Blog
Donor Advised Funds Are Exploding in Popularity: Here’s Why
Support your favorite charities with ONE donation What if, with just one donation, you could support all your favorite charities? A donor advised fund allows you to do just that! With a ten-year average growth rate of 20%, donor advised funds, or DAFs, are the fastest-growing vehicle for charitable giving in the United States. According…
Foundation Welcomes New Community Engaged Fellow
The La Crosse Community Foundation is excited to have Paige Hageman as our new fellow for the upcoming year, joining us through the Community Engaged Fellowships initiative at the University of Wisconsin – La Crosse. The Community Engaged Fellowships program was established last year by longtime La Crosse educators Ron and Jane Rada. Its purpose…
La Crosse Community Foundation hires senior donor services coordinator
The La Crosse Community Foundation has appointed a new senior donor services coordinator. Megan Pierce will fill the role, serving as the primary stewardship advisor for the foundation. In the position, Pierce will manage all designated, scholarship, and non-committee-advised field of interest fund donor relationships. Pierce brings communication, fundraising, community engagement, and administrative experience, having…
BIPOC Mental Health Scholarship Fund addresses provider shortage
Matching funds can boost support Three community organizations today announced the BIPOC Mental Health Scholarship Fund to encourage people of color to pursue graduate degrees in mental health counseling. Established through leadership at Peace of Mind Counseling in La Crosse, Wisconsin, the scholarship fund will be administered by the La Crosse Community Foundation. B.L.A.C.K. will…
2023 Spring Grant Award Announcement
This was an exciting quarter for competitive grants as we awarded $237,133 to 24 local nonprofit organizations! As always, we send a HUGE thank you to our generous donors and our grant committee and board members who worked together to make the funding decisions. We’re looking forward to seeing the myriad ways these investments better…
La Crosse Community Champions: Don and Barb Frank receive the 2023 Forever Friends Award
When the La Crosse Community Foundation team was discussing nominations for this year’s Forever Friends Award, the Franks immediately came to mind. They were among the first people to start a donor-advised fund at the foundation back in 1995, and before that, they had already established a charitable remainder trust to benefit the foundation after…
From Power Dynamics to Partnerships: Trust-based philanthropy in equitable grantmaking
Interest in equitable grantmaking increasing The world of philanthropy has been undergoing a transformative shift in recent years, with an increasing emphasis on equitable grantmaking practices that prioritize long-term impact and community empowerment. Trust-based philanthropy, a vital concept in this shift, seeks to rebalance power dynamics between funders and grantees, fostering stronger relationships and more…
Local Leaders Earn Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Development
La Crosse Community Foundation and Viterbo University partner to provide Certificate in Nonprofit Leadership Development Balancing the demands of community needs and limited resources can leave nonprofits unsure how to take their organizations to the next level. But 16 local nonprofit leaders are now equipped more than ever to manage healthy operations and impactful programs,…
Gretta Kraus looks back on year as LCF’s first Community Engaged Fellow
Longtime La Crosse educators Ron and Jane Rada started the Community Engaged Fellowships initiative last year to provide three one-year fellowships for undergraduate and graduate students. Described as a closely mentored internship, the purpose is to promote community engagement and support philanthropy. La Crosse Community Foundation has been fortunate to work with one of those fellows,…
With grant from La Crosse Community Foundation, the Y cuts ribbon on a new community service
With a $40,000 grant from the La Crosse Community Foundation, La Crosse Area Family Y cut the ribbon on a new van today, representing the “Y on the Fly” program rolling into La Crosse, Wisconsin, this summer. Y on the Fly is a nationwide initiative that brings the resources and benefits of the Y directly…