Serving the donors’ interests and the community’s needs since 1930.
A $599,877 grant to Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse stands out in the foundation’s recent record, showing how La Crosse Community Foundation backs large local investments alongside smaller community grants. Its giving reaches across recreation and wellness, health and human services, education, the environment, arts and humanities, and culture and diversity, with awards made almost entirely in Wisconsin. The foundation’s recent grants also show repeated support for organizations serving La Crosse residents through youth programming, neighborhood services, and community institutions. The pattern is not limited to one sector. In one year, the foundation supported Hmoob Cultural and Community Agency Inc with $303,500, while another major award went to Next Steps for Change Inc for health and human services. Other recent grants reached local groups working in recreation, housing-related support, cultural programming, and environmental stewardship. The foundation also funds scholarship-related activity and capacity-building work through its program structure, which includes both competitive and targeted grant opportunities. Across its recent giving, La Crosse Community Foundation appears to prioritize organizations embedded in the local service network and projects tied to the Greater La Crosse community.
Community improvement is a recurring theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. It awarded $383,480 to Coulee Region Humane Society for community improvement, and later supported La Crosse Community Nonprofits Initiative with $139,774 for the same broad area. Education is another clear focus. La Crosse Community Foundation gave $111,043 to La Crosse County Historical Society for arts and humanities, which often overlaps with educational programming in community settings, and it also funds scholarship opportunities through its own scholarship programs for students in the La Crosse area, Greater La Crosse region, and Wisconsin. Health and human services appear frequently as well. The foundation granted $181,478 to La Crosse Lighthouse Inc and $92,450 to YWCA La Crosse, both in La Crosse, for health and human services. It also supports nonprofit infrastructure through its capacity-building program for organizations serving La Crosse County.
$4.7M
$89.2M
$9.3M
$6.8M
Most grants fall between $10K and $36K, with a median of $17K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$17K
75th Percentile
$36K
RICK KYTE
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Typical recent grant sizes fall in a middle range, with a p25 of $9,638, a median of $16,732, and a p75 of $35,745. The foundation’s program structure suggests a mix of open competitive grantmaking and targeted funding: some programs accept unsolicited requests, while the Nonprofit Capacity Building Program is invitation-based and multi-year. Its recent grants show repeated support to some recipients across multiple years, including Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater La Crosse, Couleecap Inc, and Women’s Fund of Greater La Crosse Inc. That pattern points to ongoing relationships rather than one-time awards alone. The foundation is a community foundation, and its grantmaking includes program and project support as well as endowment-related local funding.
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Wisconsin, with 88% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. The recent grants list is dominated by La Crosse and nearby communities such as Onalaska and Westby. La Crosse appears repeatedly across recipient organizations, including local human services, arts, recreation, and community development groups. Outside the city of La Crosse, several awards went to organizations in Onalaska, and one notable health and human services grant reached Westby. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 320 grants in the United States.
Recent awards are usually modest to mid-sized: the p25 is $9,638, the median is $16,732, and the p75 is $35,745. At the same time, the foundation also makes some much larger community investments through its grant programs and special initiatives.
The foundation supports community needs, nonprofit capacity building, education and scholarships, and local grantmaking and endowments. Recent grants also map to recreation and wellness, community improvement, health and human services, culture and diversity, arts and humanities, and environment.
Yes, several programs do. Micro Grants, Scholarship Opportunities, Competitive Grants, Mini Grants, and the Corinne Zielke Grants Program all accept unsolicited requests. The Nonprofit Capacity Building Program does not; it is a multi-year program with technical assistance.
Recent grant recipients include local nonprofits, schools, and community-serving organizations in La Crosse County and the Greater La Crosse area. The foundation also supports nonprofit capacity-building work, student scholarships, and targeted programs for youth sports, classroom projects, and urgent community needs.
Its giving is local. The geographic scope is La Crosse area and La Crosse County, with 88% of grants going to recipients in Wisconsin. Recent grants went to organizations in La Crosse, Onalaska, and Westby.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER LA CROSSE | LA CROSSE, WI | $416,557 | 2026 | RECREATION AND WELLNESS |
| CITY OF ONALASKA | ONALASKA, WI | $286,754 | 2026 | RECREATION AND WELLNESS |
| GUNDERSEN MEDICAL FOUNDATION | LA CROSSE, WI | $273,777 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH | ONALASKA, WI | $237,225 | 2026 | FAITH |
| OUTDOOR RECREATION ALLIANCE | LA CROSSE, WI | $187,325 | 2026 | RECREATION AND WELLNESS |
| THE CENTER 7 RIVERS LGBTQ CONNECTION | LA CROSSE, WI | $183,300 | 2026 | CULTURE AND DIVERSITY |
| RENAISSANCE CHARITABLE FOUNDATION INC | INDIANAPOLIS, IN | $131,077 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT |
| COULEECAP | WESTBY, WI | $121,966 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| THE GOOD FIGHT COMMUNITY CENTER | LA CROSSE, WI | $112,500 | 2026 | RECREATION AND WELLNESS |
| FATHER JOSEPH WALIJEWSKI LEGACY GUILD CASA HOGAR | LA CROSSE, WI | $102,000 | 2026 | FAITH |
| RIVERSIDE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP GARDENS | LA CROSSE, WI | $101,700 | 2026 | CULTURE AND DIVERSITY |
| WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $94,900 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| WOMEN'S FUND OF GREATER LA CROSSE INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $94,800 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT |
| KARUNA INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $88,500 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| LA CROSSE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY | LA CROSSE, WI | $82,506 | 2026 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| LA CROSSE DISCOVERY CAMPUS INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $80,000 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT |
| FAMILY & CHILDREN'S CENTER | LA CROSSE, WI | $77,756 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| VITERBO UNIVERSITY | LA CROSSE, WI | $68,854 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| YWCA LA CROSSE | LA CROSSE, WI | $66,248 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| UWL ALUMNI & FRIENDS FOUNDATION | LA CROSSE, WI | $66,087 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| SAINT CLARE HEALTH MISSION INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $60,355 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LA CROSSE | LA CROSSE, WI | $60,190 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| CIA SIAB INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $59,000 | 2026 | CULTURE AND DIVERSITY |
| LA CROSSE AREA FAMILY YMCA | LA CROSSE, WI | $54,245 | 2026 | RECREATION AND WELLNESS |
| LA CROSSE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $53,152 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| ADULT & TEEN CHALLENGE OF WESTERN WISCONSIN INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $50,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| LA CROSSE COMMUNITY THEATRE | LA CROSSE, WI | $49,716 | 2026 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| LA CROSSE NEIGHBORHOODS INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $48,038 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT |
| ONALASKA EDUCATION FOUNDATION | ONALASKA, WI | $48,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| COULEE COUNCIL ON ADDICTIONS DBA COULEE RECOVERY CENTER | LA CROSSE, WI | $46,700 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| UNIVERSITY OF MINNESOTA FOUNDATION | MINNEAPOLIS, MN | $40,700 | 2026 | EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP |
| CASA FOR KIDS | ONALASKA, WI | $40,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| COUNTY OF MONROE | SPARTA, WI | $39,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| WAFER INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $38,895 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| THEEXCHANGESHELTER DEVELOPMENT INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $38,100 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT |
| THE PARENTING PLACE | LA CROSSE, WI | $37,670 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| SCOUTING AMERICA GATEWAY AREA COUNCIL | LA CROSSE, WI | $35,902 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| MISSISSIPPI VALLEY CONSERVANCY | LA CROSSE, WI | $34,640 | 2026 | ENVIRONMENT |
| COULEE REGION ALLIANCE FOR THE VISUAL ARTS INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $33,800 | 2026 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| THE HUNGER TASK FORCE OF LA CROSSE INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $30,400 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $29,500 | 2026 | COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT |
| THE SALVATION ARMY | LA CROSSE, WI | $28,169 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| NEW HORIZONS SHELTER & OUTREACH CTRS | LA CROSSE, WI | $27,910 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | LA CROSSE, WI | $27,433 | 2026 | FAITH |
| WORKFORCE CONNECTIONS INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $26,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| PUMP HOUSE REGIONAL ARTS CENTER | LA CROSSE, WI | $25,192 | 2026 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| VILLAGE OF HOLMEN | HOLMEN, WI | $25,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF WISCONSIN | MILWAUKEE, WI | $24,750 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
| LA CROSSE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC | LA CROSSE, WI | $24,529 | 2026 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| MENTAL HEALTH COALITION OF GREATER LA CROSSE | LA CROSSE, WI | $23,000 | 2026 | HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES |
CITY OF ONALASKA
$286,754RECREATION AND WELLNESS
FIRST LUTHERAN CHURCH
$237,225FAITH
OUTDOOR RECREATION ALLIANCE
$187,325RECREATION AND WELLNESS
THE CENTER 7 RIVERS LGBTQ CONNECTION
CULTURE AND DIVERSITY
THE GOOD FIGHT COMMUNITY CENTER
$112,500RECREATION AND WELLNESS
FATHER JOSEPH WALIJEWSKI LEGACY GUILD CASA HOGAR
$102,000FAITH
RIVERSIDE INTERNATIONAL FRIENDSHIP GARDENS
$101,700CULTURE AND DIVERSITY
WESTERN TECHNICAL COLLEGE FOUNDATION INC
$94,900EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP
KARUNA INC
$88,500HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
LA CROSSE COUNTY HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$82,506ARTS AND HUMANITIES
LA CROSSE DISCOVERY CAMPUS INC
$80,000COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
FAMILY & CHILDREN'S CENTER
$77,756HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
YWCA LA CROSSE
$66,248HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
SCHOOL DISTRICT OF LA CROSSE
$60,190EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP
CIA SIAB INC
$59,000CULTURE AND DIVERSITY
LA CROSSE PUBLIC EDUCATION FOUNDATION INC
$53,152EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP
LA CROSSE COMMUNITY THEATRE
$49,716ARTS AND HUMANITIES
LA CROSSE NEIGHBORHOODS INC
$48,038COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
ONALASKA EDUCATION FOUNDATION
$48,000EDUCATION AND SCHOLARSHIP
COULEE COUNCIL ON ADDICTIONS DBA COULEE RECOVERY CENTER
$46,700HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
CASA FOR KIDS
$40,000HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
COUNTY OF MONROE
$39,000HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
THEEXCHANGESHELTER DEVELOPMENT INC
$38,100COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
SCOUTING AMERICA GATEWAY AREA COUNCIL
$35,902ENVIRONMENT
COULEE REGION ALLIANCE FOR THE VISUAL ARTS INC
$33,800ARTS AND HUMANITIES
THE HUNGER TASK FORCE OF LA CROSSE INC
$30,400HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
AMERICAN FRIENDS SERVICE COMMITTEE
$29,500COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
THE SALVATION ARMY
$28,169HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
NEW HORIZONS SHELTER & OUTREACH CTRS
$27,910HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
FIRST PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$27,433FAITH
WORKFORCE CONNECTIONS INC
$26,000HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
PUMP HOUSE REGIONAL ARTS CENTER
$25,192ARTS AND HUMANITIES
VILLAGE OF HOLMEN
$25,000HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES
LA CROSSE SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC
$24,529ARTS AND HUMANITIES
MENTAL HEALTH COALITION OF GREATER LA CROSSE
$23,000HEALTH AND HUMAN SERVICES