Building a stronger Oconomowoc one grant at a time
If you have visited Oconomowoc in recent years and strolled along the boardwalk on Fowler Lake, visited Rockwell Park, caught a performance at the Oconomowoc Arts Center or saw a free outdoor movie downtown in the summer, you have the Oconomowoc Area Foundation to thank for a great experience.
Over the past 23 years, the community foundation has been investing in highly visible projects like these as well as programs that impact the Oconomowoc area deeply from behind the scenes.
Through its grantmaking, it has tackled food insecurity, addressed homelessness and provided support to individuals who don’t have access to medical or dental care. In 2024 alone, OAF made a record $308,000 in grants to 34 local nonprofits.
“We are known for being there no matter what —providing resources and a way for people of all ages to give back to their community — whether time, talent or treasure,” said Rebecca Seymour, OAF foundation coordinator, a donor and a former board member.
Its annual grantmaking supports programs for children and youth, older adults and people facing undue hardship. It also funds arts and culture and programs that preserve and protect the environment and wildlife.
The spark that started the OAF movement was the generosity of Hilbert Scherffius. In his will, the lifelong Oconomowoc resident and owner of Lorleberg’s True Value Hardware created a fund “for the benefit of people and projects in the Oconomowoc area.” An advisory committee of local leaders provided guidance on how to distribute the grants. Those leaders quickly discovered that the needs outpaced the funds available to meet them.
Solution forged through partnership
They approached the Greater Milwaukee Foundation about creating a partner foundation specifically for the Oconomowoc area. The Foundation offered a matching grant. Advisory board members then challenged other community leaders and philanthropists to contribute money toward an unrestricted endowment fund that could be used to support future community needs. More than 60 contributed $10,000 each.
“The Foundation simplifies the complex better than just about any other organization I’ve ever worked with,” said Craig Schiefelbein, who helped start OAF and whose family fund is now part of it. “I love being able to just focus on how I can make the world a better place.”
OAF founders and donors say its affiliation with the Foundation as a supporting organization has been integral to the impact it has been able to have over the years. The Foundation provides critical back-office support, including investment management, nonprofit due diligence and grantmaking support, and tax paperwork.
“The partnership is invaluable,” said Glenn Hanon, OAF board chair. “I cannot imagine trying to do this on your own.”
Since its founding, OAF has awarded more than $5 million to 130 area nonprofits. Organizations such as Blessings in a Backpack and LifeStriders say OAF has been a critical part of helping them carry out their missions.
“People really know us as on the ground, walking alongside nonprofits,” Seymour said. “Our purpose is to be always listening and learning to know what the changing needs are.”
Tangible impact over time
Blessings in a Backpack has received grant support from OAF and its donors since 2016. It serves 3,400 students across seven school districts, providing bags of ready-to-eat food on Fridays so they have enough to eat over the weekends.
“They have been instrumental in helping with outreach
in the Oconomowoc community extending beyond to more rural areas in Waukesha County that experience food insecurity,” said Susan Reed, managing director of Blessings in a Backpack Waukesha County. “The OAF is a strong partner that believes in giving back to the community.”
OAF has helped LifeStriders grow over the years to meet the needs of its clients. The nonprofit provides therapeutic horseback riding to people with physical, emotional and cognitive special needs, serving about 250 clients a week. OAF grants helped it build new stalls, make improvements to its outdoor viewing arena and purchase equipment for its occupational therapy clinic.
OAF hopes to continue to raise awareness among area individuals and families so it can grow its endowment and make gifts with even larger impact, Hanon said.
“It is a local foundation that is answering the local needs, and that is so critical for people who have Oconomowoc as a special place in their heart,” said Hanon.