(APPLETON, WI) — October 30, 2023 — The Basic Needs Giving Partnership recently announced their 2023 grant awards with $1.25 million in new grants being awarded to 42 nonprofits. Additionally, $2.46 million in multi-year grant awards is being distributed this year through partnerships with our local Community Foundations to 74 collaborating organizations. This brings total 2023 grantmaking to $3.71 million. These grants support innovative programs helping those in need throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Nonprofits were granted funds for programs specifically addressing the root causes of poverty across the ten-county region in Green Bay, Fox Valley, and Oshkosh.

Grants are focused on nonprofits that reduce poverty by creating economic stability, increasing access to education, building family support and social connection, and improving health and wellness. Funding for the grants is generated by the annual U.S. Venture Open, the nation’s single largest one-day charitable event dedicated to ending poverty. The 2023 event raised $4.82 million for the Basic Needs Giving Partnership and 100% of every dollar donated goes to end poverty. In the 38-year history of the U.S. Venture Open, $55 million has been granted to regional nonprofits.

“We are humbled by the generosity of so many donors who continue to show deep trust and support of the U.S. Venture Open and the Basic Needs Giving Partnership as we continue to partner with and invest in outstanding organizations in our region.” Lynn Coriano, executive director of the Basic Needs Giving Partnership.

“We’re excited for this new round of grants, adding to the incredible history we’ve built over many years,” said Greg Vandenberg, director of giving and community engagement for U.S. Venture. “We are indebted to our partners who have made significant investments and are dedicated to supporting and transforming this regional initiative to address poverty in an innovative manner.”

A grantmaking match of $800,000 from the J. J. Keller Foundation, $250,000 from Oshkosh Corporation, and $200,000 from ThedaCare and the Thrivent Foundation lead this effort.

Recipients of the Basic Needs Giving Partnership Grants for 2023 are:

2023 Basic Needs Giving Partnership Grants
$1,248,000 in new grant commitments
$3,708,249 in total grants distributed

2023 NEW GRANT AWARDS

ADVOCAP
Apricity
Boys & Girls Club of the Tri-County Area
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Fox Valley
CAP Services
CASA of the Fox Cities
Catalpa Health
Christine Ann Domestic Abuse Services
Community for Hope of Greater Oshkosh
COTS – Appleton
County of Kewaunee Department of Human Services
Ecumenical Partnership for Housing
Encompass Early Education and Care
ESTHER
Family Health La Clinica
Fox Valley Technical College Foundation
FREE
Friendship Place
Greater Oshkosh Economic Development Corporation
HeadsUp Fox Cities
House of Hope Green Bay
Impact Wisconsin
Journey to Adult Success
Kids Forward
Legal Action of Wisconsin
Mandolin Foundation
Mission of Hope House
NAMI Fox Valley
NeighborWorks Green Bay – Neighborhood Partners
N.E.W. Community Clinic
NEW Mental Health Connection
Oshkosh Community YMCA
People of Progression
Pillars
Safe Shelter
Samaritan
The Gateway Collective
Us 2 Behavioral Health Care
We All Rise: African American Resource Center
Wello
YMCA of the Fox Cities
Youth Go
 

MULTI-YEAR GRANTS***

Covering Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca & Winnebago counties

Casa Hispana: $80,000 (Year 2 of 3, $240,000 total) Capacity building to support the scaling and expansion in the Fox Valley, adding staff and programming models to increase capacity and types of programs delivered. Founded for the purpose of supporting the Latinx community, Casa Hispana has worked at implementing programs of support and economic development initiatives that positively contribute to the quality of life for Hispanics/Latinos in the Fox Valley and serve as a catalyst for change within the Latinx community. Recipient: Casa Hispana

Fox Valley Literacy Council: $100,000 (Year 2 of 3, $300,000 total)  General operating funds to support organizational scaling and expansion of Fox Valley Literacy’s work in the Fox Valley Region including new programming models to increase capacity and types of programs delivered. Recipient: Fox Valley Literacy Council

Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity: $35,000 (Year 2 of 3, $105,000 total)  Capacity Building to hire a part-time business operations specialist to develop and strengthen project management systems, lead continuous improvement projects, and help build capacity for future years. Recipient: Greater Fox Cities Area Habitat for Humanity

Life Tools Foundation Inc: $26,200 (Year 2 of 2, $52,400 total)  To support expanding programming and to continue making a difference in the lives of many. The funding will be used to offset the expense of independent contractor tutors, to develop the internal resources needed to support expanded programming, and to ultimately help to reach over 350 students each school year. Recipient: Life Tools Foundation Inc.

United Hmong American Association: $72,000 (Year 2 of 3, $144,000 total)  Designated for 3-year support of the Personal Tutoring with YUP and Stanford Math and Academic Support Achievement Programs. United Hmong American Association’s vision is to empower any Hmong youth to become a successful, contributing member of their community by: presenting career opportunities to our Hmong Youth, promoting the path of higher education and providing access to resources to pursue higher education. Recipient: United Hmong American Association (UHAA)

Bridge the Gap, Inc.: $40,000 (Year 3 of 3, $100,000 total)  Bridge the Gap’s mission is to provide a safe, non-judgmental environment for those with autism and all special abilities to reach their full potential as the journey from childhood through adolescence and into adulthood. Bridge the Gap Academy will meet the social, emotional, physical, mental and trauma needs of each specific student by providing evidence based learning options that are tailored to each specific student. Bridge the Gap will provide options to area school districts to close deficit gaps in serving students in special education, as well as, provide ongoing advocacy to parents, families and individuals across the lifespan. Recipient: Bridge the Gap

Diverse and Resilient, Inc: $135,932 (Year 3 of 3, $296,415 total)  Designated for Capacity Building for staffing and operations including the addition of a part-time Community Outreach Coordinator and to implement and support an in-office phone system. Recipient: Diverse and Resilient*

First Five Fox Valley: Welcome Baby Project: $85,000 (Year 4 of 5, $500,000 total)  To improve the process by which our community supports new families to ensure better outcomes for all and support those with the greatest needs. The Welcome Baby Initiative seeks to focus on the process by which we reach, assess, and connect new families with community resources through three primary activities. (1) expansion of Welcome Baby Pre/Post Natal and Welcome Baby Home visits to increase initial reach and evaluation by over 80%; (2) development of Welcome Baby Community events that utilize the Building for Kids Children’s Museum as a safe, accessible, and universal venue and tool to build trusting relationships and decrease stigma; and (3) support a multi-agency database to improve efficiency and effectiveness of referral network. Collaborators: First Five Fox Valley, The Building for Kids, Early Intervention of Outagamie and Winnebago Counties, Family Services Parent Connection

Foundations For Living: $83,400 (Year 3 of 5, $417,417 total)  To fund an Assistant Director, Program Manager and Office Manager so Foundations for Living has the necessary capacity to more effectively serve and empower people in the Waupaca area who are in financial crisis, addiction recovery, or homelessness through advocacy, education, emotional support, and resources. Recipient: Foundations for Living*

Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs: $65,000 (Year 3 of 3, $195,000 total)  To expand Harbor House’s legal advocacy program in an effort to shrink the divide of justice and to better serve clients who are already facing financial abuse, racial disparities, social inequities, and no access to legal representation. Recipient: Harbor House Domestic Abuse Programs

NeighborWorks Green Bay: $26,000 (Year 3 of 3, $113,000 total)  Support for Neighborhood Partners’ merger with NeighborWorks Green Bay over a three year transition period. NeighborWorks Green Bay will fully incorporate Neighborhood Partners’ asset-based community development approach to build neighborhood social connections and social capital across its service territory. Funding will support expenses related to work in the Fox Valley region. Collaborators: NeighborWorks Green Bay, Neighborhood Partners

NEW Hmong Professionals: $100,000 (Year 3 of 3, $300,000 total)  Designated for Capacity Building – Funds will be used to support staffing, programming and operating expenses. NEW Hmong Professionals is committed to creating spaces that engage, empower, and elevate Hmong professionals in Northeast Wisconsin through progressive opportunities in identity formation, networking, mentoring, and leadership. A trusted organization for Hmong Professionals in Northeast Wisconsin that cultivates and sustains productive, engaged, and resilient leaders who have a strong sense of identity and belonging in our communities. Recipient: NEW Hmong Professionals

St. Vincent de Paul of Appleton: $87,933 (Year 3 of 3, $263,800 total)  To restructure the current Spanish-speaking Resource Advocate position into two separate positions with the addition of a bilingual coordinator; ensuring real system changes occur while providing a sense of belonging and hope in our community. Recipient: St. Vincent de Paul of Appleton

Unity Recovery Services, Inc: $51,341 (Year 3 of 3, $208,239 total)  To support organizational / administrative development and building capacity of Unity Recovery Services’ Fox Valley PRISM Team program. The majority of  funding is intended to bring two individuals that are currently in part-time positions to full-time status. Recipient: Unity Recovery Services

Valley Packaging Industries: Individual Placement Support Services Program: $51,050 (Year 3 of 3, $254,940 total)  To implement a Mental Health and Substance Use Community Center for Youth and Young Adults (ages 14-24). The Youth and Young Adult Program meets the needs of youth and young adults through side by side coaching to develop individual life skills and promote overall wellness in group and one to one settings. Recipient: Valley Packaging Industries

Wisconsin Veterans Village Association, Inc.: $125,000 (Year 3 of 3, $375,000 total)  To support the addition of a full-time Executive Director role to ensure the growth and viability of the Veterans Village. The Wisconsin Veterans Village Association (WisVVA) provides stable, affordable housing for area veterans, single or with families; and seeks to improve the quality of life with a continuum of care that is veteran-centric in a community for veterans throughout their lifespan. Recipient: Wisconsin Veterans Village Association

School District of Waupaca: $12,000 (Year 3 of 3, $48,000 total)  To support expanded access to school-based mental health services for students in the School District of Waupaca. Recipient: School District of Waupaca

Covering Brown, Kewaunee & Oconto Counties

Turbo Go: $40,250 (Year 3 of 4, $332,929 total)  This grant creates a space for academic, college and career planning in an age and culturally appropriate manner at targeted Green Bay middle schools with the highest concentration of free and reduced lunch. Turbo Go Centers are established in four middle schools to provide integrated career and academic planning to students, engage parents and serve as a designated area for community programming focused on helping underrepresented and marginalized students succeed academically and plan for their future. Collaborators: Green Bay Area Public Schools, UW-Green Bay; Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay; Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Investing in Staffing and Database Capacity: $100,000 (Year 3 of 3, $308,000 total)  Funding for this grant invests in COMSA’s staffing and organizational capacity so the organization can accomplish its mission of supporting refugees and immigrants on their path towards self-sufficiency and stability. Services include educational and mentoring programs and connections to resources and services in the community. Recipient: COMSA

Spanish-Speaking Health Navigator: $85,647 (Year 3 of 3, $296,611 total)  Collaborators will implement a Spanish-speaking Health Navigator program to connect residents to appropriate medical services, insurance systems and coaching in self-care in order to improve health outcomes. Collaborators: Casa ALBA Melanie, Hispanic Community Resource Center, ADRC of Brown County, Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

L(earning) Power: $100,634 (Year 3 of 3, $300,000 total)  This program provides personal supports and aims to reduce financial barriers for low-income Black, Indigenous, and other People of Color in NWTC’s Trades & Engineering Technologies and College of Business programs, helping them reach their postsecondary education goals. Recipient: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College

Hungry to Learn: $65,641 (Year 3 of 3, $209,440 total)  This collaboration reduces food insecurities among the college’s neediest students and increases the number of clients from the pantry pursuing a post-secondary credential through the improved coordination. Collaborators: Northeast Wisconsin Technical College, Paul’s Pantry

Achieve Brown County General Operations: $100,000 (Year 3 of 3, $300,000 total)  This grant supports the continuation of overall operations by realizing the potential of data, advancing collaborative action and broadening and deepening community-led collective action. Recipient: Achieve Brown County

Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin: $88,264 (Year 3 of 3, $300,000 total)  This collaboration provides educational services integrated with on-site mental health services with the goal of helping students in grades 8-10 have academic success. The program is designed to help students continue to participate in academics while also benefiting from additional mental health services. Collaborators: Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin, Howard-Suamico School District, West De Pere School District, Pulaski School District

Certified Peer Specialist: $145,184 (Year 2 & 3 of 3, $221,336 total)  Funding for this grant connects Certified Peer Specialists to people with mental health and substance use issues. Certified Peer Specialists are trained, certified professionals who use their personal lived experience to provide peer support to others and demonstrate that recovery is possible. Collaborators: NEWCAP, Options for Independent Living

Blacktivity: Engaging Black Youth in Health and Wellness: $50,000 (Year 4 of 4, $300,000 total)  We All Rise: African American Resource Center and Blacktivity will build on current programming and take the youth from the classroom to the community. The center established equity in its classroom work, and with the knowledge and skills that youth have gained they have identified the next step in addressing social determinants of health: strategically engaging with community partners to increase youth activism. Blacktivity is getting youth engaged in community art shows, farmers markets, swimming lessons, yoga classes, and ensuring that they have been paired with a mentor to support/monitor their progression. Collaborators: We All Rise: African American Resource Center, YWCA Greater Green Bay

Offender Education and Workforce Training Program: $40,000 (Year 4 of 4, $245,000 total)  This program builds on workforce development programming within the Oconto County Law Enforcement Center by supporting the whole person and addressing psychological barriers as well as educational challenges. It provides inmates with education, soft-skills training, cognitive intervention, budgeting skills and connections to county resources and establish relationships that will continue post-release. Collaborators: New Beginnings Store/New View/Oconto County Partnership, Oconto County Department of Health & Human Services, Sheriff’s Department, Law Enforcement Center and Department of Child Protection

Covering Winnebago, Waushara, Green Lake counties

Starting Point: $48,438 (year 2 of 3, $145,314 total)  Bring two successful pre-enrollment programs in the Fox Cities to Oshkosh that help women overcome barriers to earning an educational credential that will lead to high-wage employment and financial security. Recipient: Fox Valley Technical College Foundation*

Head Start Early Childhood Mental Health: $62,486 (Year 4 of 4, $301,000 total)  Improve Head Start students’ social-emotional and self-regulation skills by deepening teachers’ use of Conscious Discipline techniques and embedding coaching and mental health supports in the classroom and via home visits with families. Conscious Discipline is a research-based classroom management system that addresses teachers’ social-emotional skill sets and internal states first and then empowers them to teach and model these skills with students. Collaborators: UW Oshkosh Head Start, Catalpa Health

Early Childhood Programming Alliance: $30,000 (Year 4 of 4, $175,000 total)  Deliver home visiting services for pregnant women and families with children up to age one that are experiencing risk factors and facilitate community-based parenting programs in Green Lake County. Collaborators: Children’s Hospital of Wisconsin Community Services, Green Lake County Department of Health & Human Services, Forward Service Corporation

Big Futures Mentoring Program: $73,594 (Year 3 of 3, $224,547 total) Create a new collaborative mentoring and Club participation program in which Big Brothers Big Sisters will create and support mentoring relationships for current and new Club youth in grades 6-8. Collaborators: Boys & Girls Club of Oshkosh, Big Brothers Big Sisters of East Central Wisconsin

Waushara SHINES Capacity Building: $27,457 (Year 3 of 3, $117,304 total)  To bring the Waushara SHINES program coordinator from a part-time to full-time position to improve efforts to measure and document engagement, offer more activities and events for the recovery community, and conduct outreach and education in the community. Collaborators: Unity Recovery Services, Waushara SHINES

Home Visitation for High Risk Families: $27,018 (Year 3 of 3, $79,560 total)  Hire a part-time Family Support Specialist in order to serve additional Oshkosh area families through the home visitation program with a focus on enrolling single parents and parents with mental health concerns. Recipient: Family Services of Northeast Wisconsin*

Oshkosh COTS Transitional Housing $105,000 (Year 3 of 3, $325,000 total) To provide individuals experiencing homelessness with a safe and affordable place to live, food, household needs, health care and training on basic living skills, enabling them to transition to self-sufficiency and independent living by replicating the (Appleton) COTS program in Oshkosh to better serve individuals in Winnebago County. Recipient: COTS, Inc.*

REGIONAL GRANTS

Safe Harbor of Sheboygan County Inc: Southeast Asian Family Strengthening Program: $50,000 (Year 3 of 3, $150,000 total)  To support case management, education and support services that empower Hmong and Southeast Asian families in Winnebago County to end all forms of domestic violence and sexual assault. Recipient: Safe Harbor of Sheboygan County*

Kinected Communities: $150,000 (Year 2 of 2, $300,000 total)  Build Kinected communities throughout Northeast Wisconsin that can utilize each other’s assets and build their capacity to “make the  impossible, possible” through mindset shifts and collective problem-solving skills. Recipient: Kinect M1

Fall Prevention: $44,780 (Year 3 of 3, $300,000 total)  Provide no-cost home safety modifications and repairs for low-income older adults to help prevent falls. Collaborators:  Rebuilding Together Fox Valley, Oshkosh Fire Department, Neenah/Menasha Fire Rescue, Regional Trauma Advisory Council, Finding Balance Together, Aging & Disability Resource Center

ACTIVE GRANT**

Population Community Collaborative $230,000 total  This grant works to surround individuals with a Community Care Team to improve health outcomes. Through coordination and collaboration among organizations, and aligned infrastructure and analytics, providers can more effectively communicate with one another and facilitate services and care. Collaborators: Bellin Health, Advocate Aurora, HSHS/Prevea, ASPIRO, Curative Connections, ADRC of Brown County, Achieve Brown County and more

*Payments to be made by 12.31.23
**Payments made outside of 2023
***Multi-year grants represent funds distributed through the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation

Note: The grants represented are based on the fiscal year of the fund and the Basic Needs Giving Partnership.

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About the Basic Needs Giving Partnership

The Basic Needs Giving Partnership is committed to supporting the people and places advancing equity and economic well-being in Northeast Wisconsin. We achieve this mission through impactful grantmaking and by serving as a central hub for regional collaboration, learning and action. The funds raised through the U.S. Venture Open from generous corporations, family foundations, and individuals are granted to support nonprofits providing critical services as well as organizations working to change the systems that hold poverty in place. For more information about the Basic Needs Giving Partnership, please visit our website, bngpwi.org.

U.S. Venture Open

The U.S. Venture Open is the nation’s single largest one-day charitable event dedicated to ending poverty. Funds from the event support the Basic Needs Giving Partnership with a vision to build thriving, equitable communities across Northeast Wisconsin through regional collaborative grants and advocacy. The U.S. Venture Open started in 1986 with 100 golfers and has grown to 1,200 attendees representing more than 700 partners who golf at regional courses to raise money for programs that help end poverty. Follow the event on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, or visit the U.S. Venture Open website.

About U.S. Venture, Inc.

For over 70 years, U.S. Venture, Inc. has been recognized as an innovative leader in the distribution of renewable and traditional energy products, lubricants, tires, parts, and using data-driven insights to manage energy and information in the global movement of goods. U.S. Venture delivers creative, sustainable solutions that give their customers a competitive edge, and enable the company to support the communities in which they live, work, and play. Through the values lived by their family of brands, U.S. Energy™, U.S. AutoForce, Max Finkelstein, LLC, Breakthrough®, U.S. Lubricants, and IGEN®, U.S. Venture seeks new ways to drive business success while being steadfast in its commitment to making the world a better place.

Contact Information:
Dawn Ruchala
Manager, U.S. Venture Open
[email protected]
920-243-2529

Lynn Coriano
Executive Director, Basic Needs Giving Partnership
[email protected]
920-372-2303