Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
The Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region is a public charity based in Appleton, Wisconsin, formed in 1986. It manages charitable funds created by families, businesses, and organizations and awards grants intended to strengthen the Fox Valley region for current and future generations.
Key facts about Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
In short: Community Foundation for the Fox Valley gave $32.4M across 448 grants in 2024 (avg $72K), mostly in Wisconsin. 30% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 39-1548450
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $32,366,247
- Grants made (2024)
- 448
- Average grant
- $72,246
- Median grant
- $24,900
- New grantees (estimate)
- 30% first-time grantees (136 of 448, 2024)
- Total assets
- $536,637,618
- Primary geography
- Wisconsin (88% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Nonprofits can apply for many opportunities through the grant portal. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The listed Community Vision Fund event-sponsorship window opens February 23 and closes October 31, with applications…
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990 filing · View filing
Total Assets
$536.6M
+6.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$32.4M
+55.0% YoY
Grant Count
448
+22.7% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$72K
+26.3% YoY
Is Community Foundation for the Fox Valley open to new grantees?
30%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 136 of 448 grantees (30%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $90K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $27K repeat.
- 56% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+7%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to “strengthen our community for current and future generations by helping people make a difference in the lives of all.” It identifies as a community problem solver, educator, inclusive partner, and impact-maker, and says it connects donors with nonprofit organizations.
Its 2024 filing describes grantmaking in arts and culture, education, community improvement, health care, human services, the environment, and religion. It also describes discretionary grant efforts to strengthen nonprofit organizations, support community initiatives, increase access and inclusion and educate children and youth in arts, culture, and environmental sustainability, and raise awareness of community issues.
The Foundation generally funds public charities, including charitable, scientific, social-service, educational, and religious organizations, as well as private operating foundations. Grants may also go to government entities and instrumentalities for public purposes, including schools and municipalities. Eligibility requirements can vary by fund.
Examples of grantees’ work include Pillars’ provision of shelter and support for people experiencing homelessness; Friends of Appleton Public Library’s advocacy and fundraising for enhanced library services; and Heckrodt Wetland Reserve’s work to preserve and restore the reserve and educate people about natural-resource conservation. These are descriptions of the grantees’ missions.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the Foundation awarded 448 grants totaling $32,366,247. Grant amounts ranged from $5,073 to $5,841,877, with a median grant of $24,900.
Review Cycle
vary.
How to Apply
es; others are donor-directed or follow the process of a family of funds. Applications and grant agreements, progress reports, and final reports are handled through the Foundation’s grant portal. Many competitive grants require progress and/or final reports, and the Foundation will not consider applications from organizations with overdue reports.
Open Grants
74 open opportunities from Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
Bear Paw Resort Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Brillion Area Family of Funds Endowment Fund Grant
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
Amount
Up to US $4,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Business & Accounting Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
Amount
US $2,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with Community Foundation for the Fox Valley?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it focuses its work in Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano, and Waupaca counties, and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago County. It also partners with families of funds in Brillion, Chilton, Clintonville, Shawano, and Waupaca. The Community Vision Fund serves the same four counties and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago County.
In 2024, 88% of grant dollars went to recipients in Wisconsin. Other recipient-state shares were Texas, 3%; Illinois, 2%; Ohio, 1%; and New York, 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 448 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
1,867 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| THE TROUT MUSEUM OF ART Appleton, WI | ARTS, CULTURE & HUMANITIES | $5,841,877 |
| PILLARS Appleton, WI | HOUSING & SHELTER | $1,318,569 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF THE FOX VALLEY Appleton, WI | HOUSING & SHELTER, PHILANTHROPY, VOLUNTARISM, YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $1,050,423 |
| UNIVERSITY OF NORTH TEXAS FOUNDATION Denton, TX | EDUCATION | $1,000,000 |
| FRIENDS OF APPLETON LIBRARY INCORPORATED Appleton, WI | EDUCATION | $733,959 |
| ST MARY OF THE IMMACULATE CONCEPTION (GREENVILLE) Greenville, WI | RELIGION-RELATED | $640,000 |
| UW FOUNDATION INC Milwaukee, WI | EDUCATION, PHILANTHROPY, VOLUNTARISM, ANIMAL-RELATED | $579,723 |
| CITY OF MENASHA Menasha, WI | EDUCATION, PUBLIC & SOCIETAL BENEFIT | $557,140 |
| APPLETON ALLIANCE CHURCH Appleton, WI | RELIGION-RELATED | $521,000 |
| ST PETER EVANGELICAL LUTHERAN CHURCH Weyauwega, WI | RELIGION-RELATED | $402,500 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $536,637,618 | $60,589,648 | $40,809,733 | $32,366,247 |
| 2023 | $502,430,788 | $50,139,028 | $29,369,270 | $20,881,514 |
| 2022 | $441,252,982 | $46,500,809 | $37,931,392 | $28,594,070 |
The Foundation states that administrative endowment funds are ordinarily subject to an annual spending policy of 4.5% of the funds’ average daily balance over the previous three calendar years.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $536,637,618 | $502,430,788 | $441,252,982 |
| Revenue | $60,589,648 | $50,139,028 | $46,500,809 |
| Expenses | $40,809,733 | $29,369,270 | $37,931,392 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $32,338,474 | $18,417,445 | $9,110,393 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2024 filing were Beth Flaherty, director and chair; Chuck Self, director and vice chair; Greg Pawlak, director; Jim Prosser, director and vice chair; Laura Meronk, secretary and vice chair; Melanie Miller, treasurer and vice chair; Rayon Brown, director and vice chair; Bill Gunckel, director; Brenton Teeling, director; and Christine Cousineau, director.
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley is led by Curt Detjen, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 6 of 28 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Curt Detjen
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$282K (2020) → $364K (2024)
Beth Flaherty
Director & Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2021
Director & Vice Chair → Director & Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Lippart Hardwick
Director of Gift Planning
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$100K (2024)
Chuck Self
Director & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Greg Pawlak
Director
Director & Vice Chair → Director, 2024
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jim Prosser
Director & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Schuler
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Mader
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shipra Seefeldt
Director
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Manny Vasquez
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rayon Brown
Director & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Reg Wydeven
Director
On filings since 2022
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bill Gunckel
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brenton Teeling
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Cousineau
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Faulks
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Fritz Merizon
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Davis
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Van Asten
Director & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bob Ellis
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Kreul
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Endries
Director
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Engelhard
Vice President Donor Services
Vice President Donor Services & Gift P → Vice President Donor Services, 2024
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$126K (2020) → $115K (2024)
Tammy Geenen
Vice President Community Engagement
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$116K (2020) → $141K (2024)
Michelle Weber
CFO
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$39K (2023) → $182K (2024)
Megan Schuessler
Vice President Donor Serv & Gift Plan
New on the 2024 filing
40 hrs/week
$120K (2024)
Laura Meronk
Secretary & Vice Chair
Director → Director & Vice Chair, 2021
Director & Vice Chair → Secretary & Vice Chair, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Miller
Treasurer & Vice Chair
Director → Treasurer & Vice Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (22)
- Former: Pa Lee Moua (2020–2023) — Director & Vice Chair
- Former: Stephanie Vrabec (2020–2023) — Director & Vice Chair
- Former: Jeff Lang (2021–2023) — Director
- Former: Ann Englehard (2022–2023) — Vice President Donor Services & Gift Planning
- Former: Kelly Tanck (2022–2023) — Vice President Finance
- Former: David Gross (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jim Johnson (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Jon Stellmacher (2020–2022) — Director & Past Chair
- Former: Kathryn Sieman (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Peter Mariahazy (2020–2022) — Director & Chair
- Former: Steve Veldhorst (2020–2022) — CFO
- Former: James Johnson (2022) — Director
- Former: Ben Adams (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Bill Bohn (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Catherine Tierney (2020–2021) — Director & Vice Chair
- Former: Kathi Seifert (2020–2021) — Past Director & Vice Chair
- Former: Markalan Smith (2020–2021) — Past Director & Vice Chair
- Former: Omar Atassi MD (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Paul Mueller (2020–2021) — Past Director
- Former: Pierce Smith (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Raquel Strayer (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Susan May (2020–2021) — Past Director
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
Contact
Mailing address: 4455 W Lawrence St, Appleton, WI 54914
Phone: (920) 830-1290
Website: https://cffoxvalley.org
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation for the Fox Valley
How much does Community Foundation for the Fox Valley give each year?
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley gave $32.4M across 448 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $20.9M across 365 grants.
What is Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's typical grant size?
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's median grant in 2024 was $24,900, and its average grant was $72,246, across 448 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation for the Fox Valley that year got $32K on average.
Where does Community Foundation for the Fox Valley give grants?
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley gives mostly in Wisconsin: 88% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Appleton, WI (110 grants), Neenah, WI (27 grants), Menasha, WI (24 grants) and Green Bay, WI (18 grants).
Does Community Foundation for the Fox Valley give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 448 grants with a stated purpose on Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's 2024 IRS Form 990 filing were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (67 grants), "Religion-Related" (65 grants) and "Human Services" (56 grants).
Who are Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's largest grantees?
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's largest 2024 grantees include The Trout Museum of Art ($5,841,877), Pillars ($1,318,569) and Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley ($1,050,423), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 25% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation for the Fox Valley?
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley reported $536.6M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Its revenue that year was $60.6M.
What does Community Foundation for the Fox Valley fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to “strengthen our community for current and future generations by helping people make a difference in the lives of all.” It identifies as a community problem solver, educator, inclusive partner, and impact-maker, and says it connects donors with nonprofit organizations. Its 2024 filing describes grantmaking in arts and culture, education, community improvement, health care, human services, the environment, and religion. It also describes discretionary grant efforts …
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation for the Fox Valley?
Nonprofits can apply for many opportunities through the grant portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's EIN?
Community Foundation for the Fox Valley's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 39-1548450. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching Community Foundation for the Fox Valley by hand.
Explore Open Grants
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