Community Information

ECCF Receives $4.75 Million Legacy Gift – the Largest Gift in Foundation History!

Eau Claire Community Foundation Receives the Largest Legacy Gift to Date! The Eau Claire Community Foundation (ECCF) received a legacy gift from a lifelong community member, William “Bill” A. Bingham. ECCF is honored to announce that the William A. Bingham’s estate included a $4.75 million bequest to establish an unrestricted endowment fund. “This is the single largest gift received in the Foundation’s 26 years of existence,” said Sue Bornick, ECCF’s Executive Director. “This one gift will make an incredible impact in our community FOREVER!” Bingham’s gift, in memory of his…

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Important End-of-Year Dates for Donors

It’s never too early to start your year-end gift planning. Talk to your advisor and keep these dates in mind!    By December 1  Talk to your broker to plan and initiate any gifts of mutual fund shares or stock.     By December 15 Visit with your financial advisor to make final plans with your gift of stock or mutual funds. Don’t forget, ECCF can help you maximize your Qualified Charitable Distribution to meet the most important needs in our community!   By December 20 Submit your final grant recommendations…

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Women’s Giving Circle Holds Event in Support of Ukraine

Members of the Women’s Giving Circle, a Fund of ECCF, hosted an educational event on July 26 to help community members learn more about the experiences of Ukrainian refugees. Natalia Ripeckyj, a Chippewa Valley resident with deep Ukrainian roots, along with Luda Anastazievsky, a Ukraine native and a volunteer in the Ukrainian American Community Center in Minneapolis, spoke about their families and how they have been directly impacted by the current crisis, along with ongoing efforts to get citizens to safety.  Russia invaded Ukraine on February 24th, 2022. According to…

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ECCF awards over $40,000 in grants at its 25th Anniversary Event!

Members of ECCF's Society of Founders at the 25th Anniversary Event The Eau Claire Community Foundation celebrated its first quarter century at its 25th Anniversary Event on June 20. It was a huge success, with almost 300 attendees, including 25 members of the Society of Founders—whose gifts helped establish the Foundation—attending the event. This was ECCF’s opportunity to thank these donors for their establishing gift and to show that their dream of helping support our community forever has come true. ECCF has had a yearlong celebration,…

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Announcing the Royal CU and ECCF Nonprofit Professional Development Fund and Grant Program!

Royal Credit Union and ECCF are pleased to announce that they are partnering in the creation of the Royal CU and ECCF Nonprofit Professional Development Fund and Grant Program. The program was first announced at ECCF’s Autumn Social on September 27. This decision comes after careful consideration by both RCU and ECCF towards the current needs of nonprofits in the community. Many nonprofits are without the financial resources to seek or create professional development that would help them help others. With the new grant program, nonprofit staff and board members…

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Charter Bank Donates $50,000 to Carson Park Baseball Stadium Renovation Fund

The Eau Claire Community Foundation and the Carson Park Baseball Stadium Renovation Committee are pleased to announce that Charter Bank is donating $50,000 to the Carson Park Baseball Stadium Renovation Fund, a fund of the Eau Claire Community Foundation. The Carson Park Baseball Stadium Renovation Project is a partnership between the City of Eau Claire, the users of the stadium, and the many supporters of baseball in the Chippewa Valley. Fundraising efforts continue in order to match the $1.75 million dollars that the City of Eau Claire has already pledged…

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Eau Claire Library Launches Construction Phase of Expansion

DONATE TO THE STORY BUILDER CAMPAIGN The L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library and its Story Builder expansion campaign held a media event at the library’s Eau Claire Street facility on Wednesday morning, April 28 to officially launch the construction phase of its expansion project. At the event, library staff and campaign officials discussed important redesign features, funding updates, and news about the library’s temporary location. Library Deputy Director Shelly Collins-Fuerbringer has coordinated many aspects of the expansion project over the past year. She says, “We’ve been drawing and re-drawing expansion…

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ECCF Sponsors Scholarships for Nonprofit Fund Development Course

ECCF is pleased to partner with UWEC Continuing Education to not only offer valuable development training for nonprofits, but to make sure finances don't create obstacles for them. Finding adequate funding is an ongoing struggle for nonprofit organizations of all types and sizes. The online, interactive Nonprofit Fund Development course created by UW-Eau Claire Continuing Education focuses on the bigger picture of fund development while at the same time recognizing that securing funding and fundraising has been fundamentally changed by the pandemic. The course will focus on skills that nonprofits…

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WGC Educational Event Educates Community About Mental Health Needs and Resources

The Women's Giving Circle's Educational Event, “Navigating Mental Health Challenges During COVID-19,” featured panelists Laura Baalrud, Jackie Bachmeier, and Corina Fisher. They addressed youth and geriatric mental health challenges caused by the pandemic. They also shared coping strategies and the many resources that are available to people struggling with mental health issues. This online event took place on Monday, March 8, 2021. Click here to watch a recording of the event. Click here for community health resources. The Women’s Giving Circle is a fund of the Eau Claire Community Foundation.…

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ECCF Fund Holder Publishes a New Book

ECCF is proud to announce that Bonnie Wright, holder of the SS Safari All-Star Fund, has just published a new book. Diggin' Up Bones: One Woman's Spiritual Struggle and her Golden Retriever who Leads her out of Unconscious Transgenerational Shame is available at The Local Store in Eau Claire and on Amazon.com. Proceeds from sales of this book will support charitable causes and organizations such as Bob's House for Dogs. We congratulate Bonnie on her wonderful achievement! Click here to visit The Local Store.   Click here to read more…

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