Philanthropic Advising.
Fruitful Philanthropies is led by Tracy L. Williams, our Principal Philanthropic Advisor. She brings 30 years of experience and was the inaugural Senior Program Officer of Greater Milwaukee Foundation, the largest community foundation in the state of Wisconsin. Named as a top nonprofit CEO, she is also an entrepreneurial leader who has led many philanthropic efforts. She is also masterful at building teams most often exceeding goals to increase community proximity, engagement, and philanthropic outcomes. Under her leadership, she will work with your teams and involve a rich network of leaders to support your vision.
Bearing Fruit that Will Last.
Philanthropic Leaders as Former Advisors, Colleagues, and Partners
Jennifer Buffet
NOVO Foundation
Gail Christopher
W.K. Kellogg Foundation
Gabriel Stulman
Happy Cooking
Lonnie Bunch
Smithsonian
Chris Gardner
Chris Gardner Foundation
Marcus White
Johnson Foundation
Shawn Dove
New Profit
Kelly Parks Snider
Women Against Hate
Cheryl Maurana
Medical College of Wisconsin
A Seat At The Table.
Former Philanthropic Affiliations
Project-Based Services
A Successful Philanthropic Effort with Lasting Impact
Gabriel Stulman x Virgil Abloh
"Off Wisconsin" Red Shirt Project
In 2015, Tracy L. Williams spearheaded the Off-Wisconsin project as Director at the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. With a creative vision, she forged a dynamic partnership with alumni, Gabriel Stulman and the late
Virgil Abloh. The three agreed to work together
and made history.
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This philanthropic engagement project has been cemented in UW Madison's history. This one project is responsible for many impacts to date. The many outcomes range from scholarship development to alumni returning to campus after being estranged for many years. This project alone demonstrates Tracy's ability to develop and execute strategy by building lasting relationships. She leveraged the power of philanthropy beyond dollars.
Undeniable Outcomes
Engaging with Gabriel Stulman and Virgil Abloh resulted in record sells of the three "Off Wisconsin Red Shirt" designs created by Virgil, who soon after became the first Black artistic director of Louis Vuitton. He also created a scholarship with the Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association. Gabriel is still the owner of highly successful restaurants and featured in publications such as New York Times, Wall Street Journal, and GQ magazine. Additionally, world renowned artist and Chazen Family Distinguished Chair in Art, Faisal Abdu'Allah, partnered with Williams and created limited edition prints of the three Red Shirt designs by Virgil. These print designs were signed by Virgil and further deepened his engagement.
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When Gabriel and Virgil returned to UW Madison during homecoming, UW Madison experienced a 500% increase in student engagement at the Red Talk event and global visibility due to
Virgil and Gabriel's presence.
Their legacies are now cemented in UW Madison's Alumni Park. Gabriel and Tracy remain in touch. He continued to engage with Tracy by returning to campus and being featured in the "Why I Love UW" video project in 2020.
Years later, the Wisconsin Athletic Department reached out to Tracy to assist them with reprinting of the Off-Wisconsin Red Shirts. This project was successful due to Tracy engaging Virgil Abloh's team, who were very responsive to her request. The new reprinted shirts became a reality and were worn by the men and women's basketball teams in televised games in honor of Virgil when he passed away in 2021.
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