Grants

2023 Women’s Giving Circle grant recipients

The members of the Women's Giving Circle voted to fund $41,300 in grant awards at their Annual Meeting on Nov. 7, 2023. Each grant recipient helps to fulfill the WGC’s mission of supporting women and children in the Eau Claire area. The organizations and programs the WGC has voted to fund are: Altoona Boys and Girls Club: "Social-Emotional Program Enhancements" Chippewa Valley Museum: "Children's Gallery Renovation at the Wisconsin Logging Museum" Chippewa Valley Youth Choirs (UWEC Foundation, fiscal sponsor): "Music Library Freshen Up" Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association:…

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ECCF collaborates with Compeer Financial to support opportunities for outdoor education at Beaver Creek Reserve

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.…

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Grant Training

The Community Grant Cycle is now CLOSED. More information about funding opportunities is available on the Grant Opportunities page. Please contact the ECCF Program Coordinator at grants@eccfwi.org or by calling (715) 552-3801 if you have questions about our grant cycles.

Training was recorded January 5, 2024

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ECCF awards $100,000 in grants from the William A. Bingham Family Endowment Fund

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…

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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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Congratulations to the 2023 Community Grant recipients!

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…

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The 2023 Community Grant Cycle Is Already Breaking Records!

2023’s Community Grant cycle is already setting records, and the grant review process has barely begun! This year, an unprecedented 62 applications were submitted, with a request total of almost $500,000.  That’s well over $100,000 more than the previous highest request total! Another exciting feature of this year’s Community Grant Cycle is the introduction of a new Operations grant category. Operations grants of up to $10,000 will help nonprofits keep their doors open during times of unusually high expenses or unexpected revenue losses. ECCF’s Grants Committee, which consists entirely of…

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M&J Employee Impact Fund awards $62,000 in grants!

DECI check presentation

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Local businesses play a vital role in supporting philanthropy, and Market & Johnson  is prominent among them. M&J has always encouraged its employees to become personally involved in the communities where they live and work. To help further this goal, they created the M&J Employee Impact Fund, held at ECCF, in which employees pool their contributions to support organizations in the communities where they live and work. Market & Johnson then matches 50% of employee contributions. Each year, M&J employees recommend recipients for grants from the M&J…

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Exciting new grant opportunity for Eau Claire area nonprofits!

For 25 years, ECCF has supported local nonprofits through its annual Community Grant Cycle. Through this cycle and other types of grants, ECCF has distributed more than $23 million to nonprofits since it opened in 1997. ECCF is truly grateful to all the donors and businesses who made these grants possible. While Community Grants traditionally support programs and asset purchases, ECCF is adding an exciting and much-needed new opportunity in 2023: For the first time, nonprofits will be able to apply for grants of up to $10,000 to support their…

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ECCF Offers Unexpected Grants and Inspiring Speakers at its Combined Autumn Social | Annual Meeting

   In celebration of our 25th Anniversary, ECCF has awarded more than a quarter million dollars to local nonprofits over the past 12 months. Thanks to the incredible generosity of many donors and sponsors, we're thrilled to continue that trend with an unexpected $20,000 in grants to local nonprofits to close our year-long celebration. These “You Care, We Share” grants were awarded at our combined Autumn Social/Annual meeting on Sep. 19. Along with the grants, ECCF was honored to recognize the Roberta and Ken Vance Family…

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