Photo by Richard Hurd
The Center Reaches $31M Historic Capital Campaign Goal Fueled by Your Support
On this eve of Juneteenth, as the nation reflects on the freedom and collective strength and brilliance of the Black community, we are elated to share that with your support, we have done what many thought was impossible. Together, we’ve achieved our goal of raising $31 million to make a debt-free Center a reality!
We’ll be releasing this exciting news tomorrow, on Juneteenth, but we wanted to share our big announcement with you first, our major supporters who have played an invaluable role in the vitality and success of The Center’s capital raise. We would not be here without you, and we express our heartfelt gratitude for believing in us!
This enormous achievement was fueled by early donations of 300-plus Black community members and their honorees that inspired a region-wide coalition of over 1,200 individuals, families, companies and foundations to support The Center.
We are so grateful for our lead contributors who gave $1 million or more to ensure that The Center’s capital raise would be a success. These lead donors include:
- American Family Insurance Dreams Foundation
- Ascendium
- Dane County
- New Market Tax Credits led by Forward Community Investments and U.S. Bancorp Impact Finance
- State of Wisconsin
- Summit Credit Union
- TruStage
- federal grants championed by Senator Tammy Baldwin and Representative Mark Pocan
Summit Credit Union’s $2 million gift, presented by President & CEO Kim Sponem at the capital campaign launch in late 2021, was instrumental in generating early momentum.
Ascendium was another of The Center’s early lead donors. Earlier this month, during the final stretch of the campaign, Ascendium provided a monumental second gift, contributing $626,000 to complete The Center’s capital campaign and ensure a debt-free opening. Thank you, Ascendium, for your incredible support that helped us cross the finish line!
The Center has begun raising funds for innovative programming and long-term building care—both essential to its future. Continued community support is vital to sustain and grow The Center’s impact for years to come. Construction is expected to be complete in late 2025.
While our capital campaign has come to a close, our journey is just beginning. We are excited to welcome you to The Center soon, and to continue to partner with you as we strive to elevate Black brilliance, innovation, and advancement throughout Wisconsin’s Black community.