Blog
Cheers to 90 years!
Your La Crosse Community Foundation turned 90 years old in July, making us one of the oldest in the nation. LCF was founded in 1930, when a streetcar still ran down Main Street and the Cass Street bridge was only a plan. Although La Crosse County has changed dramatically in the 90 years since,…
Agency Fund Spotlight: La Crosse County Historical Society Endowments
La Crosse County Historical Society Endowments La Crosse County Historical Society discovers, collects, preserves, and shares the history of La Crosse County. While the work of the organization today looks very different from when it first started in 1870 as the La Crosse County Pioneer Association, its commitment to enriching lives through engagement with the…
How to vet nonprofits
Are you interested in giving money to a charity but unsure how to choose a good one? The process of vetting a nonprofit can really run the full spectrum from easy to complicated, depending on how much information you need to decide. When news stories pop up about nonprofit execs with enormous paychecks, it causes…
5 super simple ways to say, “Not today, Rona!”
Coronavirus (aka Rona) got you down? You’re not alone! This pandemic has done a great job of stressing people out to the MAX. So, here’s a little blog to remind everyone that helping others is always a mood lifter and a great way to tell Rona she will not get you down! Here are the…
18 local nonprofits seek help to survive…
July 15 marked our first grant deadline that included the new Emergency Survival Grant. Different from the La Crosse Area Emergency Response Fund, the Emergency Survival Grant was created to get nonprofits at risk of not surviving the pandemic emergency, unrestricted support. Because that’s what most really, really need right now: funding for operations. COVID…
What to do with that nagging desire to help
Are you the type of person who feels drawn toward positive action when faced with big challenges? Us too. All too often, though, the problems are so much easier to find than the solutions. Then we’re left feeling stuck with a desire to do good, but we’re not sure how to do it. I’m sure…
St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of La Crosse Legacy Fund
After serving the La Crosse community for nearly 150 years, St. Paul’s Lutheran Church had to make the difficult decision to dissolve in August 2019. The St. Paul’s Lutheran Church of La Crosse Legacy Fund was established later that year with the proceeds from the sale of the church’s building at 420 West Avenue in…
Tina Schwier Memorial Scholarship Fund
Tina (Garves) Schwier passed away in May 2018 after a long battle with breast cancer. This fund was established as a tribute to her by Dale Walter, a friend and colleague with whom she worked for more than 15 years. Others have given to the fund in Tina’s memory, including a generous gift from Bremer…
Forever Society Member Spotlight: Jean Gitz Bassett
When Jean Gitz Bassett passed away in 2018, she left part of her estate to La Crosse Community Foundation with directions to support her Jean Gitz Bassett Fund and create the new Jean Gitz Bassett First Presbyterian Church of La Crosse Fund. The first is a field of interest fund used in LCF’s competitive grantmaking…
Shelterbelt Fund: Gabe & Annie Berendes
Gabe and Annie Berendes are passionate, inspiring young philanthropists who are actively engaged in the local community. Gabe grew up in La Crosse and Annie in Dubuque, Iowa, and both credit their parents for shaping their philanthropic views by encouraging them to use their time, talent, and treasure for the benefit of others. Annie’s work…