Heart of Wisconsin
Business & Economic Alliance and
Community Foundation of Greater
South Wood County
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A Joint Initiative Between Heart of Wisconsin Business & Economic Alliance and Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County |
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Breaking News October 6, 2008 - Conference shows importance of Progress Funds By Kathleen Krueger for the Daily Tribune Recently, I had the opportunity to experience a national philanthropy training opportunity that validated the good work that hundreds have been doing to create and support Community Progress Funds in this region. With financial support from the Ford Foundation, community members Beth Stark (Wisconsin Rapids Progress Fund and Wisconsin Rapids Public Schools Endowment Fund) and Kathy Hartjes (Rudolph Progress Team) joined Community Foundation staff Kelly Lucas, Mary Wirtz and me on a four-day trip to Nebraska City, Nebraska – destination the “2008 Rural Philanthropy Conference”; a working conference designed to educate, create and ignite participants with new ideas. This conference provided 16 concurrent learning sessions with 58 different speakers. Featured speakers included James McHale, Sr. VP of Programs with W.K. Kellogg Foundation, Steve Gunderson, President/CEO-Council on Foundations and Linetta Gilbert, Senior Program Officer at the Ford Foundation. The opening session topic: “How Grassroots Philanthropy is Revitalizing Rural Hometowns” was by Jeff Yost, President/CEO of the Nebraska Community Foundation. Jeff said the Nebraska Community Foundation has affiliate funds with communities in 63 of Nebraska’s 93 counties. Right here, in our hometowns, we witness grassroots action every day. Thanks to the Community Progress Initiative and the work of hundreds of people who have supported their creation, Community Progress Funds exist as our own permanent platform for building community and assisting grassroots community action. The conference affirmed my understanding of the value of Progress Funds. They are about much more than money; they’re about bringing people together, identifying issues, and seeking out opportunities. They are also about communities being able to capitalize on their own unique assets while also being connected to a larger, regional vision that supports shared growth. Progress Funds have been created for each of our seven local communities: Nekoosa Area, Pittsville Area, Port Edwards, Rome, Rudolph, Vesper Area, and Wisconsin Rapids Area. Each fund is overseen by a committee of local leaders who are charged with educating their friends and neighbors about the benefits of creating a community charitable savings account, supporting community development opportunities and providing oversight to the grant distribution process in their specific community. Go to www.cfswc.org or www.progressinitiative.com to find out more about your hometown Progress Fund – or better yet, give me a call at the Community Foundation (715) 423-3863 for more information about how you can get involved. Kathleen Krueger is in Donor Relations at Community Foundation of Greater South Wood County. She is also involved in the Community Progress Initiative as a member of the Rome Connection Committee. |
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