photo by Kent Sweitzer

Sustain your spiritual & ecological home for the next 100 years


Donate now

Unite with our community and friends to support Holy Wisdom Monastery, your spiritual and ecological home.

Your support helps us in our vital work to fulfill and extend our mission of weaving prayer, hospitality, justice and care of the earth into a shared way life.

Help us raise $50,000 for #GivingTuesday

This year’s #GivingTuesday goal is to raise $50,000 and exceed 150 donors. You’re welcome to support the Wisdom Fund – our annual fundraising priority – and/or identify an area of giving that is meaningful to you.

Double your gift with a $20,000 matching challenge

With a matching challenge from a generous anonymous donor, your gift will be doubled dollar-for-dollar up to $20,000 – now and through December 1.

Make your gift today!

An ideal future awaits

Through your generosity, we are able to weave prayer, hospitality, justice and care for the earth into a shared way of life at the monastery, throughout the greater Madison area and beyond. One way we do this is through membership in the Sunday Assembly, Oblate Community and Friends of Wisdom Prairie.

#GivingTuesday
Strategic Aspirations & Giving Examples

These aspirations and examples offer a glimpse of past needs and an ideal future for what Holy Wisdom Monastery and the community of communities need to achieve their aspirations and to serve the people of your community.


Prayer & worship

We aspire to be a beacon of Benedictine spirituality. The Rule of Benedict envisions a community that supports each person’s relationship with God and others.  The Rule highlights a balance of daily work and prayer.  All work is valued, provides service to others and is an opportunity for personal development.

The examples below offer a sample of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $10,000 provides new Liturgy of the Hours hymnals
  • $3,600 covers tuition for two sisters to participate in professional development conference
  • $1,000 maintains organ and piano for the year
  • $500 per week provides AV technology and maintenance for live streaming
  • $100 provides a stipend to a Sunday Assembly presider

Operational & environmental sustainability

We aspire to be sustainable in all of the monastery’s essential resources – human, natural, financial, and facility, which means that the monastery and prairie will be here for you as well as succeeding generations.  This includes the sisters’ community, Sunday Assembly, Oblates, Friends of Wisdom Prairie, coworkers, neighbors, and all supporters of the monastery and the sacred grounds.

As we look to the past needs and future aspirations, these areas depict a sampling of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $20,000 allows for purchase of a previously-owned work truck
  • $3,000 provided two touchless eco-friendly water bottle fountains for guests and volunteers
  • $1,000 per month allows us to acquire and maintain equipment, as well as supplies for worshiping and gathering spaces
  • $600 provides funding to replace each Retreat and Guest House mattress
  • $125 provides custodial supplies each month

Inclusivity, diversity & equity

We aspire to live ever more deeply into diversity, inclusivity and equity, so all may be one.  We can truly become one by living in right relationship with each other and the earth.

As we look to the past needs and future aspirations, these areas depict a sampling of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $1,900 supports four orphans in India through the SARTHI child-rights organization
  • $500 provides a retreat experience to leaders through our new social justice initiative: Community Respite & Resiliency fund
  • $350 provides 150 meals to Luke House guests
  • $300 supports one family in the Hispanic Family Christmas Sharing Project

Monastery without walls

The Monastery without Walls brings liturgies, prayers, presentations, concerts and other programs to the comfort and safety of your home. Access to the deep well of the Holy Wisdom community becomes accessible wherever you are.

As we look to the past needs and future aspirations, these areas depict a sampling of areas your gifts will bless:

  • $6,000-$150/retreat or event covers speaker fees for local, national and international speakers
  • $500 sponsors one month of musical concert offering
  • $400 covers one year of One License, a liturgical music copyright license for Sunday Assembly and daily prayer
  • $130 covers a weekend retreat scholarship
  • $80 provides one month of worship streaming and license

The land as a spirit-renewing resource

The 192 managed acres of prairie, woodlands, and Lost Lake, provides a natural environment which refreshes and deepens your spirit. The natural setting is also a serene outdoor learning lab for ecological education.

  • $15,000 provides controlled annual burns of the prairie lead to renewed growth
  • $10,000 sustains maintenance of our 4+ mile trail system
  • $5,000 covers quarterly repair and replacement of restoration and preservation equipment
  • $2,500 offers brush clearing and oak savanna restoration for one month
  • $1,500 provides installation of informational kiosk at prairie entrance
  • $1,500 provides snow removal per snow event (typically 35-40/season)
  • $1,150 provides a controlled burn for 10 acres (60 acres are scheduled in the 2021 land management plan)
  • $250 covers cost of educational lecturer
  • $170 provides one week of lawn care for the monastery grounds