About
Us

What We Do

La Crosse Area Community Foundation (LACF) is a charitable organization created through gifts from individuals who care about enhancing the greater La Crosse area. The donors’ gifts are the building blocks of permanent endowment funds which LACF invests. We use the annual earnings from these funds to provide grants to qualified local nonprofits who are meeting identified community needs.

By starting an endowment fund or giving to an existing fund, donors become catalysts for good today and for generations to come. Any individual, family, business or qualified charity can start a fund, which LACF manages in perpetuity. Gifts made to funds continue to grow and provide resources for the community forever. This is why we say we are “For Good. Forever.”

Once a fund is established, donors can advise grants or rely on LACF staff to determine the best use of resources. Nonprofits can also apply for grant funding through a competitive grantmaking process. The Foundation’s board reviews and awards grants quarterly with assistance from staff.

The community foundation model adapts as the community’s needs change. La Crosse Area Community Foundation staff bring deep knowledge of the region, careful evaluation of nonprofit organizations, and expertise in charitable giving. LACF is a leading resource for philanthropy in the area.

Why La Crosse Area Community Foundation?

We are a resource for giving.

We’re a trusted resource for donors and professional advisors, providing philanthropic expertise and services to inform decisions about meaningful, impactful giving.  Our spending-rate endowment model allows donors to continue to carry out their charitable interests well beyond their lifetime from their established funds.

We know the community.

We know the issues facing the La Crosse area and the organizations who can bring effective solutions. We serve as a community catalyst and convener, raising awareness and bringing focused efforts and resources to address the area’s most pressing needs.

We make grants to qualified organizations.

We have granted over $37 million from our various funds since our founding in 1930. Nonprofit, educational and government organizations can apply for funding through our competitive grant making process. Fund advisors can also recommend grants to qualified organizations for specific projects or programs, or as an unrestricted grant.

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I contact the La Crosse Area Community Foundation?

• Call (608) 782-3223
• Email
• Mail or visit: 601 7th St. N, Suite 203, La Crosse, WI 54601

How could I get a grant application?

Visit the Apply page to view our available grant processes and take an eligibility quiz to get started.

How can I make a contribution?

• Gifts of cash or check
• Online giving
• Memorials or gifts honoring loved ones
• Matching gifts – some employers offer a matching gifts program
• Deferred gifts through wills and charitable trusts
• Gifts of stock and real property

How can I start a fund?

Call the foundation to clarify your charitable vision, shape a permanent fund, and choose the most appropriate way to give, whether its cash, check, appreciated stocks or retirement fund assets. Learn more.

What is the benefit to giving through the foundation and not directly to the nonprofit agency?

There are several benefits. The first is permanence; your fund is reinvesting every single year in a greater community. Because community needs change and evolve, your fund will be there to meet those changing needs and the people who you care about. Your family members can remain engaged in local philanthropy in the community in which they were raised even if they don’t live in the La Crosse area anymore. And, there really is no other more cost effective way to support your community than through a permanent endowment fund at the community foundation.

Can I give to an already established fund?

Yes, you may make a contribution to any existing fund. When you send the contribution, just indicate your desired fund on the check memo line or in an attached note. Browse our funds here.

Can I contribute to the foundation without starting a fund?

Absolutely. Any gift will help the community, forever. Unrestricted gifts are put in the General Fund which distributes grants annually to meet identified community needs through an application process completed by nonprofits.

What are the reasons to give to the foundation?

• Simplicity – one contribution can address a number of different needs and/or charitable organizations.
• Tax benefits – contributions qualify for maximum deductions for income, gift, and estate purposes.
• Professional management – the foundation’s professional staff and voluntary board provide careful administration and oversight. Staff is available to answer questions, identify community needs, and screen grant requests.
• Perpetuity – the funds will serve the community now and in the future because only the earnings are spent.
• Security – all assets are held in perpetuity. The foundation board provides careful stewardship of all gifts.
• Flexibility – if the intended use of a gift should ever become obsolete, the foundation will strive to follow your wishes while allowing for changes that occur in every viable community.
• Public accountability – annual independent auditing, public disclosure of all grant activities, and careful selection of board members assure accountability and transparency in the public interest.