The St. Croix Valley Foundation Awards First Round Capacity Building Grants to 22 Nonprofits Across the Valley

$440,000 Invested to Strengthen Leadership, Systems, Strategies, and Sustainability of Nonprofits

The St. Croix Valley Foundation has awarded nearly $440,000 in Capacity Building Grants to 22 nonprofit organizations across the six counties that border the St. Croix River, marking the first round of funding through its new Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program.

In this inaugural round, 53 nonprofits applied for funding, requesting nearly $2.5 million, underscoring the urgency nonprofit leaders are facing and the strong demand for investments that strengthen leadership, systems, and long-term sustainability.

Following a rigorous review process, the Foundation intentionally funded proposals that demonstrated clarity, readiness, and a focused approach to capacity building, setting a clear standard for the initiatives this new program is designed to support.

“What stood out to us was not just the number of applications in this first round, but what it reveals about the challenges nonprofits face today,” said Angie Pilgrim, Vice President of Community Impact at the St. Croix Valley Foundation.

“Nonprofit leaders are under real pressure right now—facing growing community needs, funding uncertainty, and limited capacity. This program was created to respond to that reality, investing in strategic, long-term work that helps organizations become more resilient and better positioned to serve their communities. As this work moves forward, we’re learning alongside our nonprofit partners and will continue to refine the program based on what we’re hearing.”

Investing in the Systems Behind the Mission

Among the organizations receiving first-round awards is Our Neighbors’ Place, which received an Implementation Grant to support the organization’s transition from paper-based client files to a fully integrated electronic case management and records system. The project is designed to streamline workflows, strengthen data tracking and reporting, improve compliance, and allow staff to spend more time supporting individuals and families experiencing homelessness.

“This funding allows us to finally move forward on systems changes we’ve been planning for years,” said Shelly Smith, Executive Director of Our Neighbors’ Place. “By modernizing how we manage client information, we can reduce administrative burden on staff, strengthen accountability, and ultimately provide better, more responsive support to the people we serve.”

Aquatic Invasive Species Decon Unit at Wild Rivers Conservancy

For Wild Rivers Conservancy of the St. Croix and Namekagon, an Experiences Grant is supporting targeted professional development for staff during a period of organizational growth and leadership transition. The funding invests in advanced training in fundraising leadership, financial strategy, communications, and program safety, building internal expertise that will guide the organization through its next chapter.

“As our organization grows, it’s critical that our leadership and staff have the skills and systems in place to grow responsibly,” said Matt Poppleton, Executive Director of Wild Rivers Conservancy of the St. Croix and Namekagon. “Investing in professional development right now strengthens our ability to steward the Riverway and serve our communities for generations to come.”

Other funded projects include organizations strengthening operational systems, investing in leadership and financial capacity during periods of transition, and engaging in thoughtful planning that positions them for collaboration and long-term sustainability.

Together, these projects illustrate how capacity-building investments translate into meaningful, behind-the-scenes improvements that strengthen how organizations develop staff, plan for the future, manage information, and deliver programs and services.

First-Round Capacity Building Grant Recipients

The following 22 organizations received first-round awards through the Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program:

Organization Name	Project Name	Funding Avenue	Grant Amount
Amery Area Community Center	Sustainability for Senior Services in the St. Croix Valley	Planning	$24,975
Belwin Conservancy	Strategic Planning	Planning	$20,000
Carpenter St. Croix Valley Nature Center	2026 Strategic Planning Initiative	Planning	$9,975
Christian Community Homes and Services, Inc.	Culture Is More Than Doughnuts: Workplace Engagement Experiences	Experience	$10,000
Community Referral Agency	CRA Staff Training	Experience	$4,955
Franconia Sculpture Park	Franconia 3.0	Implementation	$95,776
Hope for Earth	Hope for Earth - Planning for a Sustainable Future	Planning	$8,000
New Richmond Area Centre, Ltd	Capacity and Sustainability Planning Project	Planning	$15,000
North Woods and Waters of the St. Croix Heritage Area	Building Capacity through Shared Heritage: Phase I, Planning	Planning	$24,844
Northwood Technical College Foundation	CASE District V & VI Annual Conference	Experience	$5,000
Our Neighbors' Place	Goodbye Paper Files	Implementation	$84,400
Polk County Historical Society	Northwestern Wisconsin Museum Connections	System-Wide Infrastructure	$10,000
Rise, Incorporated	Disability Leadership Development in Wisconsin	Experience	$9,927
Scandia Heritage Alliance	Develop Donor Database	Implementation	$7,150
St Croix Therapy	Generations of Hope - Strengthening our Community, One Child at a Time	Implementation	$18,000
Stillwater Public Library Foundation	Future Forward: Strategic Planning	Planning	$15,000
Sustainable Stillwater MN	Strategic Planning, Messaging, and Capacity Growth Initiative	Planning	$10,000
The Acreage at Osceola	Vision 2050: A Sustainability Framework for the Future	Planning	$22,500
United Way St. Croix and Red Cedar Valleys	Strengthening Talent for Community Impact	Experience	$10,000
Valley Outreach	Organizational and Infrastructure Assessment	Planning	$17,000
Wild Rivers Conservancy of the St. Croix and Namekagon	Professional Experiences	Experience	$10,000
Youth Advantage, Inc.	Investing in Efficiency: Expanding Access and Impact	Implementation	$7,000
TOTAL			$439,502

The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program is made possible through the Nonprofit Stability Collaborative Fund—a bold, $3.5 million investment in the strength and sustainability of St. Croix Valley nonprofits.

Established at the St. Croix Valley Foundation in 2025 by regional philanthropic partners, the Fred C. and Katherine B. Andersen Foundation and the Hugh J. Andersen Foundation, the Fund was created in direct response to an unprecedented moment for the nonprofit sector.

The Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant Program offers quarterly review cycles and funding across four avenues: Experiences, Planning, Implementation, and System-Wide Infrastructure. Applications received by February 28, 2026, will be reviewed in March 2026.

More information about the program and application process is available here.