In 1981, a handful of socially conscious nonprofit groups created a federation called ACHOICE. Their mission was to give Milwaukeeans "a choice" of whom they could support in their workplace-giving programs. The eight groups represented civil rights, social justice and environmental issues; none of them could find funding through the area's existing workplace-giving agency.

Over the next 20 years, ACHOICE grew in size and scope, offering convenient, flexible workplace-giving options like payroll-deduction. By 2002, a new name was found to better convey its role in this federation of independent organizations: Community Shares of Greater Milwaukee (CSGM).

How is Community Shares unique?

• Community Shares has the greatest diversity of nonprofit organizations in the Milwaukee area.
• CSGM is the only organization that allows donors to give to Social Justice and Environmental organizations through payroll deduction.
• Thru CSGM, donors can direct their donation to virtually any registered 501(C)(3) nonprofit organization they wish to support.
• CSGM provides “unrestricted funding” that allows the charity groups to use your donation to fund their most pressing needs. This is the most difficult type of funding to get and thus the most valuable to the charity.
• Community Shares believes:
  • The donor is best qualified to determine where his or her money should go.
  • Workplace giving is the most effective way for citizens at large to change the course of their community.
• Community Shares organizations work for social justice through many channels: legal assistance to those who can't afford it, consumer protection, workplace safety, peace education, neighborhood revitalization, child advocacy, environmental awareness, and safeguarding civil liberties. Others help ex-offenders rebuild shattered lives, provide animal welfare, job training or youth programs.