Forward Foundation

Through partnerships, the Forward Foundation builds, improves and promotes community assets that support an economy that is accessible and thriving for all. 

Since its founding, Forward Foundation programs have focused on four primary areas: Regional Economic Cooperation; Downtown & Neighborhood Redevelopment; Youth to Young Professional Programs; and Community Engagement with Targeted Groups & Opportunities.

Following the closure of the General Motors Plant, the Foundation partnered with Rock County and private investors to form Rock County 5.0, a vital pathway to stabilize the perilous trajectory in our economy by bringing companies and jobs to the area. With a million-dollar fund, private donors equipped our County Economic Development Director with resources to launch an aggressive business attraction program focused on five key industries. 

In 2016, the Foundation undertook its next challenge – the revitalization of our city center, the heart of our community and an area of the city which abuts some of our most economically challenged neighborhoods such as the Fourth Ward. With a playbook for action, the ARISE plan, we formed a critical public-private partnership with the City to drive revitalization and privately raised $6 million as part of multi-million-dollar capital stack. Today our downtown is recognized as a growing success story. The Foundation continues as the backbone organization for ARISENow, our public-private partnership.

Moving from general economic development strategies, the Foundation began to focus on specific targeted groups and issues. This model allows the Foundation to address very specific needs of the community or of a target population. Issues identified by the Foundation include youth development, minority- and women-focused small business training and support, as well as childcare and affordable housing/locally driven development. 

The community looks to the Foundation as a vehicle to bring people and resources together to promote a healthy economy for our entire population in partnership with many organizations. Specific issues faced by our population include: affordable housing and healthcare, livable wages, access to childcare and early literacy programs, safe and productive schools, language and cultural barriers, transportation, vocational training, and reliable workforce and entrepreneur/small business training.