Anonymous Donor Will Give $1M to Confluence If the Rest of Us Kick in 500 Grand

Tom Giffey |

If you’ve been procrastinating about opening your wallet for the Confluence Project, it’s time to fill out a pledge form. Why now? If you do it before the end of the year, you can triple your money.

The offer may sound too good to be true, but it isn’t. On Wednesday, the project’s fundraising committee announced that an anonymous donor is offering $1 million toward the proposed downtown Eau Claire performing arts center in the form of a challenge grant: The donor will pledge the money if the fundraising campaign can raise another $500,000 by Dec. 31.

The offer has prompted fundraisers to launch the “It’s Time” campaign to bring in the $500,000. The new effort will kick off Friday, Oct. 16, at the Uncorked Autumn Wine Tasting Gala sponsored by Gordy’s Market. 

Fundraisers announced this week that they’d topped the $10 million mark in private fundraising, thanks to three big gifts: Peter and Randi Scobie will contribute $100,000; BMO Harris has pledged $50,000; and Jon and Maureen Homstad have committed $50,000. The total philanthropic goal is $13.5 million of the arts center’s projected $40 million cost.

“We are continuing to see strong momentum with philanthropy for the Confluence Arts Center,” said fundraising campaign co-chairman Tom Barland in a news release. “The $15 million grant from the State of Wisconsin, included in the state’s budget, and Eau Claire County’s recent re-affirmation of its $3.5 million investment in the project has convinced people that the Confluence Arts Center is going to be a reality.  They are eager to help assure the capital campaign’s success.”

The Eau Claire Community Foundation is the main recipient of community gifts, while the UW-Eau Claire Foundation also continues to accept gifts for the arts center.

To learn more about the “It’s Time” Campaign, visit communityfortheconfluence.org or eccommunityfoundation.org. To find out how to make a donation, contact Sue Bornick at the Eau Claire Community Foundation (715-552-3801 or suebornick@eccommunityfoundation.org) or Kimera Way at the UW-Eau Claire Foundation (715-836-5180 or waykk@uwec.edu).