Apply
for Funding
Competitive Grants
La Crosse Area Community Foundation welcomes grant applications from charitable organizations with missions aimed at enhancing the quality of life in La Crosse County Wisconsin. Our competitive grants program has quarterly grant cycles that include programs such as micro grants, mini grants, standard grants, and capacity building grants. In 2025, we awarded $1,059,350 in competitive grants across our eight impact areas: Arts & Humanities, Community Improvement, Culture & Diversity, Education, Environment, Faith, Health & Human Services, and Recreation & Wellness.
Current Grant Opportunities
How to apply for a grant
- Review the Request for Proposal (RFP) document
- Preview the application
- Review the evaluation rubric
- Submit an application
Quarter
1
Standard Grants Program
Applications Open:
January 1, 2026
Applications Close:
January 29, 2026
Awards Announced:
End of February
Quarter
2
Mini Grants Program
Applications Open:
March 3, 2026
Applications Close:
March 31, 2026
Awards Announced:
Beginning of June
Quarter
3
Standard Grants Program
Applications Open:
July 7, 2026
Applications Close:
August 6, 2026
Awards Announced:
End of September
Quarter
4
Mini Grants Program
Field of Interest Funds
Applications Open:
October 6, 2026
Applications Close:
November 2, 2026
Awards Announced:
End of December
Micro Grants
Application opens January 20, 2026 and will close on November 2, 2026 (or earlier if funding is fully expended)
Defining the Grant Programs
Eligibility for Grants
Applicant organizations must be a public charity, exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.
Governmental bodies, including schools and municipalities, may also apply as long as the project is above and beyond regular budgeted items and does not filled budget gaps.
Applicants that do not meet this criteria may seek a formal fiscal sponsor relationship with a 501(c)(3) public charity to be eligible.
Applicants must primarily serve residents of La Crosse County and agree to all LACF grant awardee requirements and expectations including the DEIB Appendix.
Finally, no applicant may have past due grant reports for the same category of grant (i.e. Standard Follow Up – Past Due = Unable to Apply for a Standard Grant until that is completed).
Nonprofit Capacity Building Program Grants (NCBP)
Applications are scheduled to open April of 2027.
Capacity-building grants aim to invest in the health and sustainability of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County.
This grant program is for nonprofits who need investment in their internal infrastructure to create a more sustainable and effective organization.
Individual awards are expected to range from $50,000 – $90,000 for two consecutive years and will be paired with significant in-kind support through robust, ongoing technical assistance offered throughout the entire grant award period.
Micro Grants Program
Micro grants are designed to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County who may otherwise have limited access to resources.
These funds are for organizations with an annual organizational budget of $500,000 or less and awards are $250 – $3,000.
Micro grant applications are reviewed on the 2nd Monday of the month. Applications received after the second Monday will be held for the next review cycle.
Standard Grants Program
Standard grants are part of our historic competitive grants program to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County.
Preference will be given to applications that focus on building opportunities for community engagement and building of social capital across differences.
Standard grants are a MINIMUM request of $15,000. All grant requests that represent a portion of a capital campaign will be eligible for a maximum of $25,000.
Mini Grants Program
Mini grants are part of our historic competitive grants program to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County.
Preference will be given to applications that focus on building opportunities for community engagement and building of social capital across differences.
Mini Grants are award range is $1,000 – $15,000.
Zielke Grants Program
The Corinne Zielke Fund (est. 2007) baseball grant is available to any nonprofit baseball and/or softball program in La Crosse County.
Commonly Used Phrases and Resources
Capital Campaign – a multi-faceted effort to reach a significant fundraising goal. The funds raised will pay for important capacity investments that enable organizations to continue growing sustainably.
Capital Expense Examples – Buildings, Vehicles, Equipment, Property (if you have a specific question, please reach out)
DAF – Donor Advised Fund
Diverse Funding Sources – Individual Giving, Earned Income, Corporate Partnerships, Grants, Government, etc.
LOS – Letters of Support
LOI – Letters of Intent
Mission Drift – Occurs when a nonprofit organization’s activities and resources begin to move away from its original goals or intended purpose
Organizational Readiness for Change
Organizational Self-Assessment
RFP – Request for Proposal
Sample Budget – Sample Budget Template
- Bonding – Strong relationships that develop between people who are similar in backgrounds, interests and resources
- Bridging – Connection between people with different backgrounds, experiences, or perspectives
- Linking – Involves relationships between people at different levels of power or authority
Grant Application Support
All applications must be submitted through LACF’s online grant portal. Each grant program includes specific application steps and timelines.
Questions? Contact Impact Specialist, Keli Frigo, for technical assistance or questions regarding how to submit the most competitive application possible.
CALL 608-782-3223 x29
Frequently Asked Questions
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Grants Portal
The La Crosse Area Community Foundation’s online grant portal.