Please join us THURSDAY, MAY 18th for a
Community Information Session
Access to housing is essential for family wellbeing and a strong workforce. With the redevelopment of the 90-acre former Bethesda Lutheran Campus on the southwest side of Watertown, the community has a once-in-a-generation opportunity to design a neighborhood that meets the area's diverse housing needs while highlighting the scenic beauty of our area. Learn more about the proposed plan here.
Community Information Session
May 18th at 5:30 pm
Watertown Country Club
Please join us for free refreshments and appetizers and
contribute to the vision for this neighborhood!
Child Care Advocates Build Momentum
The budget process is nearing completion, and our advocacy work--echoing and supporting the movement taking root across the state--has never been more important.

Childcare providers across the state are in danger of closing their doors, and rural communities like Dodge and Jefferson Counties are most impacted.

Our business community has demonstrated real interest in being part of an innovative solution, but local businesses, parents and childcare centers alone cannot make this broken system work. State funding MUST be part of the solution. While it was announced this morning that "Child Care Counts" has been stripped from the GOP-version of the budget, there is still the potential for needed funding under a different name and mechanism.

Please reach out to your elected officials NOW, whether you are a business leader, parent, childcare provider or concerned community member. Here is a link to materials created by our advocacy partner, Raising Wisconsin. It's fast, easy and truly impactful. We appreciate your joining the effort!
Housing Summit
 Changemakers in Action:
Foundation Investments in Positive Change
Congratulations to the Watertown Police Department on receiving a Foundation Capacity Building grant to support Cellebrite training. This training will help the department maintain their ability to recover computer files related to child trafficking cases, and to assist local agencies in Dodge and Jefferson Counties in similar work. Thank you for working to protect our region's children!
Local childcare providers Tricia Peterson (Future All Stars Academy in Juneau), Ranae Henning (Community Care Preschool in Beaver Dam) and Jill Van Sickle (GWCHF) attended a professional development conference hosted by the National Center for Pyramid Model Innovations (NCPMI) and the Pyramid Model Consortium (PMC). We are proud of these leaders for their dedication to continuous improvement and bringing the best possible care to children in our community.
We are so grateful to the Foundation Board Members, Every Child Thrives Partners, and staff members who took the time to attend the Aspen Institute's Ascend conference, where we learned about the concept of 2Gen - or two-generation approaches to supporting children in reaching their full potential in life and learning.
How Can We Support Your Work?
The Foundation provides resources, tools and support to changemakers who work toward measurable improvement in community health. To date, the Foundation has invested more than $34 million in its three strategic, child-focused priorities: Strong Families, Kindergarten Readiness and School Success.

Capacity Building Grants are for agencies looking to advance their missions by developing leadership skills or strengthening organizational efforts.

Community Collaboration Grants provide support for partnerships that enhance community spaces where individuals can be active together.

Health Equity Grants support equity, diversity and inclusion (EDI) projects or initiatives focused on removing obstacles to health for populations not well served under current systems and policies. The Foundation recognizes the dignity and value of every person, envisioning thriving communities where everyone has a fair and just opportunity to be as healthy as possible.

Proposals must directly support the communities served by the school districts of Dodgeland, Hustisford, Ixonia, Jefferson, Johnson Creek, Lake Mills, Waterloo and Watertown.
Further Resources (click on the links to access)
920.390.4000
600 East Main Street, Suite 200, Watertown WI 53094