Watertown Area Community Foundation

10/13/2026

$𝟓𝟑,𝟔𝟐𝟒 𝐢𝐧𝐯𝐞𝐬𝐭𝐞𝐝 𝐢𝐧 𝐥𝐨𝐜𝐚𝐥 𝐰𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐫𝐞𝐧!

Through the generosity of Women & Giving donors, 20 local nonprofits are receiving grants to meet important needs, create new opportunities and make a difference right here in our community.

See who's receiving support and how these grants will make an impact!

From helping families access basic necessities to creating opportunities for children to learn, grow, and thrive, the Watertown Area Community Foundation’s Women & Giving program is investing $53,624 in local nonprofits working to make a difference for women and children. The grants, awarded to 20...

09/28/2026

$𝟏 𝐚 𝐝𝐚𝐲. 𝐁𝐢𝐠 𝐜𝐨𝐦𝐦𝐮𝐧𝐢𝐭𝐲 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭.

There’s still time to be part of Giving Back 365 in 2026!

For just $365, your gift joins with others across our community to support local nonprofits doing important work right here in the Watertown area.

And as a Giving Back 365 donor, you’ll have a voice in deciding where those grant dollars go.

In 2025, members awarded $46,073 to 15 local nonprofits. What will we accomplish together in 2026?

If you haven’t made your Giving Back 365 gift yet, now is the time to join us.
Give $1 a day. Be part of the 2026 impact.

Join at https://www.watertowncommunityfoundation.org/about-us/programs/giving-back-365/

09/24/2026

𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐥𝐥 𝐖𝐀𝐂𝐅 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐂𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐜𝐢𝐥 𝐚𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢! 📣

As we celebrate 25 Years of Youth Leadership, we want to reconnect with the students who have been part of Youth Council since it began in 2001.

Where has life taken you? What are you doing today? And what do you remember about your time on Youth Council?

𝐂𝐨𝐦𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐭𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐀𝐥𝐮𝐦𝐧𝐢 𝐑𝐨𝐥𝐥 𝐂𝐚𝐥𝐥: https://forms.gle/Y5uX4UHknq9H5KVUA and help us catch up as we celebrate throughout the year and prepare to bring generations of Youth Council together next spring.

Tag a former Youth Council member in the comments or share this post with someone who served.

We can't wait to see where 25 years of Youth Council alumni (81 students) are today!

09/16/2026

𝐖𝐞’𝐫𝐞 𝐨𝐟𝐟𝐢𝐜𝐢𝐚𝐥𝐥𝐲 𝐜𝐞𝐥𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚𝐭𝐢𝐧𝐠 25 𝐘𝐞𝐚𝐫𝐬 𝐨𝐟 𝐘𝐨𝐮𝐭𝐡 𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩! 🎉

The WACF Youth Council’s 25th anniversary year is underway, and we’re looking forward to sharing the people, stories, and local impact that have shaped Youth Council since 2001.

Read the full story:

  As students across Watertown settle into a new school year, six local high school students are beginning a milestone year of their own. The 2026–2027 school year marks 25 Years of Youth Leadership through the Watertown Area Community Foundation Youth Council.   Since its beginning in 2001, 81 ...

09/05/2026

𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝗰𝗮𝗻 𝗯𝗲 𝗮 𝗯𝗶𝗴 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽. 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗥𝗮𝗹𝗽𝗵 & 𝗝𝗼𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲 𝗪𝗮𝗺𝘀𝗵𝗲𝗿 𝗦𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗹𝗮𝗿𝘀𝗵𝗶𝗽 𝘄𝗮𝘀 𝗰𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁𝗲𝗱 𝘁𝗼 𝗵𝗲𝗹𝗽 𝗺𝗮𝗸𝗲 𝘁𝗵𝗮𝘁 𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗽 𝗮 𝗹𝗶𝘁𝘁𝗹𝗲 𝗲𝗮𝘀𝗶𝗲𝗿.

Applications are now being accepted from qualifying nontraditional students in their second year or beyond at Lake Area Tech or .

The scholarship is designed for students whose path to higher education may have included time away from school, raising children, or a significant life event that led them to pursue education and reenter the workforce.

Applications are due October 27. Know someone who may qualify? Please share this opportunity with them.

Download the application here:https://www.watertowncommunityfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/Ralph-Joanne-Wamsher-Scholarship-Application.pdf

09/04/2026

𝗚𝗼𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝗯𝗮𝗰𝗸 𝘁𝗼 𝘀𝗰𝗵𝗼𝗼𝗹 𝘁𝗮𝗸𝗲𝘀 𝗱𝗲𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗺𝗶𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, 𝗲𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗮𝗹𝗹𝘆 𝘄𝗵𝗲𝗻 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗽𝗮𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗼 𝗴𝗲𝘁𝘁𝗶𝗻𝗴 𝘁𝗵𝗲𝗿𝗲 𝗵𝗮𝘀𝗻’𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗯𝗲𝗲𝗻 𝗮 𝘀𝘁𝗿𝗮𝗶𝗴𝗵𝘁 𝗼𝗻𝗲.

The Watertown Area Community Foundation’s Women & Giving scholarships support nontraditional female students attending Lake Area Tech or .

Since the program began, more than $166,000 in Women & Giving scholarships has been awarded to help women continue their education and pursue what’s next.

Applications are due October 27, 2026 and are available through the Watertown Area Community Foundation, Lake Area Technical College, or Mount Marty University.

Know someone who may qualify? Please share this opportunity with her!
Download the application here:https://www.watertowncommunityfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2026/09/WG-Scholarship-App-2026.pdf

08/21/2026

The Watertown Area Community Foundation is incredibly grateful to be part of this next chapter in the Prairie Lakes Health Care Foundation’s legacy of caring for our community.

As the Prairie Lakes Health Care Foundation concludes its operations after fulfilling its mission, it is making a significant final investment in organizations working to strengthen the health and well-being of the Watertown area.

The Watertown Area Community Foundation is honored to be among those organizations and grateful for the trust that comes with this gift. We look forward to helping carry this legacy forward, supporting a healthy, thriving Watertown for generations to come.

Read more about this generous investment in our community below.

The Watertown Area Community Foundation is deeply grateful to be among the local organizations receiving a significant charitable gift from the Prairie Lakes Health Care Foundation as it concludes its operations after fulfilling its mission. As part of its final distributions, the Prairie Lakes Heal...

08/04/2026

𝐖𝐡𝐞𝐫𝐞 𝐝𝐨 𝐲𝐨𝐮 𝐰𝐚𝐧𝐭 𝐲𝐨𝐮𝐫 𝐖𝐨𝐦𝐞𝐧 & 𝐆𝐢𝐯𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐠𝐢𝐟𝐭 𝐭𝐨 𝐦𝐚𝐤𝐞 𝐚𝐧 𝐢𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭?

You decide.

Choose 𝐈𝐦𝐦𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐚𝐭𝐞 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 to support this year's grants and scholarships, helping local nonprofits and women pursuing their education.

Or choose 𝐄𝐧𝐝𝐮𝐫𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐈𝐦𝐩𝐚𝐜𝐭 to grow the Women & Giving Endowment, creating a permanent source of support for women, children, and families for years to come.

𝐎𝐫 𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐨𝐬𝐞 𝐛𝐨𝐭𝐡. You can split your gift between Immediate Impact and the Endowment.

No matter which option you choose, you're investing in a stronger community.

08/01/2026

𝗟𝗶𝗳𝗲 𝗱𝗼𝗲𝘀𝗻'𝘁 𝗮𝗹𝘄𝗮𝘆𝘀 𝗴𝗼 𝗮𝘀 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗱.

Sometimes a family needs a safe place to stay.

Sometimes a mom needs help getting back on her feet.

Sometimes the smallest necessities, like bodywash, a warm meal, or a safe place to sleep, can make all the difference.

Through Women & Giving, local organizations like the Beacon Center, Rachel’s Hope, and Watertown Cares, are helping families navigate some of life's most difficult seasons with dignity, compassion, and hope.

Join us in sharing hope for women, children, and families throughout our community. Learn more or make your gift at wacfsd.org

07/29/2026

𝐀 𝐭𝐨𝐨𝐭𝐡𝐛𝐫𝐮𝐬𝐡. 𝐀 𝐛𝐚𝐠 𝐨𝐟 𝐟𝐨𝐨𝐝. 𝐀 𝐬𝐜𝐡𝐨𝐥𝐚𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩.

You never know what might make a difference in someone's life.

In this guest editorial, Women & Giving Advisory Committee Chair Chris Carter reflects on how small acts of generosity can create lasting opportunities for women, children, and families throughout our community.

We invite you to take a few moments to read her message.

You never know what might make a difference in someone’s life.