2023 community impact grants

American Midwest Ballet's Community Engagement Program offers free performance tickets to over 1,000 people in the community of all ages. These individuals are students in our community, seniors in assisted or retirement living, and community members who receive services from over 30 nonprofit organizations.

The Carter Lake Village Winter Festival is a great opportunity to celebrate the holiday season while promoting a safe, family experience! The festival serves the 3,791 residents of Carter lake and funding from the Community Impact Grant will go toward the gifts for the approximately 220 children who will attend this year's event.

The Underwood Mural Project will create a community identity, engaging residents though participation in painting the mural, donating funds for the project, and using the mural as a photo background for individuals and groups. 

The kiosk shelter will protect the anticipated library kiosk (material vending device) that is planned for the Cochran Park plaza along the FIRST AVE trail.  The shelter will be an all-weather partially enclosed structure that will protect the library kiosk (material vending device) from natural elements.  The shelter will also expand the foot print of the literacy and culturally based programming of the library to the west end of Council Bluffs. 

Dexter's Dreams Sensory Santa experience is a judgement free zone where families and children are free to come and be exactly who they are in an environment supportive of their needs. The day is creating an experience of love, joy and acceptance of who not only their children are but their family as a whole. The day captures the holiday spirit in all essences every 20 minutes for 1 family and Santa and a flashdrive full of memories for years to come.

Peer Support helps decrease the day-to-day stress of first responders and can address the emotional strain of critical incidents. In addition, peer support can reduce the accumulation of frustration, anger, and helplessness, which can lead to alcohol abuse, substance abuse, depression, domestic violence, and suicide. First responder’s work not only affects the individual while working, but also influences home life and other relationships.

The 2023 Southwest Iowa Art Tour will be the 10th annual event connecting rural communities through art. The tour will connect nearly 100 local artists with thousands of visits, which turn into sales and lasting relationships. Nearly a dozen communities unite to promote this great regional event, which supports the inclusion of art in everyday life and provides an economic boost to our area.

The Community Foundation Community Impact Grants dollars will be used to help fund the Outdoor Horse Riding Arena at Horses Help SWI, Inc.  This Outdoor Arena is a pivotal structural component to our site and will allow trained instructors to work with clients on mounted horse riding, obstacle courses, cart-driving, grooming and groundwork (non-riding programs, i.e. grooming and for emotional growth).  

Inter-Faith Response, Inc., with the generous assistance of the Community Foundation of Western Iowa, pays rents and utilities for the materially poor citizens of Council Bluffs.  We do this by paying landlords and utilities directly.  We will help approximately 12 families consisting of about 29 people.  

As a nonprofit law firm, Justice for Our Neighbors' primary focus is providing free civil immigration legal services to low-income immigrants. Acting as a safety net for low-income immigrants, they serve clients that other legal service providers are unable to serve, either due to funding restrictions, staff composition and location, or lack of capacity. Immigration Legal Counsel provides free immigration legal services to Pottawattamie County residents earning less than 150% of the federal poverty level ($45,000 for a family of four).

Macedonia Historical Preservation Society will establish the Painted Camel Gallery as an artists' cooperative under their organization and share resources, including programming, outreach, promotion and fundraising. Working together, the Gallery and the Museum will continue to enrich the lives of youth and adults in the Macedonia community and greater Pottawattamie County through cultural education, programming, and preservation.

New Visions Street Outreach services are based out of Council Bluffs and target individuals experiencing literal homelessness with the goal of attaining a safe and stable living environment. Utilizing a Housing First Approach, the program provides an initial assessment of needs and eligibility, addresses urgent physical needs, and engages in connecting and providing information and referrals with a focus on strength-based case management services that provide advocacy and support.

In 2023-2024, O-pa will serve 2,000 K-12 students and teachers in western Iowa schools through its education programs, including Musical Explorers (K-2), Disney Musicals in Schools (grades 3-6), Nebraska High School Theater Academy (grades 7-12), Student Matinee Series (K-12), Jazz Academy (grades 7-12), and Arts Access (all ages). 

Music in the Park is a series of free concerts held in Bayliss Park on Wednesday evenings in June and July. The concerts feature a variety of performances including country, jazz, rock and roll, and more. Music in the Park has become a regional event with patrons coming from greater Pottawattamie County and surrounding areas. 

Through the "Skill-building Development through Hobby Exploration" project, Trivium clients, individuals with developmental and intellectual disabilities, will get exposure to different areas of interest including sewing, outdoor recreation, nail art, and learning to play an instrument. This exploration will help teach clients valuable soft skills that they can take to other aspects of their lives, such as teamwork, self-care/relaxation, healthy coping mechanisms, and perseverance. 

Based on feedback from current users of the Community Center's fitness equipment, this initiative is designed to improve the offerings to fitness center users, making the fitness center more competitive with other local centers, and thereby increase the number of users at teh Walnut Community Center.  This is based upon feedback from our current users.