When the University of Wisconsin – Fox Valley Foundation board learned it was losing both of its paid employees, members used the misfortune as an opportunity to do business in a more efficient way.

The board voted to move all its charitable funds to be managed by the Community Foundation. That included 29 scholarships and six other funds ­– most dedicated to supporting the Weis Earth Science Museum – with assets totaling $2.4 million.

Beth Davis, who chairs the UWFV Foundation’s Board of Directors, knows the Community Foundation well both through a family endowment here and her work with the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region. She said it became apparent that a more manageable and cost-effective way to administer these funds was needed.

“It has been so long since anybody had looked at this,” she said. “It was a wonderful experience.”

This spring, the Community Foundation received applications from 122 UWFV students. That resulted in 36 students receiving a total of $44,000 in scholarships to attend the local campus.

Davis said she heard from students that the application process was more streamlined and donors who felt confident that their contributions would continue to be invested safely and soundly through the Community Foundation.

“I felt like we were doing something for the good of the students and something that will last forever,” Davis said.

She offered thanks to everyone involved in the transfer – including the UWFV Foundation board members, emeritus members, students, faculty and our administrative assistant Letitia Talbot – I want to thank for all of the hard work. And I want to thank the Community Foundation,” Davis said.

She said President and CEO Curt Detjen, VP Donor Services and Gift Planning Ann Engelhard and Donor Services and Scholarship Manager Jill Muthig made the transition go smoothly.

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