The Crawford County Community Fund is now accepting grant applications for its annual grant cycle. The application deadline is Thursday, Oct. 1, 2015. Applications must be completed online and submitted online no later than midnight on that day. Mailed, emailed or faxed copies of applications and incomplete or late applications will not be accepted or considered.
The Grant Review Committee of the Crawford County Community Fund Advisory Board is chaired by Tarasa Lown. In making the grant application announcement, Lown noted, “For the 2015-16 year, there is up to $5,500 available for grants for charitable economic development projects within our Crawford County community. We know that there are many great ideas-in-waiting that can increase economic vitality and improve the quality of life in our region; we are prepared to review those ideas and make awards.”
The Crawford County Community Fund seeks projects or programs that address current community needs with a focus on economic development. The mission of the Crawford County Community Fund is “to create stronger communities by matching generosity with economic needs.” Projects, programs or initiatives with an economic development focus and undertaken by charitable non-profit organizations or businesses that serve the people within Crawford County are eligible for consideration. Requests from individuals are not eligible. Grants are awarded at the December meeting of the Crawford County Board of Supervisors.
Crawford County Community Fund advisory board chair Sharon Murphy noted, “This endowment was initiated by a challenge donation of $25,000 in late 2008. Our community responded, contributing the required match of $25,000 in less than three months. As of the end of June 2015, our endowment has grown to nearly $110,000. Earnings from the Crawford County Community Fund endowment have enabled us, since mid-2009, to present 17 grants totaling $18,665. The endowment will keep giving back to projects in this county, through grants, for ever.”
Current members of the Crawford County Community Fund Advisory Board are: Craig Anderson, Sasha Dull, Joe Friar, Eric Frydenlund, Tarasa Lown, Sharon Murphy (chair), Camille Smith, Bob Van Hoesen and Will Cronin (ex-officio rep).
The application form is available online at the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin website (www.cfsw.org). Select the ‘Grants’ tab and then ‘Open Grant Applications.’ Completed applications must be submitted online by midnight on Thursday, October 1. Mailed, emailed or faxed copies of applications will not be accepted. If you need help or have questions both CFSW grants and scholarships manager Jackie Ommodt (jackie@cfsw.org or 800-995-2379) and CFSW donor services rep Barb Daus (barb@cfsw.org or 608-778-3344) are available to assist.
The Crawford County Community Fund is a component of the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, Inc., a tax-exempt public charity. For more information about the Fund, contact Sharon Murphy, advisory board chair, at 608-624-3409 or smm@fsmail.bradley.edu, or Barb Daus, donor services representative with the Community Foundation of Southern Wisconsin, at 608-778-3344 or barb@cfsw.org. Community members interested in making a donation may send a check to the Crawford County Community Fund, PO Box 13, Seneca, WI 54654-0013, or visit www.cfsw.org to donate online.
