Eau Claire Community Foundation

What it reported doing in 2024

The eau claire community foundation fulfilled the grantmaking portion of its mission in 2024 by awarding 1,926,106 in grants, which includes 168,690 in agency fund grants. While many of these grants were recommended by donor advisors to nonprofits all over the u.s., 813,222 went directly to eau claire area nonprofits through eccf's annual community grant cycle. An additional 53,939 supported local nonprofits through the grant cycle implemented by the women's giving circle, a fund of eccf. Eccf's support of local nonprofits is helping to enhance the quality of life in eau claire. Eccf's mission also includes "offering donors opportunities to establish charitable legacies." eccf worked with donors to establish 59 new funds in 2024 and has over 330 active funds. Donor advised funds, such as the new rev. Kurt m. Jacobson family fund, allow fund holders to recommend grants to nonprofits of their choice, while field of interest funds allow fund holders to support specific areas of interest and designated funds name specific organizations. Eccf also allows donors to create other types of funds, including unrestricted funds to support local nonprofits through the annual community grant cycle and designated scholarship funds to support students' post-secondary educations. Eccf addresses the final portion of its mission- -to serve as a catalyst to address community needs--by educating the community about philanthropic issues and opportunities through events such as the annual meeting, professional advisor event, and the women's giving circle educational event. In addition to informing the public about eccf and its work, the annual events allow donors to connect with local nonprofits. Eccf's professional advisor event educates professional advisors about their clients' charitable giving options, while the educational event hosted by eccf's women's giving circle educates the public about pressing community issues such as homelessness, mental health, or alzheimer's disease. In 2024, the educational event addressed challenges in finding affordable childcare. Through these and other annual events, eccf aims to increase awareness, philanthropy, and activism in our community.

Financial Efficiency

• Mission deployment rate: 23.2%; rating input score 23
• Program expense ratio: 78.7%; rating input score 79
• Fundraising efficiency: $97.6 raised per $1 spent on fundraising; rating input score 84; 84th percentile among comparable filings

Transparency & Controls

• Consistency checks: 88.2%; rating input score 88; 2nd percentile among comparable filings
• Pay-setting controls: Limited
• Foreign activity oversight: Limited
• Grant itemization coverage: 67.2%; rating input score 67; 14th percentile among comparable filings
• Major donor itemization: Yes; rating input score 100
• Related-party transparency: Limited

Accountability

• Independent voting board: 100%; rating input score 100; 66th percentile among comparable filings
• Governance controls: 7 of 8 controls in place; rating input score 88
  • Conflict-of-interest policy: Pass
  • Whistleblower policy: Pass
  • Document-retention policy: Pass
  • CEO compensation review process: NotApplicable
  • Other executive compensation review process: Fail
  • Form 990 shared with the board: Pass
  • Board meeting minutes documented: Pass
  • Audit committee oversight: Pass
  • Independent financial-statement audit: Pass

Sustainability

• Operating margin: 80%; rating input score 98; 98th percentile among comparable filings
• Total-asset coverage ratio: 20.35; rating input score 97; 97th percentile among comparable filings
• Liabilities to assets ratio: 0.11; rating input score 72; 72nd percentile among comparable filings
• Officer compensation ratio: 4.5%; rating input score 55; 55th percentile among comparable filings

Growth

• Program expense growth: 6.6% per year; rating input score 100; 53rd percentile among comparable filings
• Revenue growth: 16% per year; rating input score 100; 88th percentile among comparable filings
• Asset growth: 14% per year; rating input score 100; 78th percentile among comparable filings