Current Funding Priorities

1.      Women and Girls

Brico’s current focus is on reproductive rights, building strong leadership skills and opportunities, and advocacy around relevant issues. Through our funding, we want to initiate changes at both the policy and grassroots level that raise the status and achieve the full potential of women and girls. Responsiveness to this gender issue means more than serving a majority of women and girls in a program.  A proposal must demonstrate how the program is intentionally designed to serve women and girls.   (see grantees)

2.      The Environment: to restore and sustain the earth’s natural systems and to promote resource conservation.

Brico’s current focus is promoting policies and practices that improve and protect the water quality of Lake Michigan and surrounding waterways.  At this time we do not accept unsolicited proposals in this funding area. 

We also have an interest in sustainability and make limited grants in this area as well. Land ethic, land use and sustainable agriculture are some of the additional areas in which we are interested.  (see grantees)

3.      A Just and Equitable Society

Brico supports the principles of interdependence and diversity in human life by funding programs designed to change attitudes, policies, laws, and societal patterns that create or tolerate injustice. (see grantees)

4.      The Creative Spirit

Brico seeks to encourage innovators by supporting pioneering approaches in a range of program areas.  These grants are made to nourish the creative spirit in all of its manifestations. Please see Venture Grants below. (see grantees)

The Way We Fund

We approach funding around our four mission-related priorities as listed above and our quality of life-related support of Milwaukee organizations in three ways.

1.  Mission-Driven Grants.  Grants made range from $1,000 to $2,500,000; a typical grant is $15,000.  These are mission-driven grants to effect systemic change.  Mission-driven grants are made in the above-listed categories of Women and Girls, the Environment, and a Just and Equitable Society.

2.  Venture Grants.  Brico seeks to encourage innovators by supporting pioneering approaches in an array of program areas.  These grants to nourish the creative spirit range from $1,000 to $5,000 and can be applied for throughout the year.  Grants must be made to 501(c)(3) organizations, not individuals. 

3.  Quality of Life Grants.  Grants typically range from $1,000 to $150,000.  They support a range of activities that enhance and sustain the quality of life in Milwaukee and may be made annually.  Grants in this category are not bound by Brico’s mission-driven priorities. (see grantees)