Mr. and Mrs. Amundson left the bulk of their estate to the Cambridge Foundation to be used, as the board determines, for the benefit, improvement and beautification of the Village of Cambridge and surrounding communities in such manner as the Board of Directors of said Cambridge Foundation determine.

The current A.R. Amundson Trust contains over $2,200,000.00 for the benefit of the Cambridge Community. "Irene's Trust", known as the Cambridge Investment Agency account, contains $1,500,000.00 for the benefit of our community.

Marian Timmerman and William McCarthy created the Cambridge Area Endowment For The Arts to maintain and grow a revenue stream to offset the costs of operation and continued debt service requirements for a new Center For The Arts. The goal of Ms. Timmerman and Mr. McCarthy is to remove as many obstacles as possible when considering the construction and ongoing expenses to taxpayers. The Cambridge Area Endowment For The Arts encourages additional tax-deductible contributions in order to fully fund and offset operational expenses.

DONATE NOW To the cambridge area endowment for the arts

The General Fund is one that supports various miscellaneous grant requests, special Cambridge School District programs and the Southern WI Regional Food Pantry. This fund roughly contributes $10,000 a year directly into the Cambridge Community for improvements, purchases and grant requests.

Recent contributions have gone to:

• Cambridge-Deerfield Community Players theater group

• Badger Boys State participants

• Community Hope

• Cambridge Food Pantry & Resource Center

• Senior Luncheons

• Ripley Park maintenance

• Village of Cambridge for community expansion

• Cambridge Umbrellas

DONATE NOW To the cambridge Foundation’s general fund

The Frank Hoeven - Lake Ripley Fund is to be an endowment-type fund. The fund is designed for improvements to Lake Ripley and the Lake Ripley Park.

Mr. Hoeven, a retired machinist and active Mason and Shriner at the time of his death on October 18, 1994, was the brother of former Cambridge resident Ruth Tost, and Dorothy Prante. Although a resident of Illinois, he enjoyed the years spent at his cottage on Lake Ripley.

Mr. Hoeven's love of Lake Ripley lives on through his generosity of a permanent fund to benefit Lake Ripley in perpetuity.

DONATE NOW To the Hoeven Fund

The Mary Lien Anderson Elementary School Fund (MLAESF) is an endowment-type fund. This fund is designed to address both short-term and long-term needs of the Cambridge Elementary School. The fund is used to provide programming, books, and other items that cannot be funded through the school's regular budget. This fund is not designed for normal operating expenses of the school.

Mary Lien Anderson was a teacher for 43 years, 30 of those years were spent in the Cambridge School District. She began her teaching career in the one room Smithback Schoolhouse, where she taught all eight grades. In 1962, Mary moved to Oak Creek, WI, where she taught first grade. Mary completed her teaching career by coming home to teach in Cambridge in 1976 and then retired in 2001.

Annually, or as needed, a committee, made up of elementary school teachers, make gifting recommendations and/or grant requests to the Executive Board of the Cambridge Foundation. The Cambridge Foundation then distributes the income from the Mary Lien Anderson Elementary School Fund at least once each year to organizations that qualify as tax-exempt public charities and/or the Cambridge Public Schools.

DONATE NOW To the Mary Lien Anderson elementary school fund

The Melster Family Fund is an endowment-type to fund that is used to fund the Cambridge Food Pantry and Resource Center. This fund focuses on these special needs in the Cambridge community.

In the summer of 1947, while the Cambridge Chamber of Commerce was planning the village's centennial celebration, Arthur E. Melster and A. R. Amundson summoned 30 area businessmen together to form an organization that would "associate together everyone interested in the future of the community, and to provide a program of improvement and to bring about its realization." The Cambridge Foundation was formed and designed to receive gifts from "former, present and future citizens" to help Cambridge shape its own destiny

DONATE NOW To the Melster fund

Currently, the Cambridge Foundation manages approximately $600,000 in an endowment type fund solely for high school graduates of Cambridge Public Schools. There are a number of donor directed funds in addition to a general fund. There is no better way to make our community a better place to live than by affording our High School graduates continued education.

ADAS FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

The Adas Family scholarship is designated for a graduating senior enrolling in a Trade, Technical or Vocational school with an emphasis toward engineering, trades or technical education whether industrial, automotive, or agricultural.  When applying, the standard school application will be used and the financial need of the recipient will be factored into the selection by the Cambridge High School Scholarship Committee. The $1,000 scholarship will be announced at the awards ceremony and the school will forward to the recipient upon admission to Trade, Technical or Vocational school. 

• 2024 Recipient: Alexandria Willard

• 2023 Recipient: Kayla Roidt

• 2022 Recipient: Aiden Schroeder

• 2021 Recipient: Carly Kriedeman

• 2020 Recipients: Ashlynn Jarlsberg, Katherine Schmid (Year 4 of 4), Molly Hellberg

• 2018 Recipient: Heather Springen-McCollum, Katherine Schmid (Year 2 of 4), Mackenzie Loether, Emma Quakenboss

• 2017 Recipient: Jeffrey Andersen, Katherine Schmid (Year 1 of 4), Josh Niesen

PATRICK ADAS MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

Established in memory of Patrick Adas, a Cambridge graduate and community member. This $1,000 scholarship is designated for a graduating senior enrolling in a Trade, Technical or Vocational school. Financial need of the applicant will be considered for this scholarship.

• 2024 Recipient: Ian Terrones

• 2023 Recipient: Adeline Gent

• 2022 Recipient: Mayah Holzhueter

• 2021 Recipient: Randi Stockwell

BORCHARDT FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

The Roger and Joy Borchardt Family scholarship is designated for a student with a thirst for knowledge, one who exhibits strong personal character, integrity and leadership, as well as a love for life and others while maintaining a minimum 2.5 GPA. Two $2,500 scholarships will be awarded to qualified students for attendance at a post-secondary college/technical/vocational/trade school.

• 2024 Recipients: Tanner Hutchens, Jada Rank

• 2023 Recipients: Elliot Kozler, Alyssa Farrar

• 2022 Recipients: Taylor Stenklyft, Kate Downing

• 2021 Recipients: Oliver Kozler, Randi Stockwell

• 2020 Recipients: Drew Jeffery, Katie Woletz

• 2018 Recipients: Spencer Currie, Ashley Pernsteiner

• 2017 Recipients: Bailey Buunescu, Katie Korth

CAMBRIDGE ALUMNI SCHOLARSHIP

Two $750 scholarships will be awarded to a son/daughter of a Cambridge High School alumnus. This award can be used to attend either a college or vocational school of the student's choice. The award is provided to the student after the recipient enrolls in their 2nd semester of a college or technical school.

• 2024 Recipients: Jordyn Davis, Ripley Trainor

• 2023 Recipients: Hanna Brattlie, Quinton Terland

• 2022 Recipient: Keenan Joyce

• 2021 Recipient: Spencer Davis, Emily Hanson

• 2020 Recipients: Dan Jensen, Allison Lund

• 2018 Recipients: Spencer Currie, Mackenzie Loether

• 2017 Recipients: Katie Korth, Keagen Zibell

CAMBRIDGE FOUNDATION SCHOLARSHIP

The Cambridge Foundation scholarship is designated for a graduating senior who has significantly volunteered his or her time to the community, performed community service and whose community service has made the Cambridge Community a better place to live. The $1,000 scholarship will be announced at the awards ceremony and the school will forward to the recipient upon admission to post high school education. A minimum of 4 scholarships are provided through the Cambridge Foundation Scholarship every year.

• 2024 Recipients: Tanner Hutchens, Grace Carlson, Jada Rank, Carter Stenjem, Alexandria Willard

• 2023 Recipients: Alyssa Farrar, Emma Hellberg, Amanda Punsel, Kendra Tobias, Kaitlyn Tofte

• 2022 Recipients: Hailey Last, Emma Nottestad, Samantha Stockwell, Jacob Wagner

• 2021 Recipients: Stone Farruggio, Abby Gowan, Caleb Kendall, Oliver Kozler, Mia Pollasky

• 2020 Recipients: Gracie Korth, Allison Lund, Karn Vethe, Olivia Williams

• 2018 Recipients: Marcie Frey, Emma Hanisko, Ashley Persteiner

• 2017 Recipients: Grace Carpenter, Camryn Harrison, Katie Korth

DONATE NOW To the cambridge Foundation Scholarship Fund

CARPENTER-LOUNDS MEMORIAL

Established in memory of Carl Lounds and June Carpenter-Lounds. This scholarship will award one $500 scholarship to a student enrolled in a four year accredited university or college and participating in a program leading to a licensure as a teacher in a K-12 school system.  If no applicant plans on teacher education other applicants will be considered.

• 2024 Recipient: Zoey Rank

• 2023 Recipient: Kendra Tobias

• 2022 Recipient: Kacey Schmidt

• 2021 Recipient: Caylin Klumb

• 2020 Recipient: Emily Ayers

• 2018 Recipient: Erin Rieckmann

• 2017 Recipient: Aurelia Lorvick

ERIK BIERMEIER MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

This scholarship is given in memory of Erik Biermeier. This $250 scholarship will be given to a student who is an active participant in Show Choir and has a cumulative GPA of 3.0 or better. The Show Choir Director is to select the recipient of this scholarship.

• 2024 Recipient: Mara Brown

• 2023 Recipient: Teagan Welscher

• 2022 Recipient: Hailey Last

• 2021 Recipient: Caleb Kendall

• 2020 Recipient: Abigail Thompson

• 2018 Recipient: Ashley Pernsteiner

• 2017 Recipient: Grace Carpenter

PHIL AND PAULA VASBY FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

The Philip and Paula Vasby family scholarship is designated for a graduating senior who will be attending a Christian based university or college. The committee should consider a graduate with a foreign language emphasis and should consider need of the recipient. The $1,000 scholarship ($4,000 in total) will be announced at the awards ceremony and the school will forward to the recipient upon admission to post high school education.

• 2024 Recipient: Jordyn Davis

• 2023 Recipients: Maddy Buonincontro, Stormy Alder, Bella Bamlett, Aynsley Kauffman, Megan Campbell

• 2022 Recipients: Stormy Alder (Year 1), Bella Bamlett (Year 2), Aynsley Kauffman (Year 3), Hannah Hoffman (Year 4), Megan Campbell (Year 4)

• 2021 Recipients: Bella Bamlet (Year 1), Aynsley Kauffman (Year 2), Hannah Hoffman (Year 3), Megan Campbell (Year 4)

• 2020 Recipients: Aynsley Kauffman (Year 1), Hannah Hoffman (Year 2), Megan Campbell (Year 3), Grace Carpenter (Year 4)

• 2018 Recipients: Megan Campbell (Year 1), Grace Carpenter (Year 2), Alexandrea Chitwood (Year 3), Grace Lacke (Year 4)

• 2017 Recipients: Grace Carpenter (Year 1), Alexandrea Chitwood (Year 2), Grace Lacke (Year 3), Cody Schumacher (Year 4)

RODNEY B. BENSON MEMORIAL SCHOLARSHIP

This Scholarship shall be made available to a graduating senior with a 3.0 or above grade point average enrolling in one of the Universities of the University of Wisconsin System. The committee will consider a graduate with a liberal arts interest, especially history, and will consider the financial need of the recipient.

• 2024 Recipient: Anya Carlson

• 2023 Recipient: Jetta Gullickson

• 2022 Recipient: Cora Griesemer

• 2021 Recipients: Megan Bolger, Trinity Niesan

RUMPF FAMILY SCHOLARSHIP

The Donald and Grace Rumpf Family scholarship is designated for a graduating senior with a 2.5 or above grade point average entering the field of nursing, to become a registered nurse, licensed practical nursing, nurses aid, etc. and who demonstrates compassion for individuals in need. When applying, the standard school application will be used and the financial need of the recipient will be factored into the selection by the Cambridge High School Scholarship Committee. The $1,000 scholarship will be announced at the awards ceremony and the school will forward to the recipient upon admission to a post high school educational program. This scholarship is also available for high school students prior to graduation who are in need of funds to acquire a certified nursing assistant or similar license to help individuals in need. A minimum of 2 scholarships are provided through the Rumpf Family Scholarship every year.

• 2024 Recipients: Amerie Timler, Ripley Trainor

• 2023 Recipients: Ilsa Lund, Kamryn Meskis

• 2022 Recipients: Emma Nottestad, Mayah Holzhueter

• 2021 Recipients: Erika Lund, Kora Nelson

• 2020 Recipients: Molly Hellberg, Karn Vethe

• 2018 Recipients: Megan Campbell, Erin Rieckmann

• 2017 Recipients: Kelsey Schneider, Ellia Will