Schlecht Family Foundation

People of the Midwest are known for their grit and tenacity, capacity for growth, and willingness to break new ground. These are the traits Steve and Marianne Schlecht have demonstrated in their successful business ventures and through the Schlecht Family Foundation.

In 2000, Steve purchased the Duluth Trading Company, a mail-order catalog business. Later retail stores were added to the mix, allowing the business to grow, while staying true to their original intent of offering quality products that solved real problems.

Over the years, persistence, an attitude of constant learning, and taking risks instead of following the herd paid off. These are the attributes the Schlecht Family Foundation now seeks to cultivate.

The Foundation funds endeavors that align with Steve and Marianne’s values: work that adds meaning to people’s lives; education in the broadest sense of sharing knowledge for life and work; and connecting with nature, hearkening back to the tranquility they both experienced growing up in the farmlands of the Midwest.

The Schlecht Family Foundation established a donor advised fund within the Community Foundation of North Central Wisconsin to help address the needs of rural north central Wisconsin.

To learn more about The Schlecht Family Foundation and its grant guidelines, click here.

Please note, to submit an application, login or create an account directly through the CFSW site here.