Why Give to LCF?

Many people look to give back to the community that they have been a part of and that has supported them and their loved ones.  The La Crosse Community Foundation ensures that heartfelt giving—however and whatever one choses to give—will have an impact.  Notably, an impact that is lasting and sustainable, and will make a profound difference now and for generations to come.

A gift to your local community foundation is truly an investment in your community’s future and in making life better for so many. As we like to say at the La Crosse Community Foundation, all gifts are “For Good. Forever.”

How We Work with You

Our team of knowledgeable, skilled professionals provide excellent service to help you enhance your giving experience. We provide these personalized donor services:

  • Help creating a charitable giving plan that captures your values, beliefs and convictions
  • Ways to engage your child(ren) or other family members in charitable giving
  • Meetings with other donors who share similar charitable interests
  • Information about pressing community needs, and area nonprofits poised to address those needs
  • Site visits to see charitable work in action in the community.
  • Information about specific grant opportunities that match your interests.
  • Options for you to grow your fund through thoughtful and tax-effective gifts made during your lifetime and through your estate.
  • Help to document your story of giving for future generations

Benefits of Giving to La Crosse Community Foundation

While donors technically give to La Crosse Community Foundation, their gifts are passed through to area nonprofits. There are many benefits to allowing the Foundation to help you achieve your charitable goals:

  • Simplicity – One contribution can address many different needs and/or charitable organizations
  • Tax Benefits – Contributions qualify for maximum deductions for income, gift, and estate purposes
  • Professional Management – The Foundation’s professional staff and voluntary board provide careful administration and oversight
  • Perpetuity – The funds will serve the community now and in the future because only the earnings are spent
  • Security – All assets are held in perpetuity with careful stewardship of all gifts
  • Flexibility – If the intended use of a gift should ever become obsolete, the Foundation will strive to follow your wishes while allowing for changes that occur in every viable community
  • Public Accountability – Annual independent auditing, public disclosure of all grant activities, and careful selection of board members assure accountability and transparency in the public interest
  • Permanence – Your fund is reinvesting every single year in a greater community
  • Family Involvement – Your family members can remain engaged in local philanthropy in the community in which they were raised even if they live outside of the La Crosse area
  • Cost Effectiveness – Community foundations are the most cost-effective way to support your community