Picture above: Participants of Multicultural Coalition’s Inclusion in the Outdoors program.

From cultural events and a public reading garden to helping nonprofits build capacity through the addition of staff or updated technology, the Community Vision Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region awarded 47 grants totaling $558,700 from January to June 2024. Grantmaking is still ongoing; see a list of grant recipients so far this year here. 

About the Fund 

The Community Vision Fund seeks to fulfill community needs and advance well-being for people living in the counties of Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago. It combines dollars from donors who created endowment funds or made individual donations to improve the quality of life of the Fox Valley region. 
Through an application and review process, grants are distributed to Fox Valley area nonprofit organizations within five focus areas: arts and culture, community and neighborhood development, environment, financial stability and wellbeing, and nonprofit effectiveness.  

 Highlights of grants awarded so far this year:  

Photo from a previous Neenah-Menasha Intertribal Powwow

 Arts and Culture – 19 grants totaling $114,200 
Grant Example:   First Nations Outreach Inc. – Neenah-Menasha Intertribal Powwow 2024 – Support for a community powwow on September 14, 2024, which aims to educate and bring awareness of the Indigenous Tribes of Wisconsin to the Fox Valley Community. $2,500 grant

Community and Neighborhood Development – 7 grants totaling $110,000  
Grant Example:  Zion Lutheran Church – Zion Affordable Housing Project – Support for the planning stage of the Affordable Housing Project including research, feasibility studies, project management, ongoing roundtable discussions, etc. $15,000 grant (which is part of a $25,000 total grant award) Read more about the project here.  

Environment – 4 grants totaling $76,000
Grant Example:   Multicultural Coalition, Inc. – Inclusion in the Outdoors 2024 – Support for the Inclusion in the Outdoors program including: program director salary, grants to partners for diversity, equity and inclusion training and other projects that advance outdoor inclusion. $30,000 grant. Learn more about Inclusion in the Outdoors in our YouTube video.

Financial Stability and Wellbeing – 8 grants totaling $109,500 
Grant Example:   First 5 Fox Valley – General Operating Support – To advance the work of this critical early childhood backbone organization. $15,000 grant 

Nonprofit Effectiveness – 9 grants totaling $149,000 
Grant Example:   Neighbor to Neighbor- Manawa – Neighbor to Neighbor Distribution Garage – Support construction of a food distribution garage which will consolidate and house freezers, supplies, and pantry items, keep volunteers safe, and improve overall program effectiveness. $15,000 grant. Listen to our podcast about Neighbor to Neighbor and learn more here.  

Visit cffoxvalley.org/community-vision-fund to learn more.  

 High Need 

With the Community Vision Fund and across many Community Foundation grant programs, we are experiencing record-breaking numbers of grant requests. The reasons for this surge are complex and multi-faceted but some of the contributing factors include:  

•  End of COVID-era Funding: The sunsetting of state and federal funds that were supporting local nonprofits has created a funding gap. 
•  Changes in Government Support: More individuals are turning to community resources for essential help. 
•  Rising Costs: Inflation and increasing expenses are straining both individuals and organizations. 
•  Declining Contributions: Nationally, we are seeing a drop in individual giving and volunteerism, making it harder for nonprofits to meet the growing demand. 

In this challenging climate, your generosity can make a difference. By making a tax-deductible donation to the Community Vision Fund, you can help amplify our grantmaking efforts and support the nonprofits working tirelessly to enhance the quality of life in the Fox Valley region. Donations can be made with cash equivalents, securities, IRA assets, real estate, or other assets.   

We also encourage you to continue giving to your favorite nonprofits directly, and if you can, consider increasing your gift.