Bank of Prairie du Sac Awarded $10,000 Grant for 6:8 Circles Sauk Prairie Initiative.

Community

PRESS RELEASE
July 15, 2025

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE

For more information, contact:
Sheri Hicken, Bank of Prairie du Sac
608.643.3393
shicken@bankpds.com
facebook.com/bankofprairiedusac
 

Bank of Prairie du Sac Awarded $10,000 Grant for 6:8 Circles Sauk Prairie Initiative

 
Prairie du Sac, WI — Bank of Prairie du Sac is proud to announce it has been selected as one of only five banks statewide to receive a $10,000 grant from the Wisconsin Bankers Association (WBA). The funding will support the 6:8 Circles Sauk Prairie program in 2025 — a relationship-based community initiative aimed at helping families permanently move out of poverty through education, mentorship, and support.
 
The grant funds will be used to advance Circles Sauk Prairie’s mission of “inspiring and equipping families and our community to resolve poverty and thrive.” Specifically, the $10,000 will support a portion of the salary for a Coach & Financial Education Facilitator, as well as provide materials and supplies for financial literacy training. Each Circle Leader (a highly motivated individual committed to exiting poverty) participates in 14 weeks of foundational training and 18 months of weekly programming to build financial, emotional, and social resources — all while being supported by trained community Allies.
 
“Circles Sauk Prairie is a unique model that doesn’t just provide resources — it builds relationships that lead to long-term change,” said Roxi Maier, Senior Vice President/CFO/COO, Bank of Prairie du Sac. “We are honored to support this transformational program and its bold vision to reduce poverty in our community by 10% over the next decade.”
 
Circles fosters measurable impact by helping participants increase income, expand support networks, and develop individualized Economic Stability Plans. In 2025, the program aims to retain at least 80% of enrolled participants for the full 18-month journey, launch its fifth Circles class, and offer targeted programming that improves financial literacy and mental, social, and behavioral health for both adults and youth. The program also regularly brings together Circle participants with community leaders to address systemic barriers to economic mobility.
 
This grant opportunity from WBA is available to member banks for programs related to housing, economic development, and financial or cyber literacy. All funded projects must benefit Wisconsin consumers or businesses. Grant recipients are expected to provide impact reports that track usage, outcomes, and metrics demonstrating the value of the funded initiative.
 
The Circles model is designed not just to change individual lives but to shift a community's mindset about poverty — calling for collaboration, understanding, and shared ownership of the solution.
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Locally owned and operated, Bank of Prairie du Sac has proudly served the Sauk Prairie area since 1916. With over $600 million in assets, the bank offers a full range of financial services — including commercial, mortgage, agricultural, and construction lending alongside a full range of deposit products — to residents and businesses throughout Sauk, Dane, and Columbia County via locations in Prairie du Sac and Sauk City. The bank is guided by its mission to “enhance, strengthen, and protect the financial wellbeing of those we touch, one relationship at a time.” Learn more at www.bankpds.com or call 608-643-3393. Member FDIC. Equal Housing Lender.

Bank of Prairie du Sac Awarded $10,000 Grant for 6:8 Circles Sauk Prairie Initiative.