Eau Claire Community Foundation

Eau Claire Community Foundation

Founded in 1997, the Eau Claire Community Foundation connects donors with charitable organizations in Wisconsin's Chippewa Valley. The foundation traces its early momentum to Society of Founders members Ken and Roberta Vance. Today it manages multiple vehicles including the Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation, the Rusk County Community Foundation, and a Women's Giving Circle, making it a hub for regional philanthropy. ECCF deploys grants across education, community development, and local nonprofit support. The foundation holds a diversified investment portfolio and holds mineral royalty interests, a less common asset for community foundations. It also maintains a cryptocurrency donation program, signaling a posture that accommodates modern giving vehicles. The foundation's partnership with the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation brought over $9.3 million in assets under its management in 2024. President and CEO Wesley Escondo joined ECCF in 2023. Sue Bornick, formerly the Executive Director, now serves as Donor Services Director. The foundation is a member of the Eau Claire Area Chamber of Commerce and is confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. The main office operates from 306 S. Barstow Street in downtown Eau Claire. ECCF's structural differentiator is its role as a consolidator of local philanthropic assets. The 2024 absorption of the Hospital Sisters of St. Francis Foundation's assets — an uncommon transfer of scale for a community foundation — positions ECCF as an aggregator for regional charitable endowments. Its investment portfolio blends traditional endowment management with exposure to real assets through mineral royalties.