Mental Health Support Fund Grants

Mental Health Support Fund Grants is sponsored by Door County Community Foundation. These grants aim to enhance mental health awareness and education in Door County, WI, supporting programs that directly contribute to mental healthcare initiatives.

The Door County Community Foundation is pleased to announce that the Door County Growing Older Fund is now accepting applications for Sustainability Grants aimed at supporting initiatives that address the unique challenges of aging populations. This funding opportunity extends to organizations serving Columbia County, Grant County, and Polk County, Wisconsin during our fall grant cycle.

The Growing Older Fund invests in initiatives that work to address the diverse issues and opportunities associated with aging, foster intergenerational connections, and help build supportive communities where all residents can age with dignity and independence. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount, but we anticipate awarding multiple grants averaging $2,500.

The following do not qualify for a Sustainability Grant: Retiring debt or budget deficits Loans or re-granting programs Multi-year commitments (charities may reapply in future cycles for the same idea) Activities that advance a particular religious belief (religious organizations should contact the Community Foundation to discuss specific project ideas before applying) Individuals or groups that are not qualified public charities or units of government While we recognize the importance of all of these activities, our Board has made a strategic decision to focus the priorities of our Sustainability Grants elsewhere.

We generally do not make grants to pay for activities that have been contracted or that occur prior to the awarding of a Sustainability Grant. Fundraising expenses, capital campaigns and grants to an endowment are generally not supported by Sustainability Grants unless the applicant can articulate special circumstances which make their request particularly important.

Each charity is limited to one application per Sustainability Grant cycle. Please complete the Community Foundation’s Common Grant Application and submit via email to applications@givedoorcounty. org .

The Chief Executive of your organization must review the entire Application Packet and sign the Application Form accordingly. This is an important step in the process as on occasion we have received applications that were submitted without the knowledge of the charity’s senior management. To protect your organization and ours, we now require that your Chief Executive review your Application Packet before we will consider it.

For purposes of this application, the “Chief Executive” is generally the highest ranking paid staff person in your organization. In many charities it is the Executive Director or President & CEO. For schools, the Principal must sign the Application Form.

For units of government, the highest ranking official such as a Mayor or Village Administrator must sign. For an all-volunteer organization, the Board President should sign the Application Form. We will accept the typed name and email address of the Chief Executive typed on the Application Form as an “electronic signature” if the Application Packet is submitted by email.

However, please note that if it is not an original signature, we may contact the Chief Executive listed on the form to confirm their electronic signature. While it’s permissible to combine multiple projects with a strong and natural correlation into a single application, the budget on the application should separate the individual line-item expenses by project.

For instance, rather than adding up the total design, equipment, and labor costs for all three projects into single line items, instead, list them by individual project. Fall Sustainability Grant Cycle* Applications Due: 4th Monday of September at 4:00 p. m.

Grant recipients agree to provide a Final Report as a condition of receiving a grant. All grantees must submit a completed Final Report via email to grants@givedoorcounty. org within 60 days of the expenditure of the Community Foundation’s grant funds.

Carl Scholz Fund for Nature and Learning www. thefriendsofwhitefishdunes. org The Friends of Whitefish Dunes, Inc. established the Carl Scholz Fund for Nature and Learning in memory of founding member and Sevastopol educator, Carl Scholz.

His love of Door County was evident in all that he did. His advocacy was paramount in establishing Whitefish Dunes State Park. Education and environmental issues were his passion, and he guided the Friends group in the supporting themes of preserving the Park’s unique dunes habitat and the need to engage residents and visitors in learning about these habitats.

This fund will be used for efforts to preserve and protect the Park’s unique environment and to aid visitors in learning about it through various Friends projects, including the support of an on-site naturalist and related programming. Destination Door County has launched the Community Investment Fund which will use dollars generated by visitors to improve the quality of life for those who live and work in Door County .

Central to the work of Destination Door County is an effort to ensure that every visitor has an enjoyable experience. While Door County is a naturally welcoming community, DDC’s primary reason for ensuring visitors enjoy their experience in Door County is because it benefits our residents.

When people visit Door County, they spend money here – creating jobs for our families, generating incremental tax dollars, providing us economic opportunities, and supporting the amenities that enhance the quality of life for those of us lucky enough to call Door County home. We use tourism to build a better life for the residents of Door County.

The Community Investment Fund, created in partnership with the Door County Community Foundation, is a natural evolution of Destination Door County’s work. Using a portion of the room tax dollars paid by visitors, the Community Investment Fund will offer grants to projects that improve the quality of life for those who live and work in Door County. It’s yet another example that tourism makes life better for Door County residents.

Wisconsin State Statutes require that we use room tax dollars in ways that benefit visitors, so that must be a requirement of any application to the Community Investment Fund. However, to earn a grant from the Community Investment Fund a project must also demonstrate how it will meaningfully improve the quality of life for residents of Door County.

Grant awards will vary greatly, ranging from just a few thousand dollars to potentially into the hundreds of thousands. We anticipate that the average grant will be about $100,000, but more modest requests are welcome and encouraged. Qualified applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities, 501(c)(6) organizations, and units of government.

Given that the Community Investment Fund must comply with complex Wisconsin State Statute rules regarding the use of room tax dollars, we strongly encourage applicants to reach out to the Community Foundation for an informal assessment of their idea prior to the submission of a formal application. Email grants@givedoorcounty. org or call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 to schedule an appointment.

Community Investment Fund Grant Guidelines The specific priorities of the Community Investment Fund are: Creative ideas that have a meaningful impact on the people who live and work in Door County Impact crosses municipal boundaries Leverages additional resources Residents experience the positive impact of tourism The more of these priorities that are addressed by an application, the more likely it is that a project will receive a grant.

We do not make grants to pay for activities that have been contracted or that occur prior to the awarding of a Community Investment Fund Grant. Most Common Types of Projects To help you understand how to meet statutory requirements, projects appropriate for funding from the Community Investment Fund usually fall into at least one of the three categories defined below.

The most common type of application that will meet statutory requirements are tangible developments that improve the likelihood that tourists will visit a municipality in Door County. These include capital construction projects as well as upgrades and expansions of existing facilities. The installation of permanent exhibits will often qualify, as might customer-facing items and equipment that improve their experience.

Appropriate “tangible” projects will result in something that has a definable physical form which are long-term, reusable, or permanent in nature. These kinds of projects are more challenging to qualify under state statutes but might still be appropriate under certain circumstances.

The most common examples are activities, programs, or events that will be marketed broadly and have significant appeal beyond the normal audience or customers served by the applicant. Projects of this type often involve the conveying of information to the public. Wayfinding or interpretive signage is acceptable.

Supporting the salaries of nature guides or gallery docents may be appropriate in certain circumstances. If your activities provide useful information that is relevant to those visiting Door County, the operating costs associated with those activities may qualify. Please confer with the professional staff for more information.

The three categories above articulate the most common types of appropriate applications, but the Community Investment Fund is also willing to have a conversation about the uncommon project – the innovative idea that doesn’t neatly fit into any of these boxes but will still have a meaningful impact on visitors and residents alike.

Creative thinking that pushes the envelope is strongly encouraged, but nobody wants to waste time developing an idea that just isn’t permissible under state statutes. That’s why all prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to bring their ideas to the Community Foundation for a conversation before taking the time to complete a formal application. Email grants@givedoorcounty.

org or call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 to schedule an appointment. Projects Prohibited by Wisconsin State Statutes Unfortunately, the Community Investment Fund is not able to provide financial support for any kind of lodging or housing project. Wisconsin State Statutes expressly prohibit the use of room tax dollars for that purpose.

However, if you are interested in building affordable workforce housing, we encourage you to learn more about the Workforce Housing Lending Corporation , another project of the Community Foundation that is helping finance the construction of affordable multi-family units.

Please complete the Community Foundation’s Common Grant Application and the Community Investment Fund Addendum A and submit both via email to applications@givedoorcounty. org . The application documents may be downloaded and saved to your computer while working on them.

Each organization is limited to one application per Grant Cycle. However, organizations may submit applications in successive Grant Cycles or to the other granting programs of the Community Foundation that might be open at the same time. The Chief Executive of your organization must review the entire Application Packet and sign the Application Form accordingly.

This is an important step in the process as on occasion we have received applications that were submitted without the knowledge of the charity’s senior management. To protect your organization and ours, we now require that your Chief Executive review your Application Packet before we will consider it. For purposes of this application, the “Chief Executive” is generally the highest-ranking paid staff person in your organization.

In many charities, it is the Executive Director or President & CEO. For schools, the Superintendent must sign the Application Form. For units of government, the highest-ranking official such as a Mayor or Village Administrator must sign.

For an all-volunteer organization, the Board President should sign the Application Form. We will accept the typed name and email address of the Chief Executive typed on the Application Form as an “electronic signature” if the Application Packet is submitted by email . However, please note that if it is not an original signature, we may contact the Chief Executive listed on the form to confirm their electronic signature.

Letters of Support from Innkeepers Consistent with Wisconsin State Statutes, the Community Investment Fund can only invest in projects that will be significantly used by tourists AND are reasonably likely to lead to an increase in paid overnight stays.

If you cannot provide hard data that demonstrates your project meets both these statutory requirements, we strongly suggest you secure at least two Letters of Support from nearby innkeepers such as hotels, motels, inns, resorts, lodges, B&Bs, or short-term rentals. The Letter of Support should make clear that the innkeeper believes that your project will be used by their guests and is likely to lead to additional overnight stays.

Letters of Support should be submitted as PDF files along with your other application materials to applications@givedoorcounty. org . Combining Individual Projects into a Single Application It is permissible to include multiple projects in a single application so long as each individual project has a strong and natural correlation with the others.

For instance, consider a municipality seeking grants to fund a beach improvement effort, the construction of a new playground, and the expansion of a shelter. If all three of these projects occur in close proximity to each other at a single park, they have a strong and natural correlation and thus may be combined into a single application.

In another example, consider an organization that wants to install wayfinding and interpretive signage on multiple properties spread out across the County. While the installation of the signage will occur on individual properties far apart from each other, the types and purposes of the signs are similar everywhere and thus can be combined into a single application because they have a strong and natural correlation to each other.

Individual projects that do not have a strong and natural correlation must be submitted on separate applications. Please remember that applicants are allowed only one application per grant cycle. While it’s permissible to combine multiple projects with a strong and natural correlation into a single application, the budget on the application should separate the individual line-item expenses by project.

For instance, rather than adding up the total design, equipment, and labor costs for all three projects into single line items, instead, list them by individual project. Community Investment Fund applications are accepted multiple times a year as follows: Spring Community Investment Fund Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of March at 4:00 p. m.

Summer Community Investment Fund Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of June at 4:00 p. m. Fall Community Investment Fund Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of September at 4:00 p.

m. Winter Community Investment Fund Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of December at 4:00 p. m.

Please provide your contact information if you would like to receive emails announcing when applications become available for the various grant programs of the Community Foundation. Submit your completed Common Grant Application and Community Investment Fund Addendum A via email to applications@givedoorcounty. org .

On occasion, our spam filters inadvertently screen out emails from some charities. You should receive an email within 3 business days of our receipt of your application confirming its receipt. If you do not receive this confirmation, please call (920) 746-1786 to confirm that we received your application materials.

Applicants will be notified of a decision about 7 weeks after the application deadline. Given that the Community Investment Fund must comply with complex Wisconsin State Statute rules regarding the use of room tax dollars, we strongly encourage applicants to reach out to the Community Foundation for an informal assessment of their idea prior to the submission of a formal application. Email grants@givedoorcounty.

org or call the Community Foundation at (920) 746-1786 to schedule an appointment. Grant recipients agree to provide a Final Report as a condition of receiving a grant. All grantees must submit a completed Final Report via email to grants@givedoorcounty.

org within 60 days of the expenditure of the Community Foundation’s grant funds. Following the announcement of the Community Investment Fund Grants, Destination Door County and the Door County Community Foundation held multiple informational sessions for anyone interested in learning more about the Community Investment Fund and how the grant application process will work. The virtual session was recorded for those unable to attend.

Door County Service Club Coalition Youth Grant Programs The Door County Service Club Coalition has partnered with the Community Foundation to offer two separate youth grant programs. Youth as Resources Grants Purpose: To provide financial support to projects in which youth use their skills, talents, and abilities to serve or educate others, with a specific focus on benefiting others within Door County. Typical Grants: Average of $200.

Maximum of $500, although exceptional projects may qualify for higher levels of funding. Eligible Applicants: Any youth group comprised primarily of residents of Door County, be it organized or informal, may apply. Application Materials: To apply, first download the Youth as Resources grant application .

Handwritten responses are acceptable. Purpose: To provide financial support to Door County theatrical productions in which youth play a significant role in its production and/or on-stage performance. Typical Grants: Maximum of $500.

Eligible Applicants: Any charitable, educational, civic or youth group comprised primarily of residents of Door County be it organized or informal, may apply. Application Process: To apply, download and complete the Youth in Theatre grant application . Handwritten responses are acceptable.

Applications are due by 4:00 pm on the first business day of the month as follows: Thursday, October 1, 2026 Tuesday, December 1, 2026 Youth Presentations to Service Club Coalition Board of Directors Wednesday, October 21, 2026 begins at 5:00 p. m. Wednesday, December 16, 2026 begins at 5:00 p.

m. Wednesday, March 17, 2027 begins at 5:00 p. m.

Wednesday, May 19, 2027 begins at 5:00 p. m. General Guidelines for Both Grant Programs Your application must be received in the offices of the Door County Community Foundation by 4 p.

m. on the application deadline noted above. For applications submitted by high school and middle school age students, the application itself must be completed by the students.

For younger children, an adult may complete the application in consultation with the youth. The idea is to ensure that the project is largely initiated by the youth themselves. Applications may be handwritten.

As a part of the review process, at least one youth representative from your group is required to present your project idea to the approximately seven (7) Reviewers at a meeting in Sturgeon Bay on the corresponding Youth Presentation date noted above. You will be informed of the location of the meeting and the specific time slot for your presentation shortly after you apply.

On occasion, our spam filters inadvertently screen out emails from some charities. You should receive an email within three (3) business days of our receipt of your application confirming its receipt. If you do not receive this confirmation, please call (920) 746-1786 to confirm that we received your application materials.

The Youth Presentation should not exceed five (5) minutes and will be followed by questions. High school age students are expected to make their presentation without any assistance from an adult. Middle school age children may be prompted and assisted by an adult.

Elementary school age children should be available to answer questions, but an adult may make the presentation. Applicants will be informed of the final decision within two (2) days after their Youth Presentation is made. If the application is awarded a grant, a brief final report presentation is required.

Only one application per youth group will be accepted in each grant cycle. However, a charity may have several different youth groups which apply under the auspices of the same charity so long as different children are involved in each of the youth groups. Faith based groups are welcome and encouraged to apply, but grant funds may not be used to advance any particular religious belief.

No one may be denied participation in a project that is funded because they do not hold a particular religious belief. Any equipment purchased as a part of the grant must be owned by a 501(c)(3) public charity or donated to one after the completion of the project. Grant funds may be used to pay salaries, but only in unique circumstances which must be explained in the application.

Applicants that apply under the umbrella of a 501(c)(3) public charity, school or government agency will receive a check payable to the organization shortly after the grant is approved. Applicants that do not operate under the umbrella of a charity, school or government agency will be reimbursed for expenses after receipts and other documentation are presented as proof of actual expenditures.

We’re happy to answer any questions and help guide you through the application process. Contact us at the Community Foundation for assistance. Mail your completed application form to the Door County Community Foundation.

It also may be delivered by hand to our office in downtown Sturgeon Bay. A drop box is outside the door for afterhours delivery. Click here for mailing addresses and directions.

You may also email your application as a PDF file. Advancement Grants invest in collaborative efforts which lead to systemic change and advance our quality of life in Door County. Advancement Grants invest in collaborative efforts which lead to systemic change and advance our quality of life in Door County.

These grants support initiatives which look at entire systems in our community and work to bring about greater efficiencies, if not a whole scale change, in how things are done. An Advancement Grant might bring changes to how we deliver a service in Door County – such as transportation.

The Community Foundation made the initial investment in Door-Tran, created the corporation, and lent one of our Board members to serve as an organizer and President of the new Door-Tran Board. Advancement Grants also fill significant gaps in service – such as micro-lending to small entrepreneurial companies which create job opportunities.

The Community Foundation is in the process of launching a subsidiary corporation, the Door County Community Opportunity Investment Network (COIN), to facilitate such investments because the most effective human service program is one which helps its clients get good jobs.

Through the Advancement Grants process, a non-profit organization might receive assistance from the Arts Fund, the Children & Youth Fund, the Education Fund, the Green Fund, the Health & Human Needs Fund, and/or the Historic Preservation Fund. There no longer are separate applications for each of these Discretionary Funds as there were in the past.

Advancement Grants are typically large scale initiatives which require a significant investment of time of both the professional staff and board of the Community Foundation, in addition to any grant awarded. There is no formal application process for an Advancement Grant. Instead, these initiatives are of the Community Foundation’s making.

Or they might arise from a charity, group, or an individual who approaches us with a good idea. To discuss a possible idea you might have, contact us to begin a conversation. Listed below are the logos of some of the projects and/or organizations that were started as a result of an Advancement Grant from the Community Foundation.

Click on a logo for more information. One generation of Door County residents giving back to help the next. The idea is simple.

The local people of Door County have always been remarkably generous, but there isn’t a truly local organization to facilitate scholarships on a large scale. That’s why we created the Door County Scholarship Network and the Door County Scholarship Fund. The Door County Scholarship Network is an online resource where local students can search for scholarships for which they might qualify.

Essentially this online searchable database is a replacement for the old printed scholarship book that is published by guidance offices. The Door County Scholarship Network is the most comprehensive place for local scholarships. The Door County Scholarship Fund is the general scholarship fund for students in Door County.

Gifts to this Fund are used to provide eduational opportunities to graduates from all five of Door County’s school districts. Make a donation today ! You can even set up a new scholarship in your own name.

Sustainability Grants provide the critical operational support for the charities that sustain our quality of life in Door County. Sustainability grants help pay the salary of a case manager working with troubled teens, buy music stands for a local performing arts group, install piping to bring water to a community garden, and pay teachers to help with math and reading instruction during the summer.

Sustainability Grants are rarely glamorous and are usually not the big ideas that stir one’s soul. But this operational support is essential to the programs that sustain the parts of Door County that we love – and alleviate the challenges faced by working families because of the seasonal nature of our economy.

The Community Foundation offers Sustainability Grants because it has a fundamental belief that charities are essential part of our quality of life. Helping to support their operations is key to maintaining the parts of Door County that we love – and to alleviating the social issues arising from our unique seasonal economy.

Through the application for a Sustainability Grant, a non-profit organization might receive assistance from the Arts Fund, the Children & Youth Fund, the Education Fund, the Green Fund, the Growing Older Fund, the Health & Human Needs Fund, and/or the Historic Preservation Fund. There no longer are separate applications for each of these Discretionary Funds as there were in the past.

Sustainability Grant Guidelines The proposed activities should serve the people of Door County or improve the quality of life in Door County. There is no minimum or maximum grant amount, but we anticipate awarding multiple grants during each Sustainability Grant cycle typically in the range of $2,500 to $5,000.

The following do not qualify for a Sustainability Grant: Retiring debt or budget deficits Loans or re-granting programs Multi-year commitments (charities may reapply in future cycles for the same idea) Activities that advance a particular religious belief (religious organizations should contact the Community Foundation to discuss specific project ideas before applying) Individuals or groups that are not qualified public charities or units of government While we recognize the importance of all of these activities, our Board has made a strategic decision to focus the priorities of our Sustainability Grants elsewhere.

We generally do not make grants to pay for activities that have been contracted or that occur prior to the awarding of a Sustainability Grant. Fundraising expenses, capital campaigns and grants to an endowment are generally not supported by Sustainability Grants unless the applicant can articulate special circumstances which make their request particularly important.

Each charity is limited to one application per Sustainability Grant cycle. However, charities may submit applications in successive grant cycles or to the other granting programs of the Community Foundation that might be open at the same time. Please complete the Community Foundation’s Common Grant Application and submit via email to applications@givedoorcounty.

org . The Chief Executive of your organization must review the entire Application Packet and sign the Application Form accordingly. This is an important step in the process as on occasion we have received applications that were submitted without the knowledge of the charity’s senior management.

To protect your organization and ours, we now require that your Chief Executive review your Application Packet before we will consider it. For purposes of this application, the “Chief Executive” is generally the highest ranking paid staff person in your organization. In many charities it is the Executive Director or President & CEO.

For schools, the Principal must sign the Application Form. For units of government, the highest ranking official such as a Mayor or Village Administrator must sign. For an all volunteer organization, the Board President should sign the Application Form.

We will accept the typed name and email address of the Chief Executive typed on the Application Form as an “electronic signature” if the Application Packet is submitted by email. However, please note that if it is not an original signature, we may contact the Chief Executive listed on the form to confirm their electronic signature. Spring Sustainability Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of March at 4:00 p.

m. Summer Sustainability Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of June at 4:00 p. m.

Fall Sustainability Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of September at 4:00 p. m. Winter Sustainability Grant Cycle Applications Due: 4th Monday of December at 4:00 p.

m. Please provide your contact information if you would like to receive emails announcing when applications become available for the various grant programs of the Community Foundation. Submit your completed Common Grant Application via email to applications@givedoorcounty.

org . On occasion, our spam filters inadvertently screen out email from some charities. You should receive an email within three (3) business days of our receipt of your application confirming its receipt.

If you do not receive this confirmation, please call (920) 746-1786 to confirm that we received your application materials. Applicants will be notified of a decision about seven (7) weeks after the application deadline. Please email us , or call (920) 746-1786, if you have any questions or would like an informal assessment of your idea prior to the submission of a formal application.

Grant recipients agree to provide a Final Report as a condition of receiving a grant. All grantees must submit a completed Final Report via email to grants@givedoorcounty. org within 60 days of the expenditure of the Community Foundation’s grant funds.

The Door County Community Foundation offers a diverse array of granting opportunities designed to empower non-profit organizations serving Door County. From substantial community investments to targeted support for mental health, water conservation, education, sustainability, women’s initiatives, and youth programs, our grants aim to address a wide spectrum of local needs.

Whether you’re seeking funding for a large-scale project or a modest community initiative, you’ll find opportunities here to bring your vision to life and make a lasting impact on Door County. Explore our various grant programs below to find the perfect fit for your organization’s mission and goals. For more information on any of these granting programs, please contact our Philanthropic Services Team.

Bargains Unlimited Charitable Fund Grants The Bargains Unlimited Charitable Fund provides grants for programs that support working people and enrich the quality of life for seniors – both throughout Door County and specifically for residents of Serenity Spring, the senior living community located in Sister Bay.

Grant awards are expected to average $25,000, with requests of up to $100,000 considered for exceptional projects that align with the program’s goals. Applications are considered in June and December. Click here to learn more about Bargains Unlimited Charitable Fund Grants.

Community Investment Grants Destination Door County has launched the Community Investment Fund which will use dollars generated by visitors to improve the quality of