Foundation Realty

At Foundation Realty, we feel a strong responsibility to the communities within which we work. As real estate professionals, we have a unique opportunity to be involved with individuals and organizations in a multitude of neighborhoods, towns, and cities in our great state of Wisconsin. Although we are committed to assisting homeowners with selling their homes and buyers with finding their dream home, we also understand that the communities in which these transactions take place are living, growing entities which need to be nourished and strengthened to ensure long-lasting economic vitality.

Because of this, we are committed to providing significant charitable donations to non-profit organizations serving the community.

Here's How It Works

The Funds: Foundation Realty LLC sets aside 15% of all net commissions collected. These funds are earmarked for donation to nonprofit organizations in South Central Wisconsin.

Who Receives the Funds? Any nonprofit, tax exempt organization located within Dane, Columbia, Sauk, Rock, Green, and Dodge counties can apply to receive grant funds. We do not award grants to private foundations, nor to projects that serve an exclusively religious or political purpose. School-based programs may apply if they provide services to the community outside of regular school hours.

Priority is given to grassroots projects that build, protect, and strengthen the community through local efforts. Examples might include social services, youth programs, education, diversity programs, and public health projects. Due to limited funds, we are currently focusing our charitable giving on human services projects and organizations.

	Students in class at the Odyssey Project. Foundation Realty supported the 2009-10 program year by providing funds for child care so that students with small children could attend weekly night classes. The Odyssey Project t provides members of our community facing economic barriers with a chance to start college. In this introductory humanities course, students gain a voice and a sense of empowerment through lively discussions of literature, history, philosophy, art and writing. In the words of one student, "Until I took this class, I never dreamed someone like me could think of college." The UW-Madison Odyssey Project was inspired by the work of Earl Shorris, a revolutionary author and educator who began the Clemente Course in the Humanities in New York in 1995. Earl Shorris believed that the gateway out of poverty and disenfranchisement would come through exposure to powerful works of moral philosophy, literature, art history, American history, and writing.
	June 14, 2007: Erica Laughlin with Jim Thompson, rider in ACT 5 - The 2007 Wisconsin AIDS Ride. Foundation Realty sponsored Jim's ride with a $1100 donation to the AIDS Network. In Jim's words: "When signing up for my first ACT bike ride in 2004, I was curious about the motto, Change your life; change your world. Not knowing anyone connected with the ride when I started training, I soon got to know a collection of friendly, helpful, humorous and caring folks. The 6-day ride (now shortened to 4 days) was incredible – the beauty of the terrain was only exceeded by the beauty of the souls who pulled together to help everyone along. It was a diverse collection of people with one major trait in common – the will to make an effort to help others. It was a life-altering experience, which is also addictive. We will continue to laugh and cry our eyes out while holding each other up." More details at http://www.actride.org/
	July 7, 2006: Erica Laughlin giving $1200 donation check to Tom Solyst, Executive Director of the Vera Court Neighborhood Center. The money will go to support the "Life as a Boy" program at the Bridge Lake Point Waunona Neighborhood Center, which is managed by the Vera Court facility.