2022 Holiday Newsletter

25 years!

THANK YOU, EAU CLAIRE!

IN THIS ISSUE Winter 2022

Fund Spotlight Grantee Spotlight 25th Anniversary Impact Legacy Society Holding Steady...

Photo Credit: Matt Lindsey-Schrupp

25 YEARS OF IMPACT

FUND SPOTLIGHT

The Community Fund ECCF has been busy during our first 25 years: We’ve awarded over $23 million in grants, including more than $2 million in 2022 alone.

While many of those grants came from Donor Advised and other types of Funds, the heart of our granting process is our annual Community Grant Cycle, and the heart of that is our Community Fund.

Because it’s Unrestricted, this Fund helps ECCF make grants that address our area’s most pressing needs.

So far, it’s supported almost $320,000 in grants to local nonprofits!

A gift to the Community Fund is an excellent way to ensure that a diverse array of charities can continue to enrich life in the greater Eau Claire area.

In the year leading up to our 25th anniversary celebration...

$339,857 IN GRANTS DISTRIBUTED ABOVE AND BEYOND NORMAL ECCF GRANT CYCLES!

181 61 20 GRANTS AWARDED

NONPROFITS SUPPORTED

NEW LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBERS

THANK YOU FOR MAKING OUR WORK POSSIBLE!

Support our community with a donation to this Fund! Scan the QR code to give!

GRANTEE SPOTLIGHT

Beaver Creek Reserve As a 2022 recipient of the Royal Credit Union and ECCF Nonprofit Professional Development grant cycle, Beaver Creek Reserve (BCR) was one of the first organizations to receive a grant from this fund. With this grant, staff at BCR will be able to attend a live bird, Raptor Care and Management Workshop.

Through this training, BCR hopes to expand their raptor program, which currently consists of an American Kestrel and a Barred Owl. These raptors are occasionally used in BCR programs, but they hope to make them a more prominent component in their educational outreach. These Raptor Programs will provide an up-close experience to connect youth and adults alike to the animals around them, fulfilling Beaver Creek Reserve’s mission of “connecting people with nature.”

There will be a time in your life when you stop and reflect. What’s your passion? What legacy will you leave? How will you be remembered? Will you leave the world a better place?

If you want your charitable impact to extend far beyond your lifetime, our Legacy Society can help you support the causes you love for years to come; consider establishing a new fund or give to an existing fund.

Ways to Leave Your Legacy Bequests in your will, life insurance, retirement plans, appreciated securities, stock, IRA/QCD, real estate, mutual funds, and mineral rights.

Meeting Community Needs, Now and Forever Our world is changing in unpredictable ways, but one thing that doesn’t change is ECCF’s commitment to helping donors achieve their philanthropic goals and to meeting our community’s needs, now and forever. As one of our fund holders said, “I made it here, I want to leave it here.” ECCF can help you create a sustainable legacy.

HOLDING STEADY THROUGH UPS AND DOWNS We all know how volatile the stock market has been this past year. It’s during hard times like these that our nonprofits need the most support--and they can count on ECCF to provide it. How do we do this? Our prudent distribution policy is intended to safeguard the financial health of endowments to distribute grants to nonprofits both today and for generations to come.

Investment Strategies ECCF has two options for Long Term investment portfolios: Socially Responsible and Diversified. Donors select which option they prefer upon establishing their fund. Either way, fund holders can be confident that we strive to maximize investment income while minimizing financial risks prudently. Our Investment Committee, composed of members with strong business and/or investment backgrounds, monitors all investments on a regular basis.

Spending Policy Why did ECCF move to a 20-Quarter (five year) rolling average for our spending policy in 2016?

To prepare for a situation like today. While the market is fluctuating, this policy provides our Funds a more balanced and sustainable distribution from year to year; it evens out the peaks and valleys of the market. This stability ensures that nonprofits will continue to receive similar grant amounts each year.

Why Start a Fund Today?

ECCF’s investment strategies position your Fund to do very well in the long term regardless of current market conditions. In fact, starting a Fund when the market is low can lead to an even greater increase in its value when the market eventually picks up. No matter what happens, a Fund that you start at ECCF today will benefit the community for generations to come.

ONE FUND – 20 YEARS OF IMPACT

$72,100

Grants Distributed from Fund

$100,643 Initial Donation

$121,224

$92,681 Earnings/Fees

Current Fund Balance *Balance as of 6/30/2022

This endowment fund, established in 2003 with approximately $100,000, has impacted our community over 20 years of weathering the ups and downs of a long-term investment.

Ways to Give ECCF helps donors simplify their giving and amplify its impact. As your philanthropy partner, we work with wealth managers, financial advisors, attorneys and accountants to craft customized, flexible giving strategies for their clients — while maximizing tax benefits and reducing administrative burdens. Gifts to a fund can be made in the form of IRA/QCD, cash, check, or stock.

Donate and learn more at eccfwi.org.

“ECCF grants have contributed more than $200,000 to support Boys & Girls Club kids in the last two years alone! Every $1 invested in a B&GC returns $9.60 back to the community. That means ECCF donors have reinvested $2 million by supporting the Club.”

Ann Kaiser, B&GC of the Chippewa Valley

NON PROFITORG

U. S .  P O S TA G E P A I D PERMITNo.1557 EAUCLAIREWI 306 S. Barstow St., Suite 104, Eau Claire, WI 54701

DATES TO REMEMBER December 15

Visit with your financial advisor to make final plans with your gift of stock or mutual funds.

December 20

Submit your final grant recommendations for the year from your fund.

December 23

Last day to initiate a stock transaction.

December 29 Last day to initiate a wire transfer to ensure a tax deduction in 2022.

December 31

Donations must be received or post marked by this date, to ensure a tax deduction in 2022.

Happy Holidays!

Standing: Cindy Fahser, Erin Dayton, Hannah Schierenbeck Seated: Rebecca White Body, Sue Bornick, Brenna Lindsey-Schrupp

306 S. Barstow St. Suite 104, Eau Claire, WI 54701

715.552.3801

www.eccfwi.org

info@eccfwi.org