Ed Uihlein Family Foundation

Background

The Ed Uihlein Family Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization run by Richard E Uihlein. Richard “Dick” Euihlein, whose fortune Forbes estimated at $5.5 billion in 2025,¹“Richard Uihlein,” Forbes. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dIurk named the foundation after his father.²Justin Elliott, Megan O’Matz, and Doris Burke.”That Cardboard Box in Your Home Is Fueling Election Denial,” ProPublica, October 26, 2022. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/eH8HW

Richard and his wife, Elizabeth Uihlein, are the founders of the Uline packaging company and have been among the largest donors to Donald Trump.³Joe Fassler. “Mapped: How 6 Billionaire Family Fortunes Fund Project 2025,” DeSmog, October 25, 2024.

DeSmog reported that since 2020, the Ed Uihlein Foundation, run by the Uihleins and named in honor of Richard’s father, has donated at least $13.4 million to 13 different Project 2025 groups.⁴Joe Fassler. “Mapped: How 6 Billionaire Family Fortunes Fund Project 2025,” DeSmog, October 25, 2024.

Stance on Climate Change

While the Ed Uihlein family foundation hasn’t released any official statements regarding climate change, it has been a significant funder of climate change denial groups, such as the Heartland Institute, which it gave $354,000 to from 2014 to 2018, according to the Center for Media and Democracy (CMD)⁵Alex Kotch. “‘Identity-Scrubbing’ Charities Bankroll Heartland’s Climate Denial,” The Center for Media and Democracy, March 23, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Mx2Bk

Funding

990 Forms

Key People

Directors

Publicly available 990 forms for the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation listed the following directors:

• Richard E Uihlein — Director/President
• Lucia Uihlein Higgins — Director/Secretary
• Fredericka Anne Goldenberg — Director/Treasurer

Richard E Uihlein

The Washington Post described Richard Uihlein as “one of the most powerful — and disruptive — GOP donors in the country” who, for years, “has given money to isolated races in the service of his anti-union, free-market and small-government views.” Uihlein became a major donor in the 2018 midterm elections, where he supported pro-Trump GOP candidates.⁶Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Michael Scherer. “Meet the little-known ‘big fish’ megadonor setting the tone for GOP primary races,” The Washington Post, April 30, 2018. Archived May 4, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

Lucia Uihlein Higgins

According to CMD, Lucia Uihlein is a Florida resident “who may be Richard’s sister or niece (Lucia Uihlein, Lucia E. Uihlein, and Lucia L. Uihlein are all listed as donors from the same address; a Lucia Uihlein Higgins is listed on tax records as a director of the family’s Ed Uihlein Family Foundation), donated $2,500 to the reelection campaign of Arizona State Sen. Wendy Rogers (R).”⁷“Right-Wing Families Bankroll Most Extreme GOP Candidates Nationwide,” The Center for Media and Democracy, May 24, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/42gm1

Fredericka Anne Goldenberg

LittleSis lists Fredericka Goldenberg as the daughter of Elizabeth and Dick Uihlein and notes she has contributed to several republican groups, including Trump Victory.⁸“Fredericka Anne Goldenberg,” LittleSis. Accessed April 16, 2025.

Actions

July 23, 2024

The Center for Media and Democracy (CMD) listed the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation as the sixth donor on its list of top funders of anti-ESG policy.⁹Connor Gibson. “Groups Behind State Anti-ESG Legislation Received $85 Million From Corporate Billionaires and Dark Money Funds,” The Center for Media and Democracy, July 23, 2024. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mAdEw

September 13, 2022

CMD identified the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation as one of the two largest known financial backers of the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI), a group “[b]acked by Trump money and led by insurrectionists under investigation for trying to overturn the 2020 election.”¹⁰David Armiak. “MAGA Group Grooms Members of Congress and Their Staff for America First Movement,” The Center for Media and Democracy, September 13, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H08x0

CMD noted, “… the Conservative Partnership Institute (CPI) has held at least four training sessions for dozens of GOP members of Congress and their staffers so far this year, sometimes paying for their travel and accommodations.”¹¹David Armiak. “MAGA Group Grooms Members of Congress and Their Staff for America First Movement,” The Center for Media and Democracy, September 13, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H08x0

“The sessions have covered a broad range of topics, from ‘election integrity’ and building an ‘American First movement’ and state ‘Freedom Caucuses’ to training on ‘effective oversight’ and ‘Senate Procedure & Strategy’.”¹²David Armiak. “MAGA Group Grooms Members of Congress and Their Staff for America First Movement,” The Center for Media and Democracy, September 13, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H08x0

December 9, 2020

CMD reported that the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation was among the few known donees to the conservative publication The Federalist.¹³Alex Kotch. “Who Funds The Federalist? Finally, We Know.” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 9, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpHkJ

“[H]is [Richard Uihlein’s] foundation’s 2019 tax return is the first evidence of his financial support to be made public,” CMD reported,¹⁴Alex Kotch. “Who Funds The Federalist? Finally, We Know.” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 9, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpHkJ
noting that The New York Times had previously reported, based on interviews, that Richard Uihlein was a donor to The Federalist.¹⁵Jeremy W. Peters. “These Conservatives Have a Laser Focus: ‘Owning the Libs’,” The New York Times, August 3, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/lEoEs

CMD noted that the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation also gave to other right-wing media outlets, including: The Daily Caller News Foundation, the Media Research Center, and the Real Clear Foundation.¹⁶Alex Kotch. “Who Funds The Federalist? Finally, We Know.” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 9, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpHkJ

April 1, 2020

CMD identified the Ed Uihlein Family Foundation as “The biggest TPUSA donor in the Koch network,” having given $750,000 to TPUSA from 2014 to 2018.¹⁷Alex Kotch. “Koch Foundation Criticizes Turning Point USA Even as Koch Network Funds the Group,” The Center for Media and Democracy, April 1, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/euteZ

February 2018

The Ed Uihlein Family Foundation reportedly funded a number of groups involved in lawsuits surrounding Janus v. AFSCME Council 31, a case which would have “the most significant impact on workers’ freedom to organize and bargain collectively since our nation’s basic labor law was radically amended by the Taft-Hartley Act in 1947,” The American Prospect reported.¹⁸Celine McNicholas and Zane Mokhiber. “Who’s Behind the Janus Lawsuit?” The American Prospect, February 26, 2018. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fLDX7

Examples included the National Right to Work Legal Defense Foundation, the Illinois Policy Institute, and the Liberty Justice Center. The Illinois Policy Institute’s legal arm, the Liberty Justice Center, was the main representative of the plaintiffs in Janus.¹⁹Celine McNicholas and Zane Mokhiber. “Who’s Behind the Janus Lawsuit?” The American Prospect, February 26, 2018. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fLDX7

Related Organizations

• Uline — Richard Uihlein serves as CEO²⁰“Richard Uihlein,” Forbes. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dIurk and Elizabeth Uihlein as president.²¹“Elizabeth Uihlein,” Forbes. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hKi8C

Contact & Address

The Ed Uihlein Family Foundation listed the following address on its 2023 990 form:²²“Ed Uihlein Family Foundation: Full text of ‘Full Filing’ for fiscal year ending Dec. 2023,” ProPublica. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.

736 N WESTERN AVENUE 339
LAKE FOREST, IL 60045
(847) 473-3000

This address matches a “Lake Forest Pack and Ship” FedEx store.²³“Home,” Lake Forest Pack and Ship. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.is/8aZYs

Social Media

• The Ed Uihlein Family Foundation is not active on social media.

Other Resources

• “Ed Uihlein Family Foundation 2022 Grants,” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 4, 2023.
• “Ed Uihlein Family Foundation,” SourceWatch.
• “Uihlein family,” Wikipedia.
• “Richard and Elizabeth Uihlein,” Wikipedia.
• “Ed Uihlein Family Foundation,” Influence Watch.
• “That Cardboard Box in Your Home Is Fueling Election Denial,” ProPublica, October 26, 2022.

Resources

• 1
  “Richard Uihlein,” Forbes. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dIurk
• 2
  Justin Elliott, Megan O’Matz, and Doris Burke.”That Cardboard Box in Your Home Is Fueling Election Denial,” ProPublica, October 26, 2022. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/eH8HW
• 3
  Joe Fassler. “Mapped: How 6 Billionaire Family Fortunes Fund Project 2025,” DeSmog, October 25, 2024.
• 4
  Joe Fassler. “Mapped: How 6 Billionaire Family Fortunes Fund Project 2025,” DeSmog, October 25, 2024.
• 5
  Alex Kotch. “‘Identity-Scrubbing’ Charities Bankroll Heartland’s Climate Denial,” The Center for Media and Democracy, March 23, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/Mx2Bk
• 6
  Michelle Ye Hee Lee and Michael Scherer. “Meet the little-known ‘big fish’ megadonor setting the tone for GOP primary races,” The Washington Post, April 30, 2018. Archived May 4, 2018. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 7
  “Right-Wing Families Bankroll Most Extreme GOP Candidates Nationwide,” The Center for Media and Democracy, May 24, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/42gm1
• 8
  “Fredericka Anne Goldenberg,” LittleSis. Accessed April 16, 2025.
• 9
  Connor Gibson. “Groups Behind State Anti-ESG Legislation Received $85 Million From Corporate Billionaires and Dark Money Funds,” The Center for Media and Democracy, July 23, 2024. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/mAdEw
• 10
  David Armiak. “MAGA Group Grooms Members of Congress and Their Staff for America First Movement,” The Center for Media and Democracy, September 13, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H08x0
• 11
  David Armiak. “MAGA Group Grooms Members of Congress and Their Staff for America First Movement,” The Center for Media and Democracy, September 13, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H08x0
• 12
  David Armiak. “MAGA Group Grooms Members of Congress and Their Staff for America First Movement,” The Center for Media and Democracy, September 13, 2022. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/H08x0
• 13
  Alex Kotch. “Who Funds The Federalist? Finally, We Know.” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 9, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpHkJ
• 14
  Alex Kotch. “Who Funds The Federalist? Finally, We Know.” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 9, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpHkJ
  
• 15
  Jeremy W. Peters. “These Conservatives Have a Laser Focus: ‘Owning the Libs’,” The New York Times, August 3, 2020. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/lEoEs
• 16
  Alex Kotch. “Who Funds The Federalist? Finally, We Know.” The Center for Media and Democracy, December 9, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/DpHkJ
• 17
  Alex Kotch. “Koch Foundation Criticizes Turning Point USA Even as Koch Network Funds the Group,” The Center for Media and Democracy, April 1, 2020. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/euteZ
• 18
  Celine McNicholas and Zane Mokhiber. “Who’s Behind the Janus Lawsuit?” The American Prospect, February 26, 2018. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fLDX7
• 19
  Celine McNicholas and Zane Mokhiber. “Who’s Behind the Janus Lawsuit?” The American Prospect, February 26, 2018. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/fLDX7
• 20
  “Richard Uihlein,” Forbes. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/dIurk
• 21
  “Elizabeth Uihlein,” Forbes. Archived April 15, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.ph/hKi8C
• 22
  “Ed Uihlein Family Foundation: Full text of ‘Full Filing’ for fiscal year ending Dec. 2023,” ProPublica. Archived .pdf on file at DeSmog.
• 23
  “Home,” Lake Forest Pack and Ship. Archived April 16, 2025. Archive URL: https://archive.is/8aZYs