The Greater Milwaukee Foundation awarded $30,009,075 in grants in 2012, according to preliminary financial reports. That marks its second highest grantmaking year since before the Great Recession began in 2008. In 2008, the Foundation made $31.4 million in grants.

“As our community’s foundation, we are focused on the long-term growth of our investments, which allows donors to support the organizations important to them now and forever,” said Ellen Gilligan, the Foundation’s president and CEO. “With the economic ups and downs over the past few years, many of these organizations have really been challenged and our donors are committed to building their capacity. Thanks to our diversified portfolio, we are able to help donors grow their funds, meet the challenges these organizations face and, in the process, strengthen our community across a wide variety of areas.”

Overall, 28 percent of the grants made in 2012, or about $8.5 million, supported health and human services-related programs. Education was the second largest funding area, with 19 percent, or $5.6 million, in grants to education-related projects and programs.