RCU Foundation
Our nonprofit foundation has given more than $8 million to support organizations and initiatives in our communities
Phone: 800-341-9911
Email: foundation@rcu.org
Learn More
The RCU Foundation is a perfect example of how we are striving to live out our core purpose of creating a positive impact in the lives we touch. The Foundation awards grant funds to organizations in the communities Royal serves across Western Wisconsin and Eastern Minnesota. Since it began in 2012, the RCU Foundation has given more than $8 million to our communities.
Get connected and hear about projects in our communities and foundation events.
Give Now
You can help us create a positive impact with your gift to the Foundation. A full 100% of your tax-deductible gift will go directly to initiatives in our communities.
Request Support
You may also request the support of the RCU Foundation. We are currently considering requests for capital projects impacting the arts, education, and health. Applications for support are reviewed twice a year on the following schedule:
| Complete Application Received | March 1 | Sept. 1 |
| Decision Timeframe (anticipated) | June | Dec. |
| Application Review | April | Oct. |
Requests are carefully evaluated on several criteria, including:
- Demonstrated need and community benefit
- Geographic focus on areas that Royal serves, especially near office locations
- Significance and impact, especially the total number of people that will benefit
- Organization or initiative capacity and credibility
- Future sustainability and plan for ongoing expenses
- Demonstrated financial support from a variety of sources, with the RCU Foundation not the largest or sole source of project funding
- The Foundation does not support direct grants to individuals; trips or travel; religious organizations for religious purposes; athletic facilities; sports team sponsorships; personnel or staffing costs; programming or operating expenses; or initiatives outside areas served by Royal
Recent Awards
2022
- Tri-County Memorial Foundation - $25,000
- Healing Play, Inc - $25,000
- Will’s Playground - $75,000
- ArtReach St. Croix - $25,000
- Freedom Park Center - $500,000
- Chippewa Valley Veterans Tribute Foundation, Eau Claire, WI - $15,000
- Sofas for Service, Eau Claire, WI - $7,500
- Wisconsin Veterans Home at Chippewa Falls, WI - $5,000
- Boys and Girls Club of Chippewa Falls, WI - $100,000
- Chippewa Valley Technical College - Emergency Services Education Center, Eau Claire, WI - $100,000
2021
- Feed My People Food Bank, $100,000
- Children’s Museum of Eau Claire, WI, $250,000
- Somerset Community Food Pantry, WI, $25,000
- Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, Camp Nawakwa, Cornell, WI, $50,000
- Hudson Sports and Civic Center, WI, $300,000*
- Ellsworth Library, WI, $30,000
- Sofas for Service, Eau Claire, WI, $17,000
- University of Wisconsin-River Falls, $100,000
- Mondovi Public Library, WI, $200,000*
- Carpenter Nature Center, Hudson, WI, $150,000*
- Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation, WI, $50,000
- Dunn County Historical Society, Menomonie, WI, $10,500
- Riverwood Nature Center, Star Prairie, WI, $250,000*
- L.E. Phillips Senior Center, Eau Claire, WI, $50,000
- Westfields Hospital Foundation, New Richmond, WI, $150,000*
- Washington County Historical Society, Stillwater, MN, $50,000
- Whitehall Public Library, WI, $300,000*
- Menomonie Theater Guild, WI, $8,500
- Landmark Conservancy, Menomonie, WI, $5,000
- Chippewa Valley Council of Boy Scouts of America, Rice Lake, WI, $50,000
- Heyde Center for the Arts/Chippewa Valley Cultural Association, Chippewa Falls, WI, $15,000 - Watch their story
- Chippewa Valley Theatre Guild, Eau Claire, WI, $7,500 - Watch their story
- Northern Star Theatre Company, Rice Lake, WI, $5,000 - Watch their story
2020
- L.E. Phillips Memorial Public Library – Story Builder Campaign, Eau Claire, WI, $500,000
- Chippewa Valley Museum, Eau Claire, WI, $30,000
- Family Support Center of Chippewa Falls, WI, $15,000 - Watch their story
- National Alliance on Mental Illness Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire, WI $7,500 - Watch their story
- New Horizons Shelter and Outreach Centers, Whitehall, WI, $5,000 - Watch their story
2019
- Friends of Willow River and Kinnickinnic State Parks, Hudson, WI, $250,000* - Watch their story
- Chippewa Valley Free Clinic, Eau Claire, $25,000
- Stepping Stones: Food, Shelter, Support, Menomonie, $15,000
- The Open Door Clinic, Chippewa Falls, $7,500
- Eau Claire Public Schools Foundation, $5,000
- Hmong Mutual Assistance Association, Eau Claire, WI, $25,000
- Bais Yaakov High School of the Twin Cities, Minneapolis, MN, $23,500
- Feed My People Food Bank, Eau Claire, WI, $125,000*
2018
- Sculpture Tour Eau Claire, WI, $21,300
- Somerset Public Library, WI, $150,000
- King’s Closet, Eau Claire, WI, $15,000
- Whitehall Public Library, Whitehall, WI, $7,500
- Literacy Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire, WI, $5,000
- Rice Lake Public Library, WI, $150,000*
2017
- Mabel Tainter Center for the Arts, Menomonie, WI, $21,000
- Colby Community Library, Colby, WI, $175,000*
- College of Nursing High-fidelity Mannequin, University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, $15,000
- Feed My People Food Bank, Eau Claire, WI, $15,000
- Huey’s Hideaway Children’s Museum, Medford, WI, $7,500
- Boys & Girls Club – Chippewa Falls, WI, $5,000
- Girl Scouts of the Northwestern Great Lakes, Camp Nawakwa, Cornell, WI, $34,000 - Watch their story
2016
- Discovery Center, Osceola, WI, $250,000*
- Sport Court at Osceola Medical Center, WI, $50,000 - Watch their story
- Confluence Arts Center, Eau Claire, WI, $1,000,000*
- Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire, WI, $100,000- Watch their story
- YMCA Twin Cities, MN, $36,000*
2015
- Discover the Deep Woods at Beaver Creek Reserve Nature Center, Fall Creek, WI, $50,000*
- YMCA Camp St. Croix, Hudson, WI, $550,000*- Watch their story
- Tri-Angels Universally Accessible Playground, River Falls, WI, $50,000
- Rising to Distinction at UW-River Falls, WI: $100,000*
2014
- Emergency Department Renovation at Sacred Heart Hospital, Eau Claire, WI, $100,000*
- Academic Success Center at Boys & Girls Club of the Greater Chippewa Valley, Eau Claire, WI, $20,000
2012
- Energy Education Center at Chippewa Valley Technical College, Eau Claire, WI, $50,000*
*Multi-year gift.
