Prentice has secured $320,000 in Fulcrum Foundation grants for two major community projects, according to village meeting minutes. The awards represent one of the largest single-round grant amounts the village has received in recent years.
According to minutes from the April 9, 2026 Village of Prentice Board meeting, the board accepted $250,000 for the Prentice Fire Department to purchase a new fire engine and $70,000 for the Lion’s Club to replace the ballfield fence and pavilion at Lion’s Park.
Fire Department to Replace Aging Engine
Last updated: September 2026
The $250,000 grant awarded to the Prentice Fire Department will fund a significant portion of a new fire engine, though not the full purchase price. That is why the village moved to borrow the remainder.
To cover the remaining cost, the Village Board approved Borrowing Resolution 03-2026 at its May 11, 2026 meeting, according to village minutes. The resolution authorizes the village to borrow funds to cover costs beyond the grant amount.
The Prentice Fire Department provides fire protection services to the village and the surrounding rural area. A reliable fire engine is critical infrastructure for a small community, where volunteer firefighters depend on functional equipment to respond to structural fires, brush fires, and mutual aid calls across Price County.
Replacing aging fire apparatus is a recurring challenge for small Wisconsin villages, where the cost of a single new engine can exceed the entire annual operating budget. Grant programs like Fulcrum help bridge the gap between what small communities can afford and what modern equipment costs.
Lion’s Park to Receive Ballfield Fence and Pavilion
The Lion’s Club of Prentice received a $70,000 grant to replace the ballfield fence and the pavilion at Lion’s Park, which is a community gathering space for recreational activities.
The ballfield fence will define the playing area and improve safety for spectators, while the pavilion will provide shelter for community events, youth sports, and seasonal gatherings. For a village the size of Prentice, investments in park infrastructure help sustain community life and provide amenities that larger towns often take for granted.
Lion’s Park hosts youth baseball, community events, and informal recreation throughout the warmer months. The additions funded by the grant will expand the park’s usability and provide weather protection for outdoor activities.
What the Fulcrum Foundation Is
The Fulcrum Foundation is a private charitable foundation based in Medford, Wisconsin, rather than a state agency. According to the foundation’s published guidelines, it awards grants to projects in Taylor County, the southern half of Price County, and communities within 25 miles of Medford.
The foundation focuses on one-time or finite-duration capital requests rather than ongoing operating costs. Its stated priorities include public safety and health needs, community gathering spaces and youth recreation facilities, and proposals that involve partnerships between municipal units and local nonprofits.
That structure suits a village like Prentice, where municipal budgets are modest and a single capital project can otherwise take years of accumulation or a referendum to fund.
The Lion’s Club’s Broader Role in Prentice
The Lions Club has been part of Prentice since 1959. Its Facebook page describes its purpose simply: “Founded in 1959 – we serve the Prentice Community.”
The park grant is one of several ways the club is visible locally. In April 2026 the club said it donated to the local school to support the boys basketball team’s trip to the state tournament.
The club also sponsors community events tied to Prentice Progress Days, including a parade entry, and its members solicit local businesses each spring for poster sponsorship.
Project Timeline
The Village Board accepted both grants at the April 9 meeting and moved quickly to address the fire engine funding gap by approving the borrowing resolution on May 11.
The Lion’s Park work is further along. By July 2026 the Lions Club was telling residents the pavilion renovation was finished and inviting them to “come check out the upgrades.”
The fire engine runs on a longer clock. Fire apparatus is built to order, and the village has not announced a delivery date. Nationwide backlogs at apparatus manufacturers have pushed wait times well beyond what departments once expected, so delivery depends on the manufacturer’s schedule rather than the village’s.
Community Impact
Together, the two grants represent a combined $320,000 investment in Prentice’s public safety and recreational infrastructure. The fire engine replacement addresses the village’s emergency response capability, while the Lion’s Park upgrades improve a space residents already use.
Prentice had a population of 563 at the 2020 U.S. Census. For a village that size, securing $320,000 in grant funding in a single award cycle reflects deliberate planning by village officials and the Lion’s Club, and it reduces the burden on local taxpayers.
The Village of Prentice is located in Price County, Wisconsin. Municipal meetings are open to the public, and residents can review board minutes and resolution details through the village office.
See also: what makes Price County communities special
See also: our guide to every town in Price County
See also: our guide to free camping in Wisconsin
Sources
- Fulcrum Foundation — service area, guiding principles and funding process (Medford, Wisconsin)
- Village of Prentice Board of Trustees — meeting minutes, April 9, 2026 and May 11, 2026 (Borrowing Resolution 03-2026)
- Prentice Lions Club — official Facebook page
- Price County Review (APG Media) — Price County Roundup, town and village news, May 8, 2026
- U.S. Census Bureau — Prentice village, Wisconsin, 2020 decennial census