Donors

The people & organizations who have supported the Rural Schools Collaborative since its launch in 2015.

Thank You!

$100,000 and more

  • The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation
  • The Catalyst Fund, Missouri
  • Community Foundation of the Ozarks, Missouri
  • Galesburg Community Foundation, Illinois
  • Gary and Jana Funk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Johns Hopkins University, Baltimore, Maryland
  • National Rural Education Association
  • Patterson Family Foundation

$50,000 and more

  • Celia and Mark Godsil, Abingdon, Illinois
  • Monmouth College, Monmouth, Illinois
  • Teton Science Schools, Wyoming
  • The University of West Alabama, Livingston, Alabama

$20,000 and more

  • Association of Illinois Rural and Small Schools
  • Big Idea Program, Glenstone Square, Springfield, Missouri
  • James T. and Jean Beddow, Sioux Falls, South Dakota
  • Compeer Financial Fund for Rural America, Sun Prairie, Wisconsin
  • John and Mary Cooper Charitable Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Eastern Illinois University, Charleston
  • Grand Victoria Foundation, Chicago, Illinois
  • Great Schools SI Initiative, Southern Illinois University, Carbondale
  • Michelle and Sascha Mornell, Hillsborough, California

$10,000 and more

  • Cambridge Foundation, Cambridge, Wisconsin
  • Hood Family Donor Advised Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Julie and Bruce Leeth, Springfield, Missouri
  • North Dakota Small Organized Schools, Bismarck, North Dakota
  • North State Together, Redding, California
  • Parker Griffith Family Foundation, Montgomery, Alabama
  • Rural Community Alliance, Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Carol Silvey, West Plains, Missouri
  • Twomey Foundation, Roseville, Illinois
  • West Central Initiative, Fergus Falls, Minnesota

$5,000 and more

  • Arizona Rural Schools Association, Phoenix, Arizona
  • Cambridge Mountain Bike Park Fund, Cambridge, Wisconsin
  • Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Iowa
  • Dakota Resources, Renner, South Dakota
  • Dean L. Lund American Family Insurance Agency, Inc., Cambridge, Wisconsin
  • East Carolina University, Greenville, North Carolina
  • Eastern Oregon University, La Grande, Oregon
  • Kansas State University, Manhattan, Kansas
  • Metis Leadership Group, Island Heights, New Jersey
  • Northern Arizona University Rural Resource Center, Flagstaff, Arizona
  • University of Indianapolis - The Center of Excellence in Leadership of Learning, Indianapolis, Indiana
  • University of Wisconsin-Platteville, Wisconsin
  • An anonymous, in-kind donation in memory of Dr. Larry Chadwick

$1,000 and more

  • John Aeschlimann, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Alabama Education Association
  • Alabama Friends of Rural Schools
  • American Family Insurance, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Ray F. Aton Memorial Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • California State University, Chico
  • Cambridge WI Farm to School Fund
  • Central Illinois Rural Schools Collaborative, Charleston
  • Community Foundation of Macon County, Decatur, Illinois
  • Fogle Family Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Forefront, Chicago, Illinois
  • Funk Family Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Hal and Kathy Funk, Springfield, Missouri
  • Josh and Stacy Gibb, Galesburg, Illinois
  • Graham Local Schools, St. Paris, Ohio
  • Lavina Grandon, Valley Springs, Arkansas
  • JKH Enterprises, Springfield, Missouri
  • Jay and Kim Handy, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Dr. Steven Johnson, Lisbon, North Dakota
  • Natalie Kessler, Wataga, Illinois
  • Mike Knutson, Watertown, South Dakota
  • Larry Lee, Montgomery, Alabama
  • The Lumpkin Family Foundation, Mattoon, Illinois
  • Dr. Arthur Mallory, Springfield, Missouri
  • Tammy LaPrad, Macomb, Illinois
  • Taylor McCabe-Juhnke, Galesburg, IL
  • Ohio Small Rural Collaborative, St. Paris
  • Brian and Denise Reid, Charleston, Illinois
  • Rural Conservation Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Geneva Shoemaker, Albuquerque, New Mexico
  • Terry Şivesind, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Shasta College, Redding, California
  • Steve and Laurie Struss, Cambridge, Wisconsin
  • Dr. Lance Ternasky & Willa Moore, Avon, Illinois
  • University of Arkansas, Fayetteville, Arkansas
  • Tracy Family Foundation, Mount Sterling, Illinois
  • Your Cause, Plano, Texas

Additional contributions

  • Deborah Anderson, Oakland, Nebraska
  • David and Vicki Ardrey, Murphysboro, Illinois
  • Kate Baird, Springfield, Missouri
  • Sally & Rob Baird, Springfield, Missouri, in honor of Julie Leeth
  • Joseph Bartmann, Renner, South Dakota
  • Matthew Baumgartner
  • Catharine Biddle, Orono, Maine
  • Jane Bork, Pasadena, California
  • Kristen Bovee
  • Renee and Phillip Carr, Fox, Arkansas, In memory of Rodney Rushing
  • Rand and Molly Chappell, Charleston, Illinois
  • Liliana Coelho, Ithaca, New York
  • Dakota Wesleyan University, Mitchell, South Dakota
  • Earling Insurance Financial Service, Iowa
  • Bill and Gina Eggert, Cambridge, Wisconsin
  • Dr. Andrea Evans, Chicago Heights, Illinois
  • Donald and Judith Fishburn, Forsyth, Illinois, In memory of Hal D. Funk
  • Savannah Franklund, Monmouth, Illinois
  • Megan Funk, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania
  • Pat Funk, Springfield, Missouri
  • Randy and Cheri Funk, Overland Park, Kansas
  • Pat Funk, Springfield, Missouri, In memory of Evelyn Ruckman
  • Katherine Funk, Springfield, Missouri, In memory of Hal D. Funk
  • Katherine Funk, Springfield, Missouri, In honor of Jana Funk
  • John Glasgow, Monmouth, Illinois
  • J.R. Glasgow, Monmouth, Illinois
  • Kelly Goode, New Windsor, Illinois
  • Gene Gowan, Cambridge, Wisconsin
  • Brent and Jeannie Glover, Harrison, Arkansas
  • Grace and Galen Hasler, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Rivi Handler-Spitz, St. Paul, Minnesota
  • Rick Gregory and Carolyn Herman, St. Louis, Missouri
  • Troy Hippen, Monmouth, Illinois
  • Jefferson County American Federation of Teachers Local 2143, Birmingham, Alabama
  • C.J. Jennings, Brooklyn, New York
  • Quinton Klabon, Wisconsin Rapids, Wisconsin
  • Kelly and Louise Knauer Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Todd Kruse
  • David Dickenson and Jeannine LaPrad, Michigan
  • Maggie Langenfeld, Earling, Iowa
  • Diane Lewis, Kansas City, Missouri
  • Jonathan Lewis, Stoughton, Wisconsin
  • Gregory and Donna Lunnon, Oak Grove, Missouri, In memory of Hal D. Funk
  • Karen McCabe-Juhnke, North Newton, Kansas
  • Carol & Walter McClennen, Holliston, Massachusetts
  • Nate McClennen, Jackson, Wyoming
  • Susan McKim, Montgomery, Alabama
  • Emily Meier, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Kevin and Jan Mayes, Smithville, Missouri, In memory of Hal D. Funk
  • Jim and Sally Meier, Waunakee, Wisconsin
  • Jan Miller, Meridian, Mississippi
  • Karen Miller, Ozark, Missouri
  • John Minnich, Madison, Wisconsin
  • National Governors Association
  • Rick and Brenda Norem, Bowler, Wisconsin
  • Bryan and Sharon Reber, Athens, Georgia
  • Barb Reffitt, Lampe, Missouri
  • Winthrop Rockefeller Foundation, Little Rock, Arkansas
  • Annah Rogers, Calera, Alabama
  • Judith Rose, Longmont, Colorado
  • Kallie Sandell, Renton, Washington
  • Susan Schroth, Redding, California
  • Ann Schulte, Chico, California
  • Jim Shurts, Madison, Wisconsin
  • Lacey Skorepa, Rock Island, Illinois
  • Howard Spiegle, Buffalo Grove, Illinois
  • Janel Stucky, Princeton, New Jersey
  • The Do Something Fund, Springfield, Missouri
  • Paul Theobald, Osmond, Nebraska
  • Third Cup Fund, Galesburg, Illinois
  • Sandra Thomastan, Alabama
  • Jon Turner, Ozark, Missouri
  • Susan Twomey, Monmouth, Illinois
  • Horace Williams, Montgomery, Alabama
  • Lisa Wilt, Ohio, Illinois
  • Mark Willhardt, Monmouth, Illinois
  • Hailey Winkleman, Carmi, Illinois
  • Clarence Wyatt & Lobi Stone, Monmouth, Illinois

We invite you to support our work by making an online contribution. Thank you for your consideration!

Honor & Legacy Gifts

2023 Gifts:

In honor of David Williams, by Matthew Baumgartner

In memory of former Bangor Superintendent Betsy Webb, by Catharine Biddle

In memory of Dr. Jim Beddow, by Josh Gibb

In memory of Dr. Jim Beddow, by Steven Johnson

In honor of Mr. Phil Martin, by Steven Johnson

In honor of Don Ludens, by Mike Knutson

In memory of Bob Plunkett, by Todd Kruse

In honor of Ms. Judy Halli, by Annah Rogers

In memory of Dr. Jim Beddow, by Carol Silvey








2022 Gifts:

In honor of Mark Kohorst & Kris DeWild, by Maggie Langenfeld

In memory of her 1950's rural Iowa School Teacher, by Judith Rose

In honor of Jim Beddow & Gary Funk, by Steven Johnson


2021 Gifts:

In honor of Amy Troy, by Savannah Franklund

In honor of Joyce Bass, by John Glasgow

In honor of Richard Schmit, by Steve Johnson

In honor of Karen McCabe-Juhnke, by Taylor McCabe-Juhnke

In honor of Cyrus Weaver, of Middleton High School, by John Minnich

In honor of Sharon Huggins, by Ann Schulte

In honor of Emily Driscoll, by Hailey Winkleman