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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ECCF is now accepting grant applications!

ECCF is accepting grant applications for the Community Grant Cycle through Jan. 19, 2024. Any tax-exempt nonprofit serving the Eau Claire area is eligible to apply. More information about these funding opportunities is available on the Grant Opportunities page. Nonprofits are invited to attend ECCF’s free grant training sessions; these will be conducted via Zoom from 12:00 pm to 1:00 pm on Nov. 8; from 2:00 pm to 3:00 pm on Dec. 5, and from 11:00 am to 12:00 pm on Jan. 5, 2024. Each session covers the same information, and…

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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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ECCF Welcomes Wesley Escondo as New President & CEO

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,…

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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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In Memoriam: Dr. Eldon Hill

Dr. Eldon Hill and Morris the cat ECCF joins the Hill family in mourning the loss of Dr. Eldon Hill, who passed away on April 26, 2023, at the age of 102. During his long life, he improved countless lives both through his compassion as a doctor of obstetrics and gynecology and his generosity as a donor.  Among his many other achievements, Dr. Hill established two Funds at ECCF to increase educational opportunities in Loyal, WI, where he was born and raised. The Draper Hills Scholarship…

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New Acorn Fund Will Grow to Support Pollinators and Clean Water

Brenna Lindsey-Schrupp and her father, Tom Lindsey A new Acorn Fund at ECCF will grow to support environmental organizations and their related programs, especially those that protect clean water and support pollinators. Fund creator Brenna Lindsey-Schrupp explained that she and her husband Matt established the Tom Lindsey Conservation Fund in honor of her dad because he’s “the best conservationist I know…We wanted to do something special for him to say ‘thank you’ for all that he has done.” Among many other things, Tom has helped Brenna…

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ECCF Seeks New Executive Director as Sue Bornick Moves to a New Role

Outgoing ECCF Executive Director Sue Bornick For over a decade, Sue Bornick has been the Face of the Foundation: As ECCF’s Executive Director since 2009, Sue has appeared at dozens of events, participated in countless meetings, and made numerous television appearances. ECCF has prospered under Sue’s leadership; during her tenure, its assets have more than quadrupled, dozens of new Funds have been opened, and hundreds of grants have been awarded. But 2023 will bring a new face to the Foundation. Sue is transitioning to a new…

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