The Green Bay Packers Foundation announced this week it has awarded a total of $1.5 million in impact grants to eight Brown, Dane and Milwaukee County nonprofit organizations.

A record total amount awarded at one time for the impact grant program, which first began in 2013, the grants are aimed at directing significant funds toward organizations that serve their communities each day.

The grants of varying amounts were awarded to three organizations in Brown County, one in Dane County and four in Milwaukee County. Some grants are matching grants, which require each recipient organization to raise the same amount in order to secure the donation.

In Brown County:

• Foster the Village, Inc., received a $225,000 grant for their Building the Heart of the Village fundraising campaign focused on bringing a recently acquired facility to current standards and functionality.
• Journey To Adult Success received a $125,000 grant toward their JAS house operating expenses.
• NeighborWorks Green Bay received a $250,000 matching grant for their Multifamily Mutual Campaign.

In Dane County:

• Urban League of Greater Madison Inc., received a $250,000 matching grant for an initiative to be announced at a later date.

In Milwaukee County:

• Journeys Lutheran School received a $100,000 matching grant for their playground relocation and upgrade project.
• Just One More Ministry Inc., received a $225,000 grant for their new initiative to add new community partners and new Mobile Meal Outreach sites in Racine, Kenosha and Waukesha counties.
• Medical College of Wisconsin received a $225,000 matching grant for their MCW Health Equity Scholars Program.
• School District of South Milwaukee received a $100,000 grant for their South Milwaukee Field Surface Improvement Project.

"We are proud to award these grants to eight different worthy organizations throughout the state of Wisconsin," said Packers President/CEO Mark Murphy. "We have been fortunate to be able to enhance our charitable giving through the Packers Foundation since our impact grant program began, and we're pleased to award these significant donations to these nonprofits. These funds will help care for our most vulnerable neighbors and ensure kids, families and individuals in our communities have what they need to learn, grow and thrive."

Since the Impact Grant Program began in 2013, the Packers Foundation has disbursed $9.4 million through impact grants, awarding grants to organizations that focus on a wide variety of need areas, including education, homelessness, and the health and wellbeing of children, families and the elderly. The Foundation now has distributed more than $21 million for charitable purposes since it was established in 1986 by Judge Robert J. Parins, then president of the Packers Corporation, "as a vehicle to assure continued contributions to charity."

The Green Bay Packers Foundation impact grants are part of Green Bay Packers Give Back. Combined with other Green Bay Packers charity endeavors, the grant program helps contribute to a comprehensive Packers charity impact that was in excess of $9 million in the past year.