Eau Claire Community Foundation Summer 2017 Newsletter

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MESSAGE FROM MARK FAANES, Past Chair of the Board of Trustees 2017 is a significant year for the Eau Claire Community Foundation: We’re celebrating our 20th anniversary. Over those 20 years, ECCF’s number of funds and endowment have grown tremendously. As a result, we’ve been able to improve the quality of life in our area by increasing grants to nonprofits.

Since its creation, ECCF has awarded over $7.2 million in grants, including $2.8 million in support of the Confluence Project. In its most recent grant cycle, ECCF received 65 grant applications and was able to fully or partially fund 51 of those, with a total distribution of $118,441. Those grant checks were presented at ECCF’s Annual Meeting on June 7. Adding the distributions from ECCF’s Designated and Donor-Advised Funds to these competitivecycle grants, ECCF has distributed over $2.1 million in grants in the last six months.

Eight new funds have been opened in 2017, adding to the over $20 million held by ECCF. Thank you to all the families and organizations who have created funds this year and since ECCF’s inception. The endowed funds will sustain and grow ECCF’s granting capabilities for years to come.

I extend a special welcome to our new Trustees whose three-year terms began July 1: Sherry Mohr and Dale Wood. Their knowledge and enthusiasm will be of great value to the Board. I also wish to thank ECCF’s outgoing Trustees, Charlie Grossklaus and Jeff Halloin, for their countless hours of service to the Foundation.

I’m also honored to introduce the new Executive Committee, who, with the Trustees, will be leading ECCF for the next two years: Laura Talley – Chair, Karl Murch – Vice Chair, Laurie Klinkhammer – Secretary, and Lois Krause – Treasurer.

I encourage each of you to make a difference today by leaving a bequest or planned gift for tomorrow. A gift to ECCF is the ideal way to provide future support for our community.

BOARD OF TRUSTEES 2017 - 2018

Laura Talley, Chair Karl Murch, Vice Chair Laurie Klinkhammer, Secretary Lois Krause, Treasurer Mark Faanes, Past Chair Suzanne Ashley Kim Bodeau Linda Danielson Philip Happe Chris Hasenberg Tom Larson Leland Mayer. M.D. Sherry Mohr Tim Pabich Wayne Peters Dale Wood

NEW FUNDS

2017 (January - June) Babbette’s Seeds of Hope

It’s been a great pleasure and a tremendous honor to have served as Chair for the last two years. Because of such strong community support, the Foundation will continue to do its work – For Good. For Ever.

Beaver Creek Reserve Jim Schweibert Butterfly House Fund Beckermann Family Fund Carson Park Baseball Stadium Renovation Fund

Mark Faanes, Past Chair

Children’s Museum of Eau Claire Play Forever Fund Draper Hills Financial Literacy Endowment

NEW FACES AT THE FOUNDATION!

Eau Claire Public Arts Initiative Fund Endowment for the American Birkebeiner

Joe Grosskreutz is the new Graphic Design Intern, taking the place of Roslyn (Roz) Cashman for the upcoming year. Originally from La Crosse, Wisconsin, Joe is a junior Graphic Communications major at UW-Eau Claire. Joe enjoys traveling, spending time outdoors, and creating art in his free time. He looks forward to his new role and learning more about the Foundation.

Louis and Janet Frase Fund Lac Courte Oreilles Legacy Fund

OUR MISSION

Thao Tran is the new Development and Administrative Intern. She is a senior at UW-Eau Claire with three majors in Finance, Economics, and Mathematics.

Besides being a data enthusiast and a number fanatic, she loves cooking and going to the farmer’s markets. She is excited to learn more about the Foundation and contribute to its growth and development.

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

715.552.3801

We strengthen our community by offering donors opportunities to establish charitable legacies, by making grants, and by serving as a catalyst to address community needs.

www.eccommunityfoundation.org

Create Culture

Form Futures

L.E. PHILLIPS MEMORIAL PUBLIC LIBRARY

CIVIL AIR PATROL

The L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library promotes lifelong learning, creates collaborative spaces, and supports open access to diverse materials and resources to enhance the community’s quality of life. To support this mission, it recently unveiled the Dabble Box, a “do-it-yourself” multipurpose programming room.

The Civil Air Patrol (CAP) supports America’s communities with emergency response through diverse aviation and ground services while also providing a youth character development program.

This community initiative is aimed at reducing the digital divide and making art more accessible to the general public. Open labs and instruction support innovation and creativity. Programs are focused on improving skills in the areas of science, technology, engineering, art, crafts, and math.

CAP is a congressionally chartered nonprofit and is a strategic partner of the Air Force. It has three primary missions — Emergency Services, Cadet Programs, and Aerospace Education. More than a million cadets have benefited from the Cadet Program during its 75 year history.

Funding from ECCF will purchase supplies and equipment, allowing the Dabble Box to expand project-specific programming.

The Eau Claire Composite Squadron WI-161 of CAP received two ECCF grants in 2017. These grants will help update Cadet uniforms and supplies as well as provide scholarships for additional training for Cadets in financial need.

More information can be found at: www.ecpubliclibrary.info.

More information can be found at: www.facebook.com/eauclairecap.

Give Green

Offer Opportunities

EAU CLAIRE SKATEBOARDERS ASSOCIATION

EAU CLAIRE AREA HMONG MUTUAL ASSISTANCE ASSOCIATION

The Eau Claire Skateboarders Association is a community based youth advocacy group. They see skateboarding as a positive, healthy activity that builds self-esteem while breaking down social, economic, and age barriers.

Many elders in Eau Claire’s Hmong American community face great challenges in obtaining basic services.

They often feel isolated and suffer from mental health conditions that affect their physical health.

Their mission is to work with the City of Eau Claire to build free, legal, and public skateboard parks. Their first skate park, at Lakeshore Park, has been a huge success.

In response, the Eau Claire Area Hmong Mutual Assistance Association (ECAHMAA) created The Kajsiab (translated as “Peaceful-Heart”) Project. Its goal is to enhance Hmong elders’ quality of life through programming that reduces social isolation, increases physical and mental health, addresses trauma, and promotes healing.

A grant from ECCF will support a new 5,000 square foot skate park to be built in Boyd Park by the spring of 2018.

This new skate park will serve as a great resource for all youth in Eau Claire.

More information can be found at: www.facebook.com/eauclaireskateboarders.

With support from a recent ECCF grant, ECAHMAA is able to better serve Eau Claire’s growing Hmong community and meet the complex needs of Hmong elders.

More information can be found at: www.ecahmaa.org.

EAU CLAIRE PUBLIC SCHOOLS FOUNDATION The Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation is a supporting organization of the Eau Claire Community Foundation. I’m pleased to report that we’re having another great year. Here are some of the highlights: J MURPHY STEM SCHOLARSHIP: The first recipient of the J Murphy STEM Scholarship has been announced! Mikaela Walters, Memorial High School class of 2017, was awarded the $10,000/year scholarship. She will be attending University of Wisconsin – Madison in the fall, majoring in biology, and pursuing a career in prosthetics, inspired by a love of adaptive athletics. “Words cannot begin to describe how grateful I am to receive this scholarship,” Mikaela shared.

GRANTS: The Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation funds a variety of projects, initiatives and field trips through our grant cycle each year. As we reflect on the 2016-17 school year, we are proud to have sponsored many exciting opportunities for our students including: a new Makers Space, an after-school mountain biking club, a cooking with crockpots program for Fight Against Hunger, a school garden project, several field trip opportunities, and much more! Stay tuned for the selection of this fall’s grants!

GOLDEN APPLE: We celebrated our second annual Golden Apple awards in the 2016-17 school year. This event partnered 20 generous local businesses and organizations with each of the 20 schools in the district to provide grant funding to an award recipient at each school. Plans are already underway for the 2017-18 Golden Apple Awards on April 5, 2018. Please contact Sarah French at sfrench1@ecasd.us for more information.

To learn more about the Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation, please visit: www.ecpsfound.org.

Sarah C. French Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation, Executive Director

WOMEN’S GIVING CIRCLE

The Women’s Giving Circle, a fund of the Eau Claire Community Foundation, is celebrating its 10th year! This collaborative philanthropy has benefited more than 40 local nonprofits that address the needs of women and children. In 2016, the fund awarded $36,000 in grants. That brings the total since inception to over $186,000! The group currently has over 250 members, each contributing at least $250 annually.

Benefits of becoming part of the Women’s Giving Circle:

• Learn more about the needs of women and children in the Eau Claire community.

• Create a network and socialize with individuals who have shared values and concerns.

• Be part of a dynamic and inclusive group of women who combine their resources to achieve far greater philanthropic impact!

Each year, the Education and Program Committee holds a Fall Educational Event. This year, the topic is “Alzheimer’s Disease: A Growing Concern for Communities.” Lisa Wells, Dementia Care Specialist at the Aging & Disability Resource Center of Eau Claire, will be presenting at the event. There will also be a special performance by the “Stand by the Light” Dementia Choir. This choir gives individuals diagnosed with dementia and their caregivers a chance to sing. All are welcome to this event on Monday, September 25, 2017, from 5:00 – 7:00 pm at the Grace Lutheran Community Capernaum Room (206 N. Willson Drive, Altoona, WI).

To learn more about the Women’s Giving Circle, please visit their page under the “Lasting Impact” tab of the ECCF website: www.eccommunityfoundation.org.

OF GIVING OUR HISTORY Eau Claire community members had long recognized the need for a local foundation to provide a vehicle for financial planning for charitable donors and recipients. Their vision was an organization that would work through other community nonprofit organizations without competing with them for funds. But no action was taken for many years. Then two key events served as a catalyst for the formation of the Foundation: Over a 35 year period, the Hobbs Foundation had given more than $5 million to local charities, youth groups and municipal projects. In 1995, it stopped making grants. An Eau Claire couple offered to make a significant gift if a community foundation were in place. The couple wanted to see their gift’s impact increased by being made through a community foundation.

Prompted by these two events, in January 1997 the Board of Trustees established a goal of finding 25 individuals by December 31, 1998, to become members of the Society of Founders. Each member was asked to make an unrestricted commitment of $10,000 (or more). They greatly exceeded their goal: 64 members made total pledges of over one million dollars. As a result, the Eau Claire Community Foundation opened its doors in 1997.

OF GIVING

$

BY THE NUMBERS:

$7.2 259

MILLION

GRANTS

AWARDED SINCE INCEPTION

FUNDS OPENED SINCE INCEPTION

354 IMPACTED MEMBERS 140 ORGANIZATIONS

LEGACY SOCIETY

$20,802,300

TOTAL

ASSETS

NON PROFITORG

U. S .  P O S TA G E P A I D PERMITNo.1557 EAUCLAIREWI

Years

306 S. Barstow Suite 104 Eau Claire, WI 54701

UPCOMING EVENTS AUTUMN SOCIAL

Monday, September 18, 2017, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Holiday Inn

WOMEN’S GIVING CIRCLE FALL EDUCATION EVENT

Monday, September 25, 2017, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Grace Lutheran Community, Capernaum Room

PROFESSIONAL ADVISORS ANNUAL EVENT

Thursday, October 19, 2017, 3:30 p.m. - 5:30 p.m.

Eau Claire Golf and Country Club

WOMEN’S GIVING CIRCLE ANNUAL MEETING FOR MEMBERS

Monday, November 6, 2017, 5:00 p.m. - 7:00 p.m.

Eau Claire Golf and Country Club

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION WEEK November 13 - 17, 2017

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

SNAPSHOT: JAN 1 - JUN 30, 2017 GIFTS RECEIVED: $1,769,400 TOTAL NUMBER OF DONATIONS: 811 GIFT RANGE: $5 - $1.2 Million TOTAL ASSETS: $20,802,300 TOTAL AWARDED GRANTS: $2,176,804 144 Grants

NEW LEGACY SOCIETY MEMBERS: 4 NEW FUNDS: 10

THANK YOU

FOR YOUR GENEROUS SUPPORT! 715.552.3801

www.eccommunityfoundation.org