Green Bay Packers
GREEN BAY, WI (WTAQ-WLUK) — The Green Bay Packers Foundation has distributed $1.6 million in annual grants to 402 civic and charitable groups across Wisconsin, with funding aimed at supporting animal welfare, homelessness and human services programs.
Of the total, 42 grants totaling $170,000 were awarded to organizations in Brown County. The remaining $1.43 million was distributed through 360 grants to other organizations around the state.
“We’re pleased to award $1.6 million through our annual Packers Foundation grants,” Packers President and CEO Ed Policy said. “It is a privilege for the Packers to be in a position to support the critical work these organizations do in our communities and throughout the state. We are proud to support their causes and shine a light on them.”
This year’s grant cycle focused on organizations directing funds to animal welfare, homelessness and human services. The foundation awarded 58 grants to animal welfare efforts, 101 to homelessness and 243 to human services.
While 53 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties serve as the physical base for grant recipients, the foundation said the funding will have an impact in every county because many recipient organizations provide multi-county support.
The foundation said the grants are not recurring and must be used for the specific program or initiative for which organizations applied. More information about grant cycles and program focus areas is available at packers.com/foundation under Project/Program Focus Area.
The Packers Foundation has distributed more than $33 million for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation, “as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity.”
The foundation also announced $53,000 in scholarships awarded through the Packers Scholarship Program, established in 2002. That includes $26,500 to Scholarships Inc. for distribution to students in four-year colleges and $26,500 to Northeast Wisconsin Technical College for students in two-year associate degree or apprenticeship trades programs.
A portion of scholarship funding comes from National Football League Properties, which at the Packers’ request returns royalty fees paid for use of the Packers logo on Wisconsin automobile license plates. The Packers fund the remainder because the royalties do not fully cover the scholarships, an amount that totals $716,000 since 2006.
The foundation said it will also distribute additional dollars to various NFL Foundation programs in the coming months.
Packers Foundation trustees, in addition to Jones, are Jan Allman, Michael Barber, LeRoy Butler, Mike Haddad, Bill Jartz, Mark Kasper, Laurie Radke, Mike Simmer and Chris Woleske.
The foundation’s annual grants are part of Green Bay Packers Give Back, the team’s community outreach initiative that includes appearances by players, alumni, coaches and staff, football outreach, cash and in-kind donations, Make-A-Wish visits and community events.
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