Community Vision Fund

The Community Vision Fund, established by the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, aims to address community needs and promote well-being in Calumet, Outagamie, Shawano, Waupaca, and the Neenah-Menasha area of Winnebago counties in Wisconsin. This grant program aligns with the foundation's mission by fostering a thriving community through strategic investments in various focus areas. The fund provides grants ranging from $1,000 to $20,000, with up to $2,500 available for community event sponsorships, seeking to create broad and positive societal impact. The primary target beneficiaries of this fund are under-resourced and historically excluded communities and organizations, as well as rural communities within the specified counties. The fund also prioritizes organizations and programs led by individuals with lived experience related to the issues being addressed, aiming for solutions that are deeply rooted in community understanding. The overarching impact goals are to advance well-being for all by supporting initiatives in critical areas such as Arts and Culture, Community and Neighborhood Development, Environment, Financial Stability and Well-being, and Nonprofit Effectiveness. The program's priorities and focuses are clearly defined to maximize its impact. Beyond the general focus areas, the fund specifically prioritizes requests that invest in systems change efforts and systems thinking, encouraging long-term, sustainable solutions rather than short-term fixes. A crucial strategic priority is the application of a diversity, equity, inclusion, and antiracism (DEIA) lens to all grantmaking decisions, ensuring that funding promotes equitable opportunities and addresses systemic disparities. While specific measurable outcomes are not explicitly detailed in the provided information, the fund's strategic priorities imply expected outcomes such as increased equity, improved community well-being, enhanced organizational effectiveness, and positive systems-level change within the targeted communities. By investing in under-resourced populations, rural areas, and initiatives led by those with lived experience, the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region operates with a theory of change that believes in empowering local communities and fostering inclusive development for lasting positive impact.