Category: General

This academic year may look a little different with some students attending in person full, part-time or from home, but school supplies are still essential for successful learning. The annual Backpacks for Kids Campaign, sponsored by your Community Foundation and the Post Crescent, are helping children in the Fox Valley get set for a successful […]

By Tammy Geenen, Vice President of Community Engagement As a 2020 U.S. Census partner, the Community Foundation is helping to support local nonprofit organizations in the Fox Valley region that work with people who have been historically underrepresented in the count. This includes young children, immigrants, people of color, complex households and renters. We recently […]

Curt Detjen, president and CEO of the Community Foundation, and  Jon Stellmacher, chairman of the Community Foundation Board. By Curt Detjen, President and CEO The fiscal year that concluded in June 2020 was one of the most disruptive in memory for the Community Foundation. It was also a year for which we are most proud […]

Last year’s U.S. Venture Open. Fundraising will go on to support increased need due to COVID-19. This year’s U.S. Venture Open charity event will take a different form in response to the coronavirus pandemic. This year marks the 35th year of the event and while there will be major changes from previous years, the aim […]

2022 was a challenging year for financial markets, ending with stocks returning -18% and bonds returning -13%. Although diversifying into other asset categories, including commodities and infrastructure, helped dampen the impact of the negative returns, market investors found few places to generate positive returns. While FEG believes there may still be more volatility and negative […]

Our recently released 2023 Report to the Community features $32 million in grants and scholarships awarded to nonprofit organizations and students, taking the total grants awarded in our 37-year history to $485 million. In 2023, 1,548 nonprofits locally and beyond received grants in areas of human services, community improvement, education, health care, environment, arts and culture, […]

For 2023, the Community Foundation has more than $1 million in scholarships for students pursuing higher education! The Community Foundation’s new Scholarship Portal is open for students to create accounts, sign in, and apply for scholarships. This new platform is easier to navigate, which means applications are easier to fill out. However, creating successful scholarship […]

Looking back on 2024, the Nonprofit Leadership Initiative (NPLI) celebrates a year of growth and transformation. We welcomed new leadership, with Hope Schaefer stepping in as Executive Director and Andrea Peterson joining as Program and Communications Manager, while also recognizing Amanda Barth’s well-earned promotion to Administrative and Program Specialist. Together, the team made a meaningful […]

Our 2024 Report to the Community features the many ways that by working together with our partners we strengthen our community for current and future generations by helping people make a difference in the lives of all. A few key areas of focus in 2024 included affordable child care, housing, food insecurity, mental health, trail […]

At the end of September 2025, seven regional funders* collaborated to launch a comprehensive survey of nonprofit organizations across Northeast Wisconsin. 210 nonprofit leaders cumulatively serving the entire Northeast region responded, offering a candid and compelling snapshot of a sector under pressure, but also one demonstrating remarkable innovation and resolve. Nonprofits are mission-driven organizations that […]

The 2025 scholarship season kicked off December 1 and we are excited to announce that more than $2 million in scholarships is available for students to help them on their educational journeys.  As the manager of the largest scholarship program in the Fox Valley, this is a record-breaking dollar amount for the Community Foundation.   “Many […]

See full graphic The total scholarships awarded by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region surpassed $1 million this year for the first time in the nonprofit organization’s 30-year history, helping 298 students pursue further education. The assistance came from 142 scholarship funds established by individuals, businesses and other organizations with the Community Foundation. Most […]