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 »
In Memoriam: Dr. Eldon Hill Posted on May 4, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
New Acorn Fund Will Grow to Support Pollinators and Clean Water Posted on February 15, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
ECCF Seeks New Executive Director as Sue Bornick Moves to a New Role Posted on February 10, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
The 2023 Community Grant Cycle Is Already Breaking Records! Posted on February 7, 2023 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
M&J Employee Impact Fund awards $62,000 in grants! Posted on December 21, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation DECI check presentation Image 1 of 7 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… Read More »
The Women’s Giving Circle Awards a Record-Setting Grant Amount in 2022! Posted on November 7, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation The members of the Women's Giving Circle are awarding a record-setting $49,600 in grants to seven local nonprofits! In honor of the WGC's 15th anniversary, grants of up to $7500 were awarded this year. 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: Chippewa Valley Free Clinic—“Advancing Women's Health Services” Chippewa Valley LGBTQ+ Community Center: "Youth Engagement Initiative" Family Resource Center: "Reaching More Families with Triple P" Feed My… Read More »
Important End-of-Year Dates for Donors Posted on October 28, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
ECCFWI