The David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region has awarded 22 grants totaling over $2.5 million.
The Nelsons, who lived in De Pere, left more than $100 million from their estate to create the David L. and Rita E. Nelson Family Fund.
This year’s support was awarded to the following projects:
- Friends of High Cliff State Park, $500,000 for remediation and restoration of the Lime Kiln Trail.
- Friends of the Fox River Trail, $250,000 to support trail expansion and pavement upgrades.
- City of Kaukauna, $250,000 for the Grignon Mansion Community Park Project.
- City of Kaukauna, $240,000 to replace boardwalk and make other trail updates at 1000 Islands Environmental Center.
- City of Menasha, $200,000 to enhance Jefferson Park, designated for the Boat Launch.
- Thompson Center on Lourdes, $200,000 for their Celebrate Life Capital Campaign, which will secure and refurbish a long-term facility.
- Community Early Learning Center, $100,000 for technology and furnishing upgrades to conference rooms used for professional development training, presentations, and virtual meetings.
- First Five Fox Valley, $100,000 for their Fox Valley Family Resource Center.
- Fox Valley Literacy Council, $100,000 for a research initiative gauging literacy needs in the area.
- Appleton Historical Society, $100,000 to support the purchase and renovation of a historic building, providing space for public displays, exhibitions, community programs, and archives.
- Gordon Bubolz Nature Preserve, $100,000 to support sustainable trail restoration and infrastructure.
- Divine Savior Holy Angel High School, $75,000 for the Rita E. Nelson Family Scholarship Fund.
- Hazelwood Historic House
- Brown County Historical Society, $51,000 to support restoration projects at the Hazelwood Historic House.
- United Way of the Fox Cities, $50,000 to support the launch of the Fox Valley Data Exchange.
- Mosaic Family Health, $50,000 to support the foundational work of building a Health Equity Hub.
- Appleton Community Music, $50,000 to support the Mile of Music Festival.
- Us 2 Behavioral Health, $50,000 to support the purchase and renovation of an office building in Appleton, allowing the organization to expand its services.
- Wisconsin Broadcasters Association Foundation, $20,000 grant to increase the endowment for their David L. Nelson Scholarship Fund, supporting students pursuing a career in media.
- Girl Scouts on Low Ropes Course
- Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, $20,000 for a land survey at the East Service Center in Appleton, allowing the organization to strategically plan their outdoor spaces, and for the purchase of outdoor education supplies.
- Patriot Racing Project, $20,000 for the restoration of the sailboat Stjanra, which will increase the organization’s capacity to engage veterans to participate in weekly sailing races throughout the Bay of Green Bay.
- SCORE Fox Cities, $10,000 to support BIZ Talk, a radio show dedicated to educating people about small businesses and nonprofits in the Fox Cities area.
- Green Bay Firefighters Historic Preservation Foundation, $3,600 for the purchase of two historic Green Bay firefighter helmets.
Since the Nelson Family Fund was created seven years ago, it has provided over $27 million in grants.
