ECCF’s Community Grant Cycle is now accepting applications! Posted on December 1, 2024 by Eau Claire Community Foundation ECCF’s Community Grant Cycle will accept applications from Nov. 1, 2024, to Jan. 15, 2025. Any tax-exempt nonprofit that serves Eau Claire County is eligible to apply. While Community Grants traditionally support programs and asset purchases, nonprofits can also choose to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support their operations during times of increased need, such as unexpected revenue losses or unusually high expenses. During the Community Grant Cycle, nonprofits can assess their greatest needs and apply for either a Program, an Asset, or an Operations grant. Nonprofit… Read More »
ECCF receives a Community Partner Award from Beaver Creek Reserve Posted on October 17, 2024 by Eau Claire Community Foundation ECCF received the Community Partner Award at Beaver Creek Reserve's 2024 Annual Meeting. ECCF is honored to have received a Community Partner Award from Beaver Creek Reserve (BCR). This award had been recommended by BCR's team to acknowledge ECCF's support of the Reserve's work over the years, including the facilitation of a grant from Compeer Financial that significantly expanded BCR's outreach to rural schools. Grants from ECCF have also supported staff professional development opportunities, upgrades to recreational equipment, general operating expenses, and (most adorably) a large… Read More »
ECCF and Royal Credit Union offer scholarships for nonprofits attending UWEC Continuing Education’s online Nonprofit Fund Development course Posted on September 3, 2024 by Eau Claire Community Foundation Is your nonprofit struggling to secure the funds needed to make a real impact? What if you had the tools and knowledge to transform your fundraising efforts? Join UWEC Continuing Education for their Nonprofit Fund Development online course on Oct. 16, 2024, from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm. You will learn: The spirit and ethics of giving How and why to diversify in order to reach fundraising goals Why a fund development plan is crucial Their expert instructor will share practical tips, real-world examples, and interactive exercises to help you… Read More »
2023 Additions to ECCF’s Family of Funds Posted on January 2, 2024 by Eau Claire Community Foundation ECCF welcomed a variety of exciting new Funds in 2023! Read on to learn about these additions to our Family of Funds. AGENCY ENDOWMENT FUNDS These Funds allow charitable organizations to establish Endowment Funds within ECCF rather than create and manage such a Fund themselves. They generate a predictable stream of income so that the nonprofit can use the earnings from the Fund to offset its operations forever. Chippewa River Watershed Fund This Fund will help Landmark Conservancy preserve wild and scenic places in the Chippewa River Watershed. CVM-Wisconsin Logging… Read More »
ECCF collaborates with Compeer Financial to support opportunities for outdoor education at Beaver Creek Reserve Posted on November 7, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation ECCF is proud to announce its partnership with Compeer Financial in the Rural Collaboration Project, an initiative aimed at bolstering rural vitality across the Midwest, with a focus on environmental learning opportunities for students in rural communities of the Chippewa Valley. In a significant step toward enhancing rural communities, ECCF has been selected as one of seven community foundations across the upper Midwest to participate in this pioneering initiative, receiving a grant of over $21,000 from the Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America donor-advised fund, the Agriculture and Rural Initiative.… Read More »
Nonprofit Grant Trainings Posted on November 1, 2023 by support 2024-25 ECCF Nonprofit Grant Training Dates: Tuesday, Dec. 10, 2024, 2:00 to 3:00 pm REGISTER Monday, Jan. 6, 2025, 11:00 am to 12:00 pm REGISTER If you have questions, please email [email protected] or call 715-552-3801. Watch the Nonprofit Grant Training Recording from Nov. 6, 2024. Please contact the ECCF Program Coordinator at [email protected] or by calling (715) 552-3801 if you have questions about our grant cycles. Read More »
ECCF awards $100,000 in grants from the William A. Bingham Family Endowment Fund Posted on October 11, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation ECCF is delighted to announce the allocation of $100,000 in grants from the newly established William A. Bingham Family Endowment Fund, an unrestricted Fund that aims to benefit the Eau Claire community. Grants have been awarded to The Wellness Shack, the Eau Claire County Sheriff’s Office, and the Eau Claire Police Department. Each grant has the potential for immediate and lifesaving impact. The Wellness Shack has been granted $20,000 to bolster its staffing and capacity-building efforts, enhancing its ability to provide crucial mental health resources and peer support to those… Read More »
ECCF Receives $4.75 Million Legacy Gift – the Largest Gift in Foundation History! Posted on August 4, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
ECCF Welcomes Wesley Escondo as New President & CEO Posted on July 5, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation New President and CEO Wesley Escondo ECCF is pleased to announce the appointment of Wesley Escondo as its new President and CEO effective August 7, 2023. Escondo brings a wealth of experience and a strong commitment to community development, making him an ideal choice to lead ECCF into its next phase of philanthropic impact. Escondo succeeds Sue Bornick, Executive Director. ECCF has prospered under Bornick’s leadership. Since she became Executive Director in 2009, ECCF’s assets have more than quadrupled, dozens of new funds have been opened,… Read More »
Congratulations to the 2023 Community Grant recipients! Posted on May 16, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation ECCF is pleased to announce that our Community Grant Cycle awarded $213,259 in grants to 50 nonprofits that serve Eau Claire County. This total includes an unprecedented eight grants of $10,000 or more! Grantees represent all four of ECCF’s giving categories: Create Culture (visual and performing arts, museums, literature); Form Futures (education, training); Give Green (animals, fitness, the environment); and Offer Opportunities (basic needs such as food, shelter, and medical care). 2023 Community Grant Awards Each year, ECCF’s Grants Committee, which is currently composed of 20 local volunteers, evaluates applications… Read More »
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