Summer grant award announcement
August 30, 2021
 | By Jamie Schloegel, Chief Executive Officer |
Grants awarded!
Our third competitive grant round of the year closed July 15, and we are proud to announce the most recent LCF grantees.
A total of $195,209 was awarded, which includes $5,000 contributed from donor advised funds. $709,227 was requested.
Being flexible to help nonprofits where they need it most
The grant-making landscape at LCF has changed considerably in the last two years. We’ve moved from a very traditional grant-making organization to being a trail-blazer in the region. We are one of few funders in the tri-state region making unrestricted grants to nonprofits.
The shift is a result of a national push toward Trust Based Philanthropy that seeks to address the inherent power imbalances between foundations and nonprofits. The goal is a healthier and more equitable nonprofit sector. In practice, it means we are offering unrestricted, multi-year grants, are working to streamline the application and reporting processes, and are committed to building relationships with nonprofits based on transparency and mutual learning.
As such, we now have several grant programs for unrestricted grants. The Pandemic Relief & Recovery Grant program was created to provide unrestricted funding support to nonprofits who’ve lost a considerable amount of revenue during the pandemic. We also started a “regular” unrestricted grant program in January of 2020 that we anticipate offering well past pandemic recovery grants. And as part of that program, just this summer we started the Nonprofit Launch Grant to provide start-up nonprofits with unrestricted funding to help them get started.
And, of course, we still offer the more traditional grant types for nonprofits seeking project-based support. Our hope is that we can continue to be flexible with our grant offerings to ensure nonprofits are receiving the help they need in the way that’s most helpful to them. We couldn’t do any of this without the support of this generous community and the patience and dedication of our grant committee and board. Thank you!
Complete list of summer grants awarded:
| Grant Program | Organization | Amount Awarded | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|
| Pandemic Relief & Recovery | La Crosse County Historical Society | $5,000 from Community Giving Fund | Unrestricted |
| Pandemic Relief & Recovery | Adult & Teen Challenge of Western Wisconsin | $30,000 from Community Giving Fund | Unrestricted |
| Pandemic Relief & Recovery | Children's Museum of La Crosse | $10,000 from Community Giving Fund | Unrestricted |
| Pandemic Relief & Recovery | GROW La Crosse | $20,000 from Roland Beranek, Myrick Hixon EcoPark, and Community Giving funds | Unrestricted |
| Pandemic Relief & Recovery | La Crosse Boychoir, Inc. | $2,000 from Community Giving Fund | Unrestricted |
| Pandemic Relief & Recovery | Washburn Neighborhood Association | $900 from David Morrison Family and Community Giving funds | Unrestricted |
| Mini Grant (project-based request $7,500 or less) | Privilege Institute, Inc. | $5,000 from June Kjome Justice and Peace Fund | To sponsor the upcoming White Privilege Symposium |
| Mini Grant | IM Education, Inc. | $2,500 from Community Giving Fund | Rebuilding American Civics Community Class |
| Mini Grant | Unitarian Universalist Fellowship of La Crosse | $3,750 from Community Giving Fund | Creating a Healthier Multicultural Community Deep Dive "Anti-Racism" Workshop |
| Mini Grant | APTIV Foundation | $5,059 from Mary Grace Sieber Fund | Improvements to Onsite Programs for Individuals with Disabilities |
| Mini Grant | REACH-A-Child | $3,000 from Barb and Dave Erickson Fund | Helping the Onalaska First Responders Comfort Children with Activity Bags |
| Standard Grant (project-based grant for requests over $7,500) | Safe Families for Children | $40,000 from Jean Gitz Bassett, Norman L. Gillette, Sr. Family, David Morrison Family, Rudy & Jean Schnurrer, and Robert & Eleanor Franke Charitable funds | Strengthening Families: Community Partners Investing in Social Capital |
| Standard Grant | Nikinana Inc. | $3,000 from Community Giving Fund | Nikinana Resale and Consignment Store: On a Mission to Support Legal Fees for Immigrants |
| Standard Grant | La Crosse Area Family YMCA | $65,000 from NYSP and Community Giving funds | Community Family & Youth Director Supporting the System of Care |
| TOTAL AWARDED | $195, 209 |