$312k granted to improve life in Northeast Wisconsin
March 9, 2023 – Nonprofit organizations serving Brown, Kewaunee, and Oconto counties will soon put $312,220 to work on 29 programs and initiatives for the benefit of our communities.
The recent grants were awarded through the Funds for Greater Green Bay grants program, a collection of funds of the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. The program is designed to improve the quality of life in Northeast Wisconsin by funding strategies and initiatives that will meet emerging needs and opportunities in arts and culture, basic needs, education, the environment, health and wellness, human services, community improvement, youth development, and more.
Of the initiatives funded, several will support work spanning all three counties, including a two-year grant to increase the number of available childcare slots in Brown, Oconto, and Kewaunee counties; as well as a grant to support mobile HIV and overdose prevention and naloxone administration trainings.
This grant cycle saw an increase in applications and awards for programs in Kewaunee County. More than $30,000 will support local nonprofits working on beach restoration, literacy tools for tutors and students, and children’s after-school and summer programming in Kewaunee County communities.
“We are always looking for ways to support organizations large and small that are improving the quality of life in our communities,” said Kari Olsen, director of grants and scholarships at the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation. “As inflation continues to tighten budgets everywhere, nonprofits are working to address greater and greater needs. This infusion of funds will bring needed resources to the critical work that each is doing.”
Community Foundation fundholders co-invested $81,750 to increase grant dollars and help meet the growing needs of our community. Their generous contributions account for 26% of the total amount awarded this grant cycle.
Grants are awarded based on a competitive application process, which includes review by a grants team of community volunteers. Two grant cycles are offered annually for Funds for Greater Green Bay. The next deadline for applications is July 1, 2023.
A list of the Winter 2023 grant recipients, and their initiatives is below:
Abrams Spotlight Productions
Funds will support the installation of a new theater sound system to improve the ability of the cast, crew, and audience members – including older adults and individuals with hearing impairments – to fully enjoy a performance.
Art Connective Gallery
Funding will provide visual arts classes in partnership with Big Brothers Big Sisters to youth ages 12-18 years old, providing a positive way to express themselves and learn new skills.
Asian Corporate & Entrepreneur Leaders
Funding supports creation of the 2023 InspirASIAN speaker series that will feature local Asian American & Pacific Islander (AAPI) professionals sharing their leadership journey to create connection and belonging in the AAPI community.
Boys & Girls Club of Greater Green Bay
Funds will provide nutritious snacks to kids after school and throughout the summer, in addition to helping launch a monthly Family Meal Night to engage parents and families.
CASA of Brown County
Grant funds will help strengthen and grow the Child Advocacy Program to recruit, train, and support more volunteers to advocate for abused and neglected children under court protection until they are placed in safe and permanent homes.
Centro de Actividades y Servicios Altruistas
Funding will be used to support the after-school program, English classes for adults, and wraparound support for Latino families in the Luxemburg-Casco area.
Curative Connections
Funds will subsidize the cost of transportation and day trips for members attending Curative Connections’ Adult Day Programs.
Einstein Project
Funding will expand the mobile makerspace programming to provide experiences for approximately 1,000 children in rural communities such as Algoma, Lakewood, and Lena.
Family & Childcare Resources of Northeastern Wisconsin
This grant will increase the number of childcare slots in Brown, Kewaunee, and Oconto counties while reducing the barriers of becoming certified or licensed.
Foster the Village
Funding will support the work of Foster the Village, which serves children (newborn to age 18) in the foster care system in Brown County by providing clothing and essential supplies to ease the transition into foster care.
Friends of Crescent Beach
Funding will expand beach restoration and water quality improvement efforts, support educational opportunities to increase awareness of how the community can protect the beach and its watershed.
Friends of the Ahnapee State Trail
Funds will create a more functional trailhead for the users of the Ahnapee State Trail, a connecting route of the Ice Age Trail.
Green Bay Sail & Paddle
Funding will support programming in collaboration with Dr. Rosa Minoka-Hill School to empower students to complete academic requirements toward graduation, increase social-emotional learning skills, and build a resume through experiential learning.
Howe Community Resource Center
Funding is for the Mental Health program to support the healthy social and emotional development of elementary-aged students in the community.
HSHS St. Vincent/St. Mary’s Foundation
Funding will support the Pediatric Compassionate Care Program to provide assistance with transportation, nutrition, basic needs, special accommodations, and experiences to pediatric oncology/hematology patients and families.
Journey to Adult Success
Grant support will fund a case manager to work one-on-one with young adults transitioning out of foster care and into adulthood by coaching and supporting them in their self-identified goals.
Kingdom Come
Funding will be used to support the Oconto County food pantry, which serves 350-375 households weekly.
Literacy Partners of Kewaunee County
Funding will allow for more planning, in-service training for tutors, and a website overhaul to increase and organize online learning tools for both tutors and students.
Midsummer’s Music
Funding will support free and low-cost musical programming for seniors, especially those with Alzheimer’s or Dementia; youth music education; and pop-up concerts, classical programs, and collaborations.
myTEAM TRIUMPH
Funding will support inclusive programming in the Northeast Region, including social group runs and endurance event experiences delivered to the community from April to October.
NeighborWorks
Funding is for the Denmark Connects program to help rural older adults stay connected to family and friends by increasing their use of digital technology with peer-to-peer trainings and support.
One Wrightstown
Funds will create a community closet where teachers can access hygiene items, basic clothing needs, and basic winter gear for students.
Service League of Green Bay
Funds would be used to purchase new backpacks, athletic shoes, socks, and underwear for 1,500 Brown County students in grades K-5. An additional 1,500 middle schoolers will also receive backpacks.
Share, Accept, Grow, Encourage – Cujo Community Action
Funding will provide the opportunity for 100 older adults to get involved in poetry writing, connect through their passion for poetry and writing, and have their work displayed in a showcase.
St. John’s Ministries
Funding will support programming, case management, and direct assistance at the Micah Center, a daytime resource center for adults experiencing homelessness or at risk for homelessness.
Unity Hospice
Funding will support the area’s only Grief Center, which offers grieving individuals of all ages a safe haven to learn about grief, share experiences, and find hope.
Vivent Health
A grant will fund mobile HIV and overdose prevention throughout Brown, Oconto, and Kewaunee counties, mental health and AODA programs in Green Bay, and naloxone administration trainings for area organizations.
Volunteer Center of Brown County
Funding will support the Reading Coaches for Kids Program to provide one-on-one sessions in local K-5th-grade classrooms that are tailored to each student’s specific needs.
WisconSibs
Funding will help provide a two-day Sibshop Facilitator Training Session to help staff and future facilitators better speak to sibling concerns and perspectives across the life span, as more siblings become caregivers for family members with disabilities.
