Blog
Q4 2025 Competitive Grants Announcement
As winter settles in and the pace of the season slows, there’s a natural pause that invites both gratitude and intention. The first snowfalls soften the landscape, neighborhoods glow with warm light, and our community leans into the steady work of caring for one another. Much like this season of preparation and reflection, our grantmaking…
Small grants, big impact
How your giving ignites community change Sometimes, it doesn’t take a large grant to make a lasting difference. Through La Crosse Area Community Foundation’s microgrant program, small bursts of funding are enabling local changemakers to turn good ideas into real change — often within weeks, not months. The projects may be modest in scale, but…
The love that keeps beating
How one family is turning loss into a lifeline for others When Alex Weber and Moran Lonning talk about their son, Charlie — affectionately known as Bubba — their faces light up. “He had big emotions,” Alex said, smiling. “He had a loud voice, wanted to be held all the time, and he made sure…
The Elliotts: Giving as a family tradition
Giving discussion becomes holiday custom The Elliott family’s first philanthropic dinner came about organically during a year-end family meal several years ago. During that dinner, the family talked about the prior year and what they had hoped to build upon the next year. This included organizations and programs they wanted to support with money from…
The stories we share
Hamilton Literacy Resources project brings books home and people together When the School District of La Crosse’s elementary library team planned to bring author and illustrator Angela Dominguez to area schools this winter, they saw an opportunity to make reading a community celebration. Thanks to a microgrant from La Crosse Area Community Foundation, that idea…
A grant that helps veterans find their way back
Foundation support strengthens outreach for the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program A recent microgrant from La Crosse Area Community Foundation is helping the La Crosse Area Veterans Mentor Program reach more veterans in need — and the families who love them. With foundation support, the organization is upgrading its website, software, and training tools…
Measuring what matters: How a local sculpture connects Onalaska
Made possible through a grant from La Crosse Area Community Foundation, Onalaska Art Keepers brought “Calibration” — a graceful, light-catching sculpture by local artist Luke Achterberg — to life at the city’s southern gateway. The project celebrates creativity, community pride, and the joy that comes when neighbors join together to make something beautiful for everyone…
Building a better path
How the Mental Health Coalition is reimagining justice for people in crisis When someone in crisis encounters the justice system, the difference between care and punishment often comes down to understanding. For too long, people living with mental illness have been met with handcuffs instead of help — landing in jail cells that were never…
Building connection through investment
LACF’s first social impact investment in Haven on Main is helping create inclusive housing — and a stronger, more connected La Crosse Community is built in the spaces where lives intersect — where people find common ground and begin to understand one another. La Crosse Area Community Foundation exists to make those intersections possible. Every…
Putting the WE in Giving
How Wanda DuCharme and Edd Storey make generosity a way of life When Dr. Wanda DuCharme and Edd Storey sign a card, an email, or even a text, they typically end it the same way: WE. It’s more than a signature; it’s a statement of how they live. “We started using it early in our…