Micro Grants Program

Micro Grants Program is sponsored by La Crosse Area Community Foundation. Micro grants are designed to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County who may otherwise have limited access to resources. These funds are for organizations with an annual organizational budget of $500,000 or less.

Apply for Funding | Competitive Grants for Nonprofits | LACF La Crosse Area Community Foundation welcomes grant applications from charitable organizations with missions aimed at enhancing the quality of life in La Crosse County Wisconsin. Our competitive grants program has quarterly grant cycles that include programs such as micro grants, mini grants, standard grants, and capacity building grants.

In 2025, we awarded $1,059,350 in competitive grants across our eight impact areas: Arts & Humanities, Community Improvement, Culture & Diversity, Education, Environment, Faith, Health & Human Services, and Recreation & Wellness.

Current Grant Opportunities Review the Request for Proposal (RFP) document Review the evaluation rubric Application opens January 20, 2026 and will close on November 2, 2026 (or earlier if funding is fully expended) Defining the Grant Programs Applicant organizations must be a public charity, exempt from federal income taxes under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code.

Governmental bodies, including schools and municipalities, may also apply as long as the project is above and beyond regular budgeted items and does not filled budget gaps. Applicants that do not meet this criteria may seek a formal fiscal sponsor relationship with a 501(c)(3) public charity to be eligible.

Applicants must primarily serve residents of La Crosse County and agree to all LACF grant awardee requirements and expectations including the DEIB Appendix. Finally, no applicant may have past due grant reports for the same category of grant (i.e. Standard Follow Up – Past Due = Unable to Apply for a Standard Grant until that is completed). Nonprofit Capacity Building Program Grants (NCBP) Applications are scheduled to open early 2027.

Capacity-building grants aim to invest in the health and sustainability of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County. This grant program is for nonprofits who need investment in their internal infrastructure to create a more sustainable and effective organization.

Individual awards are expected to range from $50,000 – $90,000 for two consecutive years and will be paired with significant in-kind support through robust, ongoing technical assistance offered throughout the entire grant award period.

Organizational Change Readiness Organizational Self Assessment Micro grants are designed to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County who may otherwise have limited access to resources. These funds are for organizations with an annual organizational budget of $500,000 or less and awards are $250 – $3,000. Micro grant applications are reviewed on the 2 nd Monday of the month.

Applications received after the second Monday will be held for the next review cycle. Standard grants are part of our historic competitive grants program to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County. Preference will be given to applications that focus on building opportunities for community engagement and building of social capital across differences.

Standard grants are a MINIMUM request of $15,000. All grant requests that represent a portion of a capital campaign will be eligible for a maximum of $25,000. Mini grants are part of our historic competitive grants program to be responsive to the needs of nonprofit organizations serving La Crosse County.

Preference will be given to applications that focus on building opportunities for community engagement and building of social capital across differences. Mini Grants are award range is $1,000 – $15,000. The Corinne Zielke Fund (est.

2007) baseball grant is available to any nonprofit baseball and/or softball program in La Crosse County. Commonly Used Phrases and Resources Capital Campaign – a multi-faceted effort to reach a significant fundraising goal. The funds raised will pay for important capacity investments that enable organizations to continue growing sustainably.

Capital Expense Examples – Buildings, Vehicles, Equipment, Property (if you have a specific question, please reach out) Diverse Funding Sources – Individual Giving, Earned Income, Corporate Partnerships, Grants, Government, etc. Mission Drift – Occurs when a nonprofit organization’s activities and resources begin to move away from its original goals or intended purpose Organizational Readiness for Change Organizational Self-Assessment RFP – Request for Proposal Sample Budget – Sample Budget Template Bonding – Strong relationships that develop between people who are similar in backgrounds, interests and resources Bridging – Connection between people with different backgrounds, experiences, or perspectives Linking – Involves relationships between people at different levels of power or authority Grant Application Support All applications must be submitted through LACF’s online grant portal .

Each grant program includes specific application steps and timelines. Questions? Contact Impact Specialist, Keli Frigo, for technical assistance or questions regarding how to submit the most competitive application possible.

EMAIL keli@lacrosseareafoundation. org Frequently Asked Questions How do I submit a competitive grant application? All competitive grant applications must be submitted through LACF’s online grants portal .

This system keeps a complete record of your application, award details, and reporting requirements in one place. How long will it take to complete a grant application? Time varies by grant type: Micro Grants: about 30 minutes or less Mini Grants: about 2 hours or less Standard Grants: about 5 hours or less Capacity Building Grants: 15–20 hours, due to planning and documentation needs Can more than one person work on an application?

Yes. You can invite collaborators to work on your application. Each person should use their own login so the portal tracks edits accurately.

If you need help setting up additional logins, contact our Impact Specialist at (608) 782-3223 or email keli@lacrossearefoundation. org What should I do if I didn’t pass the eligibility quiz but think we qualify? If you believe your organization or project should have passed, please contact Impact Specialist Keli Frigo.

She can review your quiz responses, explain why you didn’t pass, and help resolve any issues. Call (608) 782-3223 or email keli@lacrossearefoundation. org Is there a limit to the number of applications we can submit?

You may apply to multiple competitive grant opportunities; however, an organization is eligible to receive only one award per program in the same grant year. What kinds of expenses or projects are not eligible for funding?

LACF’s competitive grants do not fund the following: Repeat grants for the same project on an open-ended basis Partisan political activities Organizational endowments Scholarships or grants to individuals Religious activities whose primary purpose is education or proselytization Retroactive expenses or work performed before the award notification Budget gaps for government agencies or schools (public/private) How are competitive grant applications evaluated?

Each grant program has its own evaluation procedures, which are detailed in the full RFPs (Requests for Proposals). All awards are recommended to our board of directors by the La Crosse Area Community Foundation Impact Committee. Can I apply for funding from a donor-advised fund?

Donor-advised funds generally do not make competitive grants through the regular process. However, eligible micro-grant applications are shared with donor-advised fund holders who may have available grant dollars. Find nonprofit best practices and practical guidance to support strong governance and sustainable operations.

Complimentary Consultation Get personalized support, coaching, and guidance for your nonprofit organization. The La Crosse Area Community Foundation’s online grant portal.