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 »
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 »
ECCF is now accepting grant applications! Posted on November 1, 2022 by SatelliteSix ECCF is accepting grant applications for the Community Grant Cycle through Jan. 20, 2022. 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 the ECCF’s free grant training sessions. More information about them is available under the “Events” tab. Please contact the ECCF Program Specialist at grants@eccfwi.org or by calling (715) 552-3801 if you have questions about the ECCF grant cycle. 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 »
Exciting new grant opportunity for Eau Claire area nonprofits! Posted on October 24, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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… Read More »
ECCF Offers Unexpected Grants and Inspiring Speakers at its Combined Autumn Social | Annual Meeting Posted on September 20, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation Vance Family Accepting Leadership Award Board of Trustee Grant Recipients Autumn Social Presentation 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… Read More »
ECCF awards over $40,000 in grants at its 25th Anniversary Event! Posted on June 23, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation 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,… Read More »
Give Green Grant Recipients Announced! Posted on March 22, 2022 by Eau Claire Community Foundation This year's St. Patrick's Day was especially festive for ECCF: On that day, we announced the recipients of bonus grants through our Give Green Grant Catalog. This Grant Catalog, which allowed the public to donate directly to nonprofit funding requests, was part of the celebration of ECCF’s upcoming 25th anniversary. Give Green supports animals, the environment, and fitness opportunities; it’s one of ECCF’s four giving categories. A Grant Catalog for Create Culture, which supports art, literature, music, and museums, took place in July 2021 and raised almost $60,000 for 17… Read More »
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