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You’re receiving this because you’re a partner, client, community leader, neighbor, investor, or stakeholder working to make Wisconsin a more equitable place to live, work, and grow. If you have a story to feature, an opportunity, or an important deadline, please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@forwardci.org and our team will follow up.
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Moving Forward FCI Names Ryan Zerwer President & CEO
“As President & CEO for a couple of months now, I’ve had the opportunity to connect with a few of our partners across the state to learn from them about the challenges they are facing in their communities. Those interactions led to some deep conversations about how we can further collaborate and find ways to leverage resources and thought leadership to find impactful ways to address the racial and socioeconomic disparities that are so prevalent in our state. I have been especially struck by the long-lasting impact so many of our nonprofit partners have throughout Wisconsin. I’m looking forward to deepening these collaborations and finding new and innovative ways to foster communication and inject resources to those communities and individuals who need them most.” – Ryan Zerwer, FCI’s President & CEO
Moving Forward – Project Updates from Around Wisconsin
Brothers Greg Davis and David Griggs, who were raised in Milwaukee, created One 5 Olive with the mission of working to revitalize and stabilize communities through the renovation of tax and mortgage foreclosed single-family homes and commercial properties on the North Side of Milwaukee where racial disparities are felt the hardest.
Paying it Forward – Grant Giving Updates
2021 Nan Cheney March for Justice Award Ceremony
Thur. Dec. 9, 6 pm
Fern Orie, a strong advocate for cultural and economic prosperity of Native Americans in Wisconsin is named the 2021 Nan Cheney March for Justice Awardee by Forward Community Investments! Fern fights tirelessly to improve the lives of Wisconsin tribal members in many ways. Knowing one way to improve these members’ lives is by infusing capital into those communities, she was the founding CEO of the Wisconsin Native Loan Fund (WINLF) a certified Native Community Development Financial Institution.
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Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants Awarded to 20 Organizations Statewide
Thanks to the over 100 organizations that submitted applications for our latest round of Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants! These grants will provide a boost to nonprofit organizations across the state who are working tirelessly to reduce the racial and socio-economic disparities that exist in Wisconsin communities from Beloit to Chippewa Falls. Each organization will receive a $2,500 boost. To read a complete list of awardees, CLICK HERE
Pressing Forward – FCI Partners in the News
Safe & Sound – We provided financing to Safe & Sound for the acquisition of a headquarters in the Sherman Park neighborhood on the northwest side of Milwaukee. The new headquarters will allow Safe & Sound to locate near the communities and residents they work closely with and provide increased programming and services to residents. More information about the project can be found on our website here.
Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County – We allocated $5.5 million in New Markets Tax Credits to the Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County for the acquisition and rehabilitation of the former Thermo Fisher Scientific building in Fitchburg, WI into the McKenzie Regional Workforce Center. The new space will provide hands-on training for young adults interested in pursuing careers in the skilled trades like plumbing and construction. Boys & Girls Clubs of Dane County is partnering with local businesses and schools on curriculum development outreach including the Madison Area Builder’s Association. The new facility is scheduled to welcome the first students in 2022.
Marshfield Medical Center – Marshfield Clinic Health System has received $7 million in New Markets Tax Credit allocation from us for the new construction of a Critical Access Hospital, new medical offices, pharmacy and optical retail stores, along with dedicated facilities for conferences and education centers in Ladysmith, WI. When complete, the facility will replace an aging and out-of-date facility with a best-in-class treatment center and greatly reduce the travel time for surrounding communities to access medical care.
Looking Forward – Upcoming Events and Conferences
Building Nonprofit Capacity and Sustainability: A Financial Management Workshop Series
Wed. Nov. 17, 9 am
2021 MOSES Virtual Transformation Celebration
Sat. Nov. 20, 6:30 pm
Nan Cheney March for Justice Awards Ceremony
Thur. Dec. 9, 6 pm
Pushing Forward – Opportunities for Partnership
Forward Community Investments is always looking for opportunities to work with and provide financing to nonprofits and current partners who are making an impact in reducing racial and economic disparities in Wisconsin. If you are interested in learning more about our financial products please visit our Lending Products page here for further information, or if you have a project you would like to discuss please don’t hesitate to reach out to us at info@forwardci.org.
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