. Kurpad, MD, PhD, the college's president and chief executive officer, said: "Their transformational gift will reshape how we understand, prevent, diagnose and treat diseases for generations to come, and will expand access to personalized medicine and improve the standard of care for more people in our communities."
Related WYDE coverage: Christ Hospital Receives $50 Million From Farmer Family Foundation for Mount Auburn Campus and Duke Endowment Gave North Carolina Children's Hospital $100 Million.
People Also Ask
Who gave the $50 million to the Medical College of Wisconsin?
Linda T. and John A. Mellowes and the Charter Manufacturing Foundation gave the $50 million to the Medical College of Wisconsin, according to the college's Oct. 19, 2026 release and BizTimes. Linda T. and John A. Mellowes also gave $10 million to the college in 2022.
What will the $50 million pay for at the Medical College of Wisconsin?
BizTimes reports that the $50 million from Linda T. and John A. Mellowes and the Charter Manufacturing Foundation is meant to expand precision medicine research, develop genomic data infrastructure and recruit leading medical talent. Neither the release nor BizTimes names a specific trial, patient program or budget line.
How does the $50 million compare with the Medical College of Wisconsin's contributions?
The $50 million from Linda T. and John A. Mellowes and the Charter Manufacturing Foundation equals 22.1% of the $226,082,409 in contributions the Medical College of Wisconsin reported for fiscal 2025, according to its Form 990 on ProPublica.
Sources: Medical College of Wisconsin, BizTimes, ProPublica, ProPublica foundation record, Medical College of Wisconsin 2022 release, BizTimes 2022.