(APPLETON, WI) May 26, 2021: Grants have been awarded with a record-breaking $8.38 million in new grants and $6.39 million grants distributed to 235 nonprofit organizations supporting innovative programs helping those in need throughout Northeast Wisconsin. Collaborating nonprofits/organizations were granted funds for programs addressing the root causes of poverty through the community foundations in Green Bay, Fox Valley, and Oshkosh.
Grant award breakdowns across the region for 2020 are:

• Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region – new $3,563,979 and distributed multi-year $2,837,574
• Greater Green Bay Community Foundation – new $2,917,790 and distributed multi-year $2,199,868
• Oshkosh Area Community Foundation – new $1,896,571 and distributed multi-year $1,356,216

Grants are focused on programs that reduce poverty by creating economic stability, increasing access to education, building family support and social connection, and improving health and wellness.

Funding for the grants is generated by the U.S. Venture Open, the nation’s single largest one-day charitable event dedicated to ending poverty. In 2020, the event raised $4.64 million for the Basic Needs Giving Partnership, and 100% of every dollar donated is invested into the region. Since 1986, the U.S. Venture Open has granted $40 million to nonprofits. Building on the 36-year history of the event, we are excited to safely bring back an in-person event with golf and dinner in 2021.

“In 2020, the need was greater than ever and being able to answer the call with our funding partners is making a huge impact on our nonprofits and our communities,” said Greg Vandenberg, director of giving and community engagement at U.S. Venture. “Being able to pivot and make our event the most successful to date, in a very non-traditional year, has been such an inspiration for our future work.”

A grantmaking match of $800,000 each from the J. J. Keller Foundation and U.S. Venture, $250,000 from Oshkosh Corporation and $200,000 from both ThedaCare and the Thrivent Foundation lead this effort.

“The dedication we see each year from our partners, within our communities, continues to inspire us and this year they went above and beyond to increase support when the community needed it most,” Vandenberg said. “We are fortunate to partner with some of the most caring people around.”

Recipients of the Basic Needs Giving Partnership Grants for 2020 can be found at: 2020 Grant Recipients or a full community report at: 2020 Basic Needs Giving Partnership Community Report. The Spring grants were announced in June 2020 and this release combines all grants from 2020.

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U.S. Venture Open
The U.S. Venture Open is the nation’s single largest one-day charitable event dedicated to ending poverty. Funds from the event are held within the Community Foundation for the Fox Valley Region, the Greater Green Bay Community Foundation, and the Oshkosh Area Community Foundation, with grants made to collaborating non-profit organizations across Northeast Wisconsin. The event started in 1986 with 100 golfers and has grown to 1,260 attendees representing more than 500 partners who golf at regional courses to raise money for programs that help end poverty. The 2020 U.S. Venture Open took on a different form in response to the coronavirus pandemic. In partnership with WBAY-TV & Woodward Radio Group a regional all-day mediathon was held. To donate and/or register to attend the event, visit USVentureOpen.com. Follow the event on Facebook, Twitter, or Instagram.

About the Basic Needs Giving Partnership
The Basic Needs Giving Partnership aims to end poverty in Northeast Wisconsin. The funds raised through the U.S. Venture Open from generous corporations, family foundations and individuals are administered by grant teams established at three community foundations. The awarded grants support nonprofits collaborating to coordinate services for people in need throughout Northeast Wisconsin, with a focus on the organizations that are embracing continuous improvement, social innovation, shared measurement, sustainability and scalability.

About U.S. Venture, Inc.
For more than 65 years, U.S. Venture, Inc. has been recognized as an innovative leader in the distribution of petroleum and renewable energy products, lubricants, tires and parts, and using data-driven insights to manage energy and information in the global movement of goods. U.S. Venture delivers unconventional, creative solutions that give their customers a competitive edge, and enables the company to support the communities in which they live, work, and play. Through the values lived by the business divisions: U.S. Oil, U.S. AutoForce®, Tires’ Warehouse, U.S. Gain, Breakthrough, U.S. Lubricants, U.S. Petroleum Equipment, and IGEN, U.S. Venture seeks new ways to drive business success while being steadfast in their commitment to making the world a better place.