About Fond Du Lac Area Foundation
A $950,000 general-support grant to the School District of Horicon is the largest recent award listed for Fond Du Lac Area Foundation, and it points to a grantmaker that uses large unrestricted gifts to support local institutions. The foundation gives across education, health, human services, arts and culture, youth development, environment, entrepreneurship and small business development, housing, workforce development, and agriculture or rural vitality. Its recent grants also show repeat support for community anchors such as St. Mary's Springs Academy, City of Beaver Dam, Fdl YMCA, and Moraine Park Foundation.
The foundation’s grantmaking is built around flexibility. Its stated philosophy includes general operating support, unrestricted support, core operating funding, and non-project-specific funding, and many of the recent awards are labeled general support. That approach fits a community foundation structure that holds more than 500 community and donor-established funds and uses donor intent to direct some giving through scholarships, named funds, and affiliated community foundations. Alongside its own competitive grant programs, the foundation administers scholarship support and donor-directed funds for the Fond du Lac area and affiliated communities.
Recent grant activity also shows a mix of county-level public institutions, schools, nonprofits, and community organizations, with awards reaching communities such as Beaver Dam, Horicon, Waupun, and Oakfield. The foundation’s work is local and centered on Fond du Lac County and nearby communities.
What Fond Du Lac Area Foundation Funds
Education is a major part of the foundation’s work. Recent general-support grants include $247,243 to St. Mary’s Springs Academy and $63,700 to Fdl School District, alongside scholarship programs for students pursuing higher education. Those awards sit within a broader education focus that includes postsecondary support and local school funding.
Health and human services are another clear thread. The foundation gave $352,674 to Church Health Services Inc and $118,410 to Care Inc, both in general support, and also supported Holy Family, St. Vincent De Paul Society, and the Fdl County Humane Society. These awards suggest a preference for operating support to organizations serving basic community needs.
Community infrastructure and public-purpose grants also appear. The foundation awarded $300,000 to City of Beaver Dam, $74,618 to City of Waupun, and $96,543 to Mt Calvary Fire Department. In rural vitality, it runs a grant program tied to agriculture, entrepreneurship, housing expansion, and leadership development in smaller communities.
