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MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS INC

EIN 83-2154946 MILWAUKEE, WI

Browse the largest nonprofits in Wisconsin

Revenue 2024
$1,508,793
Expenses 2024
$1,431,359

Program services were 76.8% of total expenses calculated — Part IX's program-services column over total expenses, both as filed.

As filed

Subsection
03
NTEE code
C32
Classification
1200
Street
1836 W FOND DU LAC AVE STE 100

These codes are the IRS's own and are shown exactly as filed. What each one means is in the Business Master File documentation (opens in a new tab).

Mission and programs · 2024

Mission

MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS IS HELPING CATALYZE MILWAUKEE AS A TRUE MODEL WATER CITY-A PLACE WHERE WE ALL HAVE A STAKE IN THE HEALTH OF OUR WATERS AND ALL SHARE IN THEIR STEWARDSHIP AND BENEFITS. WE ARE ADVANCING OUR COMMUNITY ENVISIONED WATER CITY AGENDA THROUGH THE ORGANIZING FRAMEWORKS OF ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE, COLLECTIVE IMPACT, THE COMMONS, AND COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT.

Activities or mission (Part I)

MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS INC. IS A CROSS-CITY NETWORK THAT FOSTERS CONNECTION, COLLABORATION, AND BROAD COMMUNITY LEADERSHIP ON BEHALF OF OUR COMMON WATERS. THE ORGANIZATION PROMOTES STEWARDSHIP OF EQUITABLE ACCESS TO AND SHARED DECISION-MAKING FOR OUR COMMON WATERS. THE ORGANIZATION FOCUSES ON SIX INITIATIVES: WATER QUALITY, DRINKING WATER, ARTS AND CULTURE, BLUE GREEN JOBS, EDUCATION AND RECREATION, AND GREEN INITIATIVE.

  • MILWAUKEE WATER COMMONS MARKED THE TENTH ANNIVERSARY OF TWO OF OUR SIGNATURE PROGRAMS: WE ARE WATER, OUR ANNUAL EVENT CELEBRATING MILWAUKEE'S SHARED WATERS, AND WATER SCHOOL, OUR COMMUNITY-BASED PROGRAM DESIGNED TO DEVELOP WATER LEADERS. WATER SCHOOL EXPANDED TO TWO SESSIONS THIS YEAR, WELCOMING ITS FIRST GROUP OF WINTER PARTICIPANTS. NOW IN ITS FOURTH YEAR, THE BEACH AMBASSADOR PROGRAM DEEPENED ITS COMMUNITY IMPACT WITH EXPANDED FOCUS ON PUBLIC HEALTH AND WATER SAFETY ON LAKE MICHIGAN'S SHORE. FIVE AMBASSADORS WENT BEYOND THEIR BEACHFRONT DUTIES, LEADING WATER SAFETY WORKSHOPS WITH PURPOSEFUL PLAY, NEARBY NATURE MILWAUKEE, AND ALL HANDS BOATWORKS. OUR FIRST COHORT OF ARTISTS IN RESIDENCE UNVEILED FIVE POWERFUL COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT PIECES, UNIQUE WORKS CREATED BY LOCAL ARTISTS WHO BECAME INFORMED WATER LEADERS THROUGH THE RESIDENCY. THEIR ART AMPLIFIES OUR CITY'S CONNECTION TO WATER AND STRENGTHENS MILWAUKEE'S SHARED WATER CULTURE. THROUGH BRANCH OUT MILWAUKEE, WE CELEBRATED THE PLANTING OF 174 TREES IN THE SHERMAN PARK NEIGHBORHOOD, THE MAINTENANCE OF 43 TREES, AND THE REMOVAL OF 22 HAZARDOUS TREES, GROWING MILWAUKEE'S TREE CANOPY IN PARTNERSHIP WITH THE SHERMAN PARK COMMUNITY ASSOCIATION. THIS YEAR ALSO BROUGHT IMPORTANT MILESTONES IN POLICY AND COLLABORATION. WE WELCOMED AN ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE ADVISOR FOR THE MILWAUKEE ESTUARY AREA OF CONCERN (AOC), THE FIRST ROLE OF ITS KIND FOR AN AOC IN THE NATION, INTEGRATING ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE INTO DECISION-MAKING AND IMPLEMENTATION PROCESSES. AND WE FACILITATED A LEARNING EXCHANGE BETWEEN THE MILWAUKEE AND PITTSBURGH WATER EQUITY TASK FORCES, SHARING STRATEGIES ON EQUITABLE INFRASTRUCTURE INVESTMENT, WORKFORCE DEVELOPMENT, AND BUILDING AUTHENTIC PARTNERSHIPS.

    Expenses $1,099,852 · Grants $26,535 · Revenue $70,292

As filed on the 2024 return. The filer continues this part on Schedule O, which is not shown here.

Officers and directors · 2024

As listed in Part VII of the 2024 return, in the order the filer printed them. Each return names its own; this is not a roster the organization keeps with us.

  • Brenda Coley

    CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $168,046
    From this org
    $148,522
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $19,524
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $148,522
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $19,524
    Filer's total
    $168,046

  • Kirsten Shead

    CO-EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $157,808
    From this org
    $148,522
    From related orgs
    $0
    Other
    $9,286
    Hours/week
    40

    Schedule J breakdown matched by us

    Base
    $148,522
    Bonus
    $0
    Other
    $0
    Deferred
    $0
    Nontaxable benefits
    $9,286
    Filer's total
    $157,808

  • Deniene Powell

    TREASURER

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Suzanne Mills-Wemm

    SECRETARY

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Jamin Mahan

    CHAIR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Dinorah Marquez Abadiano

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Tina Johnson

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Anne O'Connor

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • J Peter Ordway

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

  • Naryan Leazer

    DIRECTOR

    Total calculated
    $0
    Hours/week
    1

Compensation is as filed in Part VII: reportable pay from this organization and from related organizations, other compensation, and hours per week. The total, marked calculated, is our sum of the three dollar columns, with a blank column counted as $0; the form itself has no total. On a Form 990-EZ the columns are Part IV's instead, and on a Form 990-PF Part VIII's — compensation, contributions to benefit plans, and expense account — and the total sums those. A Schedule J breakdown is as filed: base pay, bonus, other, deferred compensation and nontaxable benefits from this organization, with any from related organizations beside each, and the filer's own total. It is shown with the Part VII listing of the same name on the same return. The form gives no key between the two, so that pairing is ours, and is marked matched by us. Earlier years are each on their own filing page.

Filings

  • 2024
    Revenue
    $1,508,793
    Expenses
    $1,431,359
    Contributions
    $1,438,501
    Grants paid
    $26,535
  • 2023
    Revenue
    $1,955,156
    Expenses
    $1,102,662
    Contributions
    $1,901,756
    Grants paid
    $22,500
  • 2022
    Revenue
    $873,964
    Expenses
    $706,590
    Contributions
    $868,979
    Grants paid
    $24,714

The four totals the IRS asks for on Part I of the Form 990, as filed. A dash means the figure was not present on the return — not that it was zero.

Other returns filed

  • 2021 · 990

    Revenue
    $642,746
    Expenses
    $565,848
    Assets (EOY)
    $435,712

  • 2020 · 990

    Revenue
    $731,657
    Expenses
    $463,262
    Assets (EOY)
    $429,765

Nonprofiteer parses Forms 990, 990-EZ and 990-PF, in a window of recent tax years. These returns are recorded from the IRS e-file index, so their figures were extracted by that index rather than read from the return here — treat them as a different source from the filings above, not as more of the same record. A dash means the index carries no figure; Form 990-T listings carry none at all.

Grants made

Where these grants went next →

Grants received

The 10 largest by cash amount. The API serves every itemized grant.

Other IRS files

Auto-Revocation List

Not listed. The IRS publishes this list for organizations whose exemption was automatically revoked for failing to file for three consecutive years.

Publication 78

Listed as of 13 October 2026, under deductibility PC.

These are two separate IRS files on two separate schedules, shown as published and not reconciled with each other. Neither is a statement about whether a contribution is deductible today: 19,245 organizations appear in Publication 78 while the IRS's own revocation file lists them as currently revoked, more than half of those revoked before 2019. Absence from Publication 78 is evidence of nothing, and presence is not evidence either. Verify current status with the IRS before relying on it.

What this page reflects

The registration facts above come from the IRS Business Master File published 13 October 2026 and read 1 November 2026, for every organization at once. Returns through tax year 2024, the newest we have parsed for this organization.