ECCF Community Grant- Field of Interest Funds

ECCF Community Grant- Field of Interest Funds

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Eau Claire Community Foundation
Last Updated: December 08, 2025

Summary

The Eau Claire Community Foundation (ECCF) offers the ECCF Community Grant focusing on various areas including arts, education, environment, and social services. This grant aims to support programs that enhance community life, provide educational opportunities, and address essential needs for residents. Organizations located in the Eau Claire area or those demonstrating significant impact are encouraged to apply. The foundation prioritizes innovative proposals that foster collaboration and effectively respond to local needs.

Overview

The Eau Claire Community Foundation (ECCF) serves Eau Claire and its surrounding area by awarding grants to organizations whose programs address needs in the following areas: “Create Culture” (Arts and Culture) – Supports programs and organizations that enhance the quality of life in our community through music, visual and performing arts, and museums.“Form Futures” (Education) – Supports programs that provide instruction for children and adults offered by established institutions or nonprofit organizations, as well as programs that offer learning or community development opportunities.“Give Green” (Environment, Recreation, Animals) – Supports programs that engage children and adults in activities that improve or sustain the quality of our natural resources. Also supports programs that provide opportunities for children and adults to engage in sports, fitness, and health and recreational activities.“Offer Opportunities” (Social Services, Accessibility Needs, Needs of Elders) – Supports programs that fill important needs for children, adults, and families, such as basic health services, food, shelter, safety, and clothing. Field of Interest Funds held at the Eau Claire Community Foundation Field of Interest Fund: “A fund held by a community foundation that is used for a specific charitable purpose, such as education or health research”What it can mean to your grant application:  The Eau Claire Community Foundation holds many Field of Interest Funds (listed below).  Grant requests that match a Field of Interest Fund’s purpose will often be given extra consideration. If you see one that’s relevant to your grant proposal, you can mention it in your application. Doing so won’t guarantee funding, but it might give your proposal an advantage during the final decision-making process. Aubre’s Fund: This fund is intended for programs and asset purchases/improvements which enhance the quality of life for children and companion animals in the Greater Eau Claire Area.Beckermann Family Fund:: This fund focuses on family literacy; homelessness programs and prevention; and arts and culture. Children’s Legacy Endowment Fund: This fund is intended for nonprofits that provide programs benefiting children. Daniel and Mary Ann Ogan Educational Fund: This fund grants to educational programs in Eau Claire. Denise Murch Memorial Fund: :This fund helps ensure that Eau Claire residents have access to food, shelter, medical care, and other basic needs. Edna Hood Memorial Fund: This fund supports programs related to literacy and/or the arts. Fuerstenberg Family Fund:: This fund supports educational opportunities in the Greater Chippewa Valley, such as those provided by the Children's Museum of Eau Claire, the Boys and Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Literacy Chippewa Valley, and CVTC. Jim and Kathy Pinter Mental Health Fund: This fund grants to to support nonprofit organizations dealing with adult and youth mental health issues, including education, prevention, research, and treatment. Junior League of Eau Claire Endowment Fund: This fund grants to projects promoting volunteerism, developing the potential of women, and improving communities through the effective action and leadership of trained volunteers. Laura and Duane Hookom Family Fund:: This fund supports parks and recreation. Louis and Janet Frase Fund: This fund supports youth, especially opportunities for youth in financial need to interact with music and the arts. Mayo Clinic Health System Children’s Health Fund: This fund supports children’s health. Michael Lund Memorial Fund: This fund focuses on granting to programs that provide youth physical and mental health services. Nellie and John I. Kaiser Memorial Fund: This fund is used to support grants for projects and programs that enhance children's literacy. Opportunities for All Children Legacy Fund: This fund supports educational, recreational, artistic, and other opportunities for children and youth with disabilities. Public Gardens Fund: This fund supports gardening and sustainable landscaping in nonprofit and publicly owned gardens and parks. Since this is currently a Donor Advised Field of Interest Fund, please contact ECCF if your nonprofit has a relevant funding request. S.S. Safari All-Star Fund: This fund supports dog behavioral training and enrichment of shelters, foster care, and canine cancer research. Victoria E. Finstad Fund: This fund supports the Ager House as well as local organizations that emphasize Nordic culture (music, dance, education, lectures, genealogy, etc.)

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. ECCF makes grants to nonprofit agencies located in the Eau Claire area, or to those able to demonstrate significant impact within this area. Applicants will need to submit evidence of 501(c)(3) or 509(a)(1),(2), or (3) tax status, or another qualified 501(c)(3) organization must agree to serve as fiscal agent. Applications from tax-exempt entities like government and religious organizations are also accepted.

Ineligibility

The ECCF does not make grants to organizations that discriminate on the basis of race, ancestry, color, age, familial status, disability, religion, gender, sexual orientation, marital status, lawful sources of income, national origin, or any other discriminatory practice prohibited by state or federal law.Grants from the ECCF competitive application process are not used for the following:Repetitive requests (i.e. the same use year after year)Previously incurred operational expenses, such as rent and salaries, that are not integral to the implementation of the grant requestDirect grants to individuals, annual campaigns, or lobbyingContributions to endowment funds, contingency funds, or reservesSectarian (religious) programs, if the program participation requires membership in the religious group or commitment to specific beliefs prescribed by the religious groupOrganizations operated primarily for the benefit of their own membershipFor the payment of interest or taxesApplications from or on behalf of schools with affiliated school Foundations, such as the Eau ClairePublic Schools Foundation Generally, we don’t fund applications with other Foundations as fiscal agents