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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

Media Contact:

KaYing Vang, Community Storyteller

Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin

715-342-4454

KaYing@cfcwi.org

Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin Gives $585,000 in Visionary Grants

Stevens Point, Wisconsin (January 6, 2024) – The Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin (Community Foundation) recently awarded $585,000 over the next 5 years in Visionary Grants to 13 organizations that will enhance Portage and Waushara Counties now and for future generations. Our multi-year Visionary Grants are for organizations looking to adopt transformative operational structures or expand and enhance existing services. The goal of multi-year committed funding is that at the end of the grant’s lifecycle, the changes will be embedded into the organization’s own budget and operations.

“We are excited about the first cohort of grantees and the shared learning we will be able to engage over the next five years,” remarks Sarah Ross, Director of Community Grants at the Community Foundation. “Our Grants Committee have chosen organizations with varying budget sizes, staff size, and years in operation. We are eager to see how multi-year funding may spark innovative ideas to bring long-term sustainability to these valuable organizations.”

Below is a complete list of Visionary Grant recipients. For more information regarding the Community Foundation’s grants process, please visit https://cfcwi.org/visionary-grants

Portage County Grant Recipients

· Boys & Girls Club of Portage County Inc. | Boys & Girls Club – supporting YouthForce

· Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum | Central Wisconsin Children’s Museum Reimagined

· CREATE Portage County | Co-working Space Facilitator

· Golden Sands Resource Conservation & Development | Growing the Giving Farm

· Iola Winter Sports Club | Operations Manager Salary

· Midwest Renewable Energy Association | Weatherization for Rural Portage County Homes

· Operation Bootstrap | Operation Bootstrap Organizational Sustainability

· Portage County Historical Society | Educator Position at PCHS

· Portage County Literacy Council, Inc. | Comprehensive Access Initiative, program expansion

· Stevens Point Sculpture Park | Long-term Management of Invasive Buckthorn in the Park

Waushara County Grant Recipients

· Pine River Library of Leon-Saxeville | Increasing Access, Safety and Visibility

· Waushara County | Food Pantry Operations to Support Sustainability and Growth

· Wild Rose Historical Society and Museum | Expanding Visibility and Use of the Museum

As one visionary grantee shares, “Many people think of Operation Bootstrap as a place to get help with rent or food, but we do much more than that. Since 2007, we’ve worked to meet local needs and help break the cycle of poverty. Families know they can turn to us for support during tough times. Often, those who’ve been helped come back to donate so others can get the help they need, too, with dignity,” Roseann DeBot, Executive Director, Operation Bootstrap.

The Community Foundation of Central Wisconsin is a non-profit organization that inspires charitable giving by connecting people and resources to enhance Central Wisconsin now and for future generations. For more information on how you can give back to your community and accomplish your philanthropic goals, please visit www.cfcwi.org.