GRANT OPPORTUNITIES

The Arts, Culture, and Humanities Fund supports projects and programs that engage the community, stimulate innovation, and celebrate the diverse voices and stories that shape our region. Grants from this fund encourage creative expression and collaboration across artistic and cultural disciplines while strengthening community connections through shared experiences.

This fund was, established in loving memory of Barb Schmelzle. Barb was deeply devoted to her family, kind, loving and understanding of all people. She was warm and welcoming and had a unique gift for connecting on a personal level with those she encountered by making them feel special and valued. Barb was also a supporter of education. This fund honors Barb’s ability to connect with individuals and her love of learning. Awards assist non-traditional women students experiencing financial need and who have experienced extreme and adverse life experiences make progress towards furthering their education in any field.

Byron and Catherine Olson, of Menomonie, desired that a portion of their estate be used to establish a fund to benefit individuals in Dunn County in need of supplemental medical care or services. This fund makes grants to individuals and children in emergency need for health-related items or services such as eyeglasses, dental care, prescriptions, medical care, food/gas, and more.

Fund established after the dissolution of Menomonie Community Health Foundation; funds are used to support health programs and services provided by organizations in communities supported by Mayo Clinic – Red Cedar Center

Through the generosity of Marshall W. Hagen, a lifelong resident of Dunn County, the Community Foundation issues funding to area organizations whose work and mission help improve the lives of community members living with cancer. Grants range from $500 to $3,500, and applicants should follow the Community Foundation Community Impact Grant application process and deadlines to apply, or contact the Foundation directly at 715-232-8019.

This fund supports the charitable purposes of the Rotary Club of Menomonie, providing grants to local organizations engaged in programs or services that address healthcare needs, hunger, poverty, illiteracy, and disaster relief affecting their fellow citizens. 

The Veterans Fund was established to support the ongoing and emerging needs of veterans who have served in the United States Armed Forces. Grant funding may be used to address a wide range of needs, including but not limited to housing stability, health and wellness, transportation, education, and basic living expenses. The fund exists to provide timely, meaningful assistance and to honor the service and sacrifice of local veterans by helping improve their quality of life.

The primary purpose of this fund is to provide grant awards in support of children in Dunn County, consistent with Watch Us Grow’s principles, that children deserve to be safe, strong, and valued. The Fund’s purpose is to support children by distributing grants to community nonprofits to create, sustain, or expand programs to help children and youth reach their full potential. As an endowed fund, it will provide an ever-growing and everlasting resource to benefit current and future generations of Dunn County’s children. The fund is open to gifts from community members. 

Community Impact Grants – February
ADRC of Dunn County Connected & Confident: Older Adult Technology Training in Dunn County – $3,000.00
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Northwestern Wisconsin Strengthening Youth Mentoring in Dunn County – $5,000.00
Colfax Public Library Read Without Barriers – $2,500.00
Colfax Railroad Museum, Inc. After School Model Railroad Club – $3,500.00
Colfax Rescue Improving IV and IO Clinical Preparedness for Colfax Rescue – $2,102.00
Compass IL Transportation for Community Access – $2,500.00
Elk Mound School District Building Student Success Through Connections – $5,000.00
Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes Establishing Equity in the Dunn County Girl Scout Leadership Experience – $2,500.00
Hmong Friendship Center: Creating Space for Culture, Health, and Belonging – $5,000.00
Literacy Chippewa Valley Corrections Education in the Dunn County Jail – $3,000.00
Menomonie United Methodist Church Monday’s Meal Enhancing the Monday’s Meal Capacity to Promote Food Security in the Greater Menomonie Area – $1,200.00
Roundtable Revival, Inc. Pathways to Stability: Re-Entry Support Services in Dunn County – $4,000.00
Shirley Doane Senior Center Cabinets for Community and Capacity Building – $3,300.00
Stepping Stones of Dunn County Homelessness Prevention – $5,000.00
The Bridge To Hope Enhancing Collaboration Through Space Improvements – $2,649.00
West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency, Inc. Dunn County Housing Choice Voucher Program – $5,000.00
Wilson Place Mansion Wilson Place Museum – 50 Years of Preserving & Sharing Local History – $2,650.00
Wisconsin Milkweed Alliance, Inc. Building Community Safety Through Life-Saving Training and Supplies – $1,900.00

Community Impact Grants – February
Boyceville Baseball Association – Improving Boyceville Baseball Facilities for Public Use and Youth Programming – $5,000.00
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Greater Chippewa Valley-Menomonie Center – Care Closet at River Heights Elementary – $3,000.00
Chippewa Valley Habitat for Humanity – Menomonie Twin Home Project Electrical Work – $3,000.00
Compass IL – Transportation for Community Access – $5,000.00
Dunn County Health Department – Opening Doors: Multilingual Stories for Every Child – $1,000.00
Dunn County Historical Society: American Association for State and Local History Leadership Summit Professional Development – $1,800.00
Grace Lutheran Foundation, Inc. – Create a community living space to enable residents to socialize and enjoy outdoor activities – $4,500.00
Hoof Beat Therapeutic Healing Center – Equine Therapy: Disability-Accessible Two-Seated Jog Cart – $3,500.00
Junior Achievement of Wisconsin, Northwest Area – Dunn County Construction Camp – $2,486.00
Literacy Chippewa Valley – Corrections Education in the Dunn County Jail – $5,000.00
Mabel Tainter Theater – Wireless Microphone Upgrades – $1,500.00
Menomonie Baseball Association – Batting Cage Improvement Project – $5,000.00
Mission Restoring Hope – Incorporated Program Expansion to Serve More People – $4,000.00
Movin’ Out, Inc. – Wealth Building: Homeownership Options for Dunn County – $2,380.00
Positive Alternatives, Inc. – Teen-Centered Meeting Space – $1,450.00
Ridgeland Area Library – Library Historical Room – $1,500.00
River Heights Elementary School – Hmong Author Visit: River Heights Elementary – $1,888.79
Staying Put, Inc. – Driving Health Forward: Access to Medical Services, Activities, and Social Engagement – $2,500.00
The Bridge To Hope – Improving Comfort and Safety: Providing New Beds for Survivors in Emergency Shelter – $1,946.00
The Salvation Army of Dunn County – Dunn County Salvation Army Emergency Fund – $3,000.00
United Way St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys, Inc. – UW Valleys Dunn County Diaper Bank Program – $5,000.00
UW-Stout Police Department – UW-Stout and Community First Responder Life Saving Project – $5,000.00
West Central Wisconsin Community Action Agency, Inc. – Boyceville Food Pantry Freezer Support – $1,400.00
Wisconsin Milkweed Alliance, Inc. – Expanding Harm Reduction Access: Lifesaving Supplies for Dunn County – $4,190.00
Workforce Resource, Inc. – Job Supports for Low-Income Individuals – $3,000.00

Community Impact Grants – August
Arbor Place, Inc. – Home for Healing: Furnishing Arbor Place’s Women and Children’s Treatment Unit – $5,000.00
Colfax Public Library – Colfax Veterans Memorial Project – $4,000.00
Downtown Menomonie – Murals in Menomonie Community Engagement Activities – $4,625.00
Dunn County Health Department – Breaking it Down: System Silos and Mental Health Stigma – $2,000.00
Dunn County Historical Society – Wetland Restoration: Natural History and Land Protection Project – $5,000.00
Free Clinic of the Greater Menomonie Area – Dental Care Assistance – $3,500.00
Hmong Friendship Center – Expansion of Wellness and Socialization Programming for Hmong Seniors – $2,000.00
HWCC Advancement Center, Inc. – Building Economic and Leadership Capacity for Underserved Communities in Dunn County – $5,000.00
Landmark Conservancy, Inc. – Devil’s Punchbowl Preserve Safety Improvements: Lower Stairway Handrail Installation – $2,000.00
Mabel Tainter Theater – Free Holiday Performances – $5,000.00
Menomonie Farmers Market Inc. – Market Match Program at the Menomonie Farmers Market – $5,000.00
Menomonie Pickleball Club – Resurfacing of the Pickleball and Tennis Courts at Wakanda Park – $5,000.00
Menomonie Public Library – Board Game Library of Things – $1,141.13
Red Cedar Film Festival Foundation, Inc. – Red Cedar Film Festival – $1,445.00
Regional Enterprises for Adults and Children – Craft/Art Supplies & Sensory Tools – $1,000.00
Stepping Stones of Dunn County – Pop-Up Food Pantry – $5,000.00
United Way St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys, Inc. – Diaper Bank – $5,000.00
YMCA of the Chippewa Valley Menomonie – East YMCA Child Watch – $6,100.00

Women’s Giving Circle Grants
Arbor Place, Inc. – Creating Comfort and Connection: Furnishing Bedrooms for Women and Children in Recovery – $2,500.00
Colfax Public Library – Story Time Play & Learn – $1,000.00
Dunn County Human Services Birth-3 – Playgroup Dunn County Playgroup – $2,000.00
Hoof Beat Therapeutic Healing Center – Disabled Rider Horse Saddles and Helmets – $1,000.00
Mabel Tainter Theater – Fourth-Grade Performance at Mabel Tainter in April 2026 – $2,000.00
Menomonie Police Department – Cops 4 Kids: Shop with a Cop – $3,500.00
Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc. WI-Dunn County – No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town! WI-Dunn Co – $2,500.00
Stepping Stones of Dunn County – Restock of Feminine Hygiene Products – $2,400.00
The Bridge To Hope – Bridging the Gap: Direct Support for Survivors – $4,000.00
Wisconsin Foster Closet – Dignity Starts with the Basics: Socks and Underwear Initiative – $1,100.00