Category: General

The diversity, equity, and inclusion journey begins with each one of us listening and learning from one another to strengthen and enrich our communities together. By Jon Stellmacher, Community Foundation Board Chair Our nation has certainly experienced historical events unlike our nation has seen in over 50 years: a once-in-a-century pandemic and social justice issues […]

It’s National Volunteer Week (April 19-25), a recognition that debuted in the United States in 1974 by presidential proclamation and has continued to grow every year since. While the week itself may look a little different this year because of the pandemic, it’s still just as important to recognize volunteers for the outstanding and vital […]

“Organizing is what you do before you do something, so that when you do it, it is not all mixed up.” A.A. Milne You have heard the advice — plan ahead! Finally, after many years of working with other nonprofits, worrying about emergency situations we would regularly see and responding to requests for funding something […]

Even presidents and NFL coaches have to take time to evaluate how their team is performing, and we recently did exactly that at the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region. Our job is to manage, invest and grant out to nonprofits the charitable gifts people and organizations entrust to us, helping them make a […]

Yesterday, Derek Chauvin, a former Minnesota police officer, was found guilty of all three counts against him in the murder of George Floyd, a Black man. Floyd’s death last May, the protests and rallies that followed, and the ensuing trial inspired discussion about anti-Black racism and criminal justice reform in our country. Through our Diversity, […]

Walter S. Rugland, a caring, influential community leader loved by many, including those of us at the Community Foundation, passed away March 8. He was 86 years old. For nearly 25 years, Walt was a long-time advocate and friend of the Community Foundation. He was appointed to the Board of Directors in 1999 and was […]

By Curt Detjen President and CEO When we measure the quality of life in any region, one key factor is the degree to which people give. Our region being home to the 61st largest community foundation in the U.S., and second in Wisconsin only to Milwaukee, suggests a strong quality of life today and for future […]

Hello! My name is Amanda Barth, and I have officially joined Nonprofit Leadership Initiative (NPLI) as their administrative associate. I earned my Administrative Associate degree from Fox Valley Technical College. Before graduating, I was fortunate enough to intern for NPLI, where I stayed for about 1.5 years, and now I am back! NPLI has offered […]

Hello! My name is Barb Jensen. I joined the Community Foundation in December 2021 as the organization’s Executive Assistant. I’ve been fortunate to have served in this same role for a number of organizations in the Fox Valley with experience in the healthcare, manufacturing, financial services, and nonprofit business sectors. I’ve worked for and with […]

Hello! My name is Cindy Hoffman, and I am very excited to be a part of the Community Foundation team as the Donor Services & Finance Coordinator. In my new role, I will support grantmaking cycles from various funds, support critical finance functions, and work with each department to streamline processes. My career has given […]

Hello! My name is David Weiss (he/him/his), I am blessed to be the next executive director of the Nonprofit Leadership Initiative (NPLI). I hope to build on the foundation provided by Kim O’Brien and all the founders and stakeholders who created such an amazing resource for nonprofits in our area. As a graduate of the […]

你好，很高興認識你! means “nice to meet you” in Mandarin Chinese! I’m Kyle (he/him), a prodigal Neenah farm boy who has taken a winding path back home. After finishing my Bachelor’s of Fine Art in graphic design from the University of Minnesota-Twin Cities in 2016, I went to Taiwan to serve as a Fulbright English Teaching Assistant. […]