$1M Donation to Create the Community Enhancement Fund - Random Lake
RANDOM LAKE, WI— The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation Foundation (SCEDCF) is proud to announce the creation of the Community Enhancement Fund – Random Lake. The Community Enhancement Fund program was created in early 2023 to raise charitable contributions to support community development initiatives from nonprofit organizations, local municipalities, and private residents that create or add to local community amenities and or public destinations in an individual community. The charitable funding mechanism will help support projects that enhance the livability of individual communities in the county. The funds are not to be used for business development efforts, but more for community development projects designed to create venues that will attract and retain residents while contributing to the quality of life and growth of the local economy. 
The SCEDCF received an anonymous $1,000,000 donation to create the Community Enhancement Fund in the Random Lake area. The anonymous donor approached the SCEDCF as a trusted public-private partnership after hearing of the program to support community growth, beautification and placemaking efforts in Random Lake.
“The SCEDCF is excited to partner in creating the Community Enhancement Fund for Random Lake,” said Don Hammond, Board Chair of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation. “We look forward to funding projects that enhance the vibrancy and livability of Random Lake.”
Through separate donations to the SCEDCF in 2023, the SCEDCF was able to fund the implementation of a Master Plan for the Village of Random Lake. The Village of Random Lake interviewed several firms and selected GRAEF to provide master planning services with the final presentation expected to be given to the Village Board in May. Over the next nine months, the GRAEF effort will implement community listening sessions and conduct community visioning meetings with elected officials, village staff, property owners, and community members. The Community Enhancement Fund – Random Lake donation now provides the opportunity for residents to dream big about what can be achieved as part of the Master Planning effort in Random Lake.
Village President Michael San Felippo stated, “Through these amazing donations, the Village and its residents have a prime opportunity to create a unified vision for our community growth and amenities. In addition, the Community Enhance Fund can potentially be a source of funding to start implementing community projects that would otherwise be placed on the shelf due to local budget constraints.
"We are thrilled to work with the Village of Random Lake in crafting a visionary master plan over the next 9 months,” said Craig Huebner, Practice Team Leader, Planning + Urban Design at GRAEF. “GRAEF is excited for the opportunity to engage with elected officials, dedicated village staff, local property owners, and passionate community members and listen closely to the desires of Random Lake's residents. Together, we will sculpt the future, envisioning vibrant landscapes for downtown, the Lakefront, and the Hwy 57 corridor.”
The Community Enhancement Fund – Random Lake will seek proposals starting in May of 2024 that improve the vibrancy and livability of the community while making a long-term, tangible difference in meeting specific community needs or goals consistent with the Master Plan. The proposals should demonstrate a potential for community impact and have clear and detailed planning. Future applications will be accepted quarterly.
The SCEDCF will establish a Community Enhancement Fund account for each community in Sheboygan County. However, an initial donation of $500,000 is required to create an account for a specific community. The donation to create the fund could be from multiple individuals or corporations committed to creating interesting community venues.
The Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation Foundation (SCEDCF) is the charitable arm of the Sheboygan County Economic Development Corporation (SCEDC). The SCEDC is a public-private partnership leading economic, community, and workforce development efforts in Sheboygan County to improve the well-being and long-term prosperity of businesses, residents, and communities. Through technical assistance, the SCEDC leverages a variety of tools to encourage business growth, startups, investment, skill development, and talent attraction. By applying the appropriate resources, the SCEDC helps fulfill Sheboygan County's growing economic and business needs.
