ABOUT US

Founded in 1926 as a tax-exempt public charity, we are a collection of endowed and donor-advised charitable funds established by individuals, families, organizations, and businesses.

To establish these charitable funds, we accept gifts of any size to advance civic, cultural, educational, health, and welfare organizations and initiatives in Kenosha County.

From these charitable funds, we allocate grants to local not-for-profit organizations, award scholarships to deserving area students, and sponsor Kenosha area cultural and social initiatives and events.

We are a member of the Council on Foundations and operate in compliance with the Council’s National Standards for Community Foundations.

We proudly #GiveLocalKenosha.

Our Mission:
Helping people to enhance the present and insure the future of the Kenosha Community.

News from the Foundation

REMINDER – PROPOSALS FOR GRANTS FROM FIELD OF INTEREST FUNDS DUE TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29

Local not-for-profit organizations can now apply for 2021 grants from four of our Field of Interest Funds.

We are seeking proposals to be funded from the following endowment funds:

  • OMC Legacy Fund – Supports programs and activities that improve the general welfare and enhance the quality of life for youth in the greater Kenosha community.
  • LaFave Family Fund – Supports programs and organizations that promote understanding, communication and a sense of tolerance between individuals and groups through education, arts and humanities.
  • Women’s Fund – Supports programs that create opportunities for women and children through responsive philanthropy and community involvement.
  • Kenosha Arts Fund – Supports non-profit organizations that offer arts programming with the purpose of enhancing the culture, economy and quality of life in Kenosha County.

    • Applications must be received by the Foundation no later than 4 p.m. Tuesday, September 29, 2020.

    For the 2021 grant cycle, we have shortened, clarified, and simplified the application form, based on lessons learned from the just-completed 2020 grant cycle.

    Click here for grant application forms. For further advice on grant writing visit Our Rant on Grants page.

    ANNOUNCING THE 2020 RECIPIENTS OF THE CROPLEY SCHOLARSHIP

    2020 Cropley Scholarship RecipientsThe following four Kenosha County residents are this year’s recipients of the Foundation’s Cropley Scholarships:

    Wylie Jackson, a junior at University of Wisconsin (UW)-LaCrosse.
    Keydi Osorio, a sophomore at UW-Parkside.
    Molly Robbins, a senior at UW-Whitewater.
    Ashley Stich, a sophomore at UW-Parkside.

    Click here to learn more about each recipient.

    These students will receive the $3,000 scholarship Cropley Scholarship. In 2020, 24 college students from Kenosha County applied for the scholarship.

    CONSIDER SUPPORTING KENOSHA RECOVERY EFFORTS

    To help Kenosha address the aftermath of recent incidents, please consider supporting recovery efforts in our Downtown and Uptown neighborhoods as organized by Downtown Kenosha, Inc. (DKI). Please visit www.downtownkenosha.org for details and a link to DKI’s GoFundMe campaign.

    We are #OneKenosha and #KenoshaStrong. #StaySafe and #StayInvolved.

    ON DISPLAY IN DOWNTOWN KENOSHA

    The 2019-2021 Sculpture Walk-HarborPark Exhibition
    Click on the logo above to see photos of the current exhibition.
    Sculpture Walk-HarborPark is presented by the Foundation's Kenosha Arts Fund.