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Grant Opportunities

Get help addressing community needs through grants available to nonprofit organizations in our service area.

Where does the money come from?

Generous donors have created a variety of charitable funds with the Community Foundation to help strengthen the Fox Valley Region for current and future generations. These funds provide grants to nonprofit organizations working to enhance all aspects of community life. Some grants are awarded through application processes. These grant opportunities are listed below.

Bright Idea Fund Grants

Formerly known as Unrestricted or Discretionary, this permanent fund preserves the quality of life in Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano, and Waupaca counties and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago county. The Bright Idea Fund combines dollars from generous donors who believe in addressing community needs together. It awards three kinds of grants Discovery, Spark and Bright Idea) in five focus areas, each with specific priorities. About 5% of all grants awarded from within the Community Foundation each year come from the Bright Idea Fund.

Donor-Directed Grants

Most grants awarded from within the Community Foundation come from charitable funds created by donors to fulfill their personal giving today and for generations to come. However, some donor-directed funds, like these listed below, accept grant requests from charitable organizations.

Read the grant guidelines and apply by clicking on each fund:

Fox Valley Grant Deadlines: 3/1, 9/1
Regional Grant Deadlines: 2/15

Click to read the Basic Needs Giving Partnership​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: 12/31. Click to read the Capital Credit Union​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Click to read the Frank C. Shattuck Community Fund​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: 11/1. Click to read the ​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: 4/1, 10/1. Click to read the Robert & Patricia Endries Family Foundation​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadlines: 3/1, 6/1, 9/1, 12/1. Click to read the Jewelers Mutual​’s grant guidelines and apply.

The Environmental Stewardship Fund was established in 2003 when 54 founding donors contributed at least $1,000 each in response to a $50,000 matching grant offer from the Board of Directors. These grants support smaller projects that help people preserve, enjoy or understand nature better. See the Environment focus area of the Bright Idea Fund.

Click to read the John & Sally Mielke Early Years Fund​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: 2/1, 8/1. Click to read the Mielke Family Foundation​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadlines: 3/31, 6/30, 9/30, 12/31. Click to read the Prospera Foundation​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: 11/1. Click to read the SAC Developmental Disabilities​’ grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: Every month on the 1st (or the following Monday if the 1st is a Sunday). Click to read the SECURA Insurance Companies Charitable Fund​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Click to read the Sikora Family Memorial Fund‘s grant guidelines and apply.

Click to read the The Violet and Ruben Laack Memorial Fund​’s grant guidelines and apply.

Grant Deadline: 3/1, 7/1, 10/1. Click to read the Water Right Charitable Fund‘s grant guidelines and apply.

Grants from Families of Funds

We partner with groups seeking to provide grants benefiting specific causes or geographic areas. Each group has its own grant application process:

Partners and Regional Affiliates

Click to apply:

Grant Deadline: 11/1. Read the ​Appleton Education Foundation‘s grant guidelines before applying.

Grant Deadline: 1/6. Read the Women’s Fund for the Fox Valley Region​’s grant guidelines before applying.

Click on Brillion Area Family of Funds to learn more.

Grant Deadline: 1/31. Read the Chilton Area Community Foundation​’s grant guidelines before applying.

Grant Deadline: 12/1. Read the Clintonville Area Foundation​’s grant guidelines before applying.

Grant Deadline: 10/1. Read the Shawano Area Community Foundation ​’s grant guidelines before applying.

Grant Deadline: 6/10. Read the Waupaca Area Community Foundation ​’s grant guidelines before applying.

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