Cream City Foundation.

ABSTRACT: Founded in 1982, Cream City Foundation (CCF) is the only non-profit, grant making, community-based foundation serving the entire State of Wisconsin whose sole purpose is to support the changing needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) communities.  The collection contains correspondence, board meeting minutes, newsletters, financial information, publicity materials, articles of incorporation, and annual reports.  It also contains grant applications from over eighty LGBT organizations, many of which are now inactive.  These applications are likely the only surviving documentation of many of these groups.  Examples of educational materials produced with CCF support are included in the collection.

ACCESS RESTRICTIONS: There are no access restrictions on the materials, and the collection is open to all members of the public in accordance with state law. However, the researcher assumes full responsibility for conforming with the laws of libel, privacy, and copyright which may be involved in the use of this collection (Wisconsin Statutes 19.21-19.39).

SCOPE AND CONTENT: The collection documents the founding of the Cream City Foundation in 1982, its development, and primary functions of raising and distributing funds to support the needs of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender communities in Wisconsin. It is arranged as three series:

1. Administrative Files, 1981-2001. This series documents the routine operations of CCF. Included are correspondence, board meeting minutes, newsletters, financial information, publicity materials, articles of incorporation, and annual reports. This series also contains information about the establishment of the Foundation Community Center in 1988.
2. Fundraising, 1983-1999. This series documents CCF fundraising activities, primarily through participation in the United Way and A CHOICE programs, and events such as Casino Night. 
3. Grant Materials
.
1. Applications, 1983-1997. This series consists of applications submitted by over eighty LGBT organizations, many of which are now inactive. These applications are likely the only surviving documentation of many of these groups.  The series is arranged by applicant name and then by application date. Generally, these files contain letters of inquiry, application forms, follow-up correspondence, and final reports. The application forms contain detailed information about the applicants themselves--such as names of officers and directors, membership counts, organizational goals, date of establishment, and activities and services provided--and project proposals.  Not all applicants received funding. For a complete list of grants awarded by CCF, see the Grants Awarded folder in the Administrative Files series.
2. Products of CCF Grant Funding, 1991-1992. This series contains materials produced as a result of funding from CCF. 

ADMINISTRATIVE HISTORY:  Cream City Foundation (CCF) is the only non-profit, grant making, community-based foundation serving the entire State of Wisconsin whose sole purpose is to support the changing needs of the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender communities.  The Cream City Association Foundation, as it was originally known, was formed in mid-1982 as the charitable arm of the Cream City Business Association (CCBA).  However, CCAF quickly adopted its own set of bylaws and registered with the State and Federal I.R.S. as a separate charitable foundation.  The first board meeting of the CCAF was called to order on October 5, 1982.  In December 1986, CCAF changed its name to the Cream City Foundation.  Past presidents include Ralph Navarro (1982-1983), Don Schwamb (1984-1989), Warren Breitlow (1989-1991), William Frank (1991-1993), Tony Rhodes (1993-1998), and Mary Messerlie (1999-    ). 

In addition to awarding grants, CCF has also sponsored the Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Cable Network, a volunteer group that produced regular and special programming on gay and lesbian issues for Milwaukee's public access cable channel. It helped establish the Foundation Community Center in 1988 as a gathering place for various groups in Milwaukee's LGBT community. CCF raises funds by participating in the United Way and A CHOICE programs, holding fundraising events such as Casino Night, and relying on the donations of private individuals.

COLLECTION CITATION: This collection should be cited as:

Cream City Foundation. Records, 1982-2001. UWM Manuscript Collection 205. University Manuscript Collection. Archives. UWM Libraries. University of Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

RELATED COLLECTIONS:

ACT UP Milwaukee. Records. (UWM Manuscript Collection 203)

Cream City Business Association. Records. (UWM Manuscript Collection 204)

Human Rights League for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgendered. Records. (UWM Manuscript Collection 210)

Lambda Rights Network. Records. (UWM Manuscript Collection 208)

Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Cable Network. Records. (UWM Manuscript Collection 206)

Sherman Park Rainbow Association. Records. (UWM Manuscript Collection 214)

RELATED RESOURCES:  Digital reproductions of some items in Series 3B: Products of CCF Grant Funding, are also available on DVD. Don Schwamb created these copies and donated them with the videocassette copies.

ACQUISITION: The Cream City Foundation donated the collection to the Archives in December 2003, at the request of past president Don Schwamb (accession 2003-46). Programs produced by the Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Cable Network were removed and processed separately. Scott Gunkel donated additional materials in February 2004 (accession 2003-62).

PROCESSING: Ryan Johnson processed the collection in spring 2004.

MARC RECORD SEARCH TERMS: The following terms were used in the online bibliographic MARC record to this collection:

• ACT UP Milwaukee (Organization).
• Brady East STD Clinic.
• Cream City Chorus.
• Fest City Singers.
• Human Rights League for Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals, and Transgendered.
• Lambda Rights Network.
• Lesbian Alliance of Metropolitan Milwaukee.
• Lesbians of Color (Organization).
• Milwaukee AIDS Project.
• Milwaukee Gay/Lesbian Cable Network.
• Milwaukee Lesbian/Gay Pride Celebration.
• Saturday Softball Beer League.
• Community foundations--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Fund raising--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.
• Gay communities--Wisconsin--Milwaukee.

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URL: http://www.uwm.edu/Libraries/arch/findaids/uwmmss205.htm
Last edited on Thursday, November 9, 2006.
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