(Council Bluffs, IA) – After a thorough evaluation process, the Community Foundation for Western Iowa and its Impact Grants Committee – a group of county residents and board members – are pleased to announce this year’s grant award recipients. The Community Foundation elected to award 39 Community Impact Grants totaling $64,844.89 to nonprofit and city organizations throughout Pottawattamie County.

The Community Foundation received a record 74 grant proposals totaling $302,933 in project requests, with total project budgets combined at an astonishing $14 Million dollars, signifying the incredible work that is being done in the cities throughout Pottawattamie County.

Individual grant awards for this year’s funding cycle ranged from $500 to $5,000 to benefit innovative and meaningful projects that align with the Foundation’s mission to improve the lives of all county residents. Annually, Community Impact Grants funding is eligible to any tax-exempt, nonprofit organization or governmental entity for creative or impactful projects that meet a clear, identifiable need in Pottawattamie County. Grants are allocated to projects in a variety of focus areas, such as: Arts & Culture, Community Betterment, Community Engagement, Education, Environment, Health, Human Services, and Youth.

“This incredible work happening across our county truly illustrates the importance of the nonprofit sector in our region,” said Donna Dostal, president and CEO of the Community Foundation. “We congratulate each grant recipient, and thank all of the organizations that submitted applications this year for their wonderful work to make Pottawattamie County an amazing place to live, work, enjoy, and celebrate. We also want to express our deepest gratitude to our Community Impact Granting Committee for their dedication to equity, impact, and philanthropy.”

The majority of the Community Foundation’s grant making is directed by donors who have funds created to purposefully impact charities located within our community and throughout Western Iowa. Dostal added that individuals and businesses can create their own fund through the Community Foundation to “give back” and contributions can receive major tax benefits. New endowment funds and future contributions, if applicable, can receive an additional 10% contribution from the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, and an Endow Iowa tax credit of 25% may also be available. In 2022, investors at the Community Foundation awarded 280 grants totaling an astounding $5.6 million dollars to a variety of nonprofit organizations. For information on creating a fund, please call 712-256-7007 or visit www.givewesterniowa.org for details. The Community Foundation for Western Iowa is nationally accredited by the Council on Foundations (www.cfstandards.org).

2023 Community Grants Award Recipients

• American Midwest Ballet | AMB Season 14 Education & Community Engagement - $1,000 

• Autism Action Partnership | Autism Training & Sensory Kits for First Responders - $4,200 

• BHSFL Bus Across Nebraska LCA | 2024 BHSFL Bus Across Nebraska - $500 

• Boys & Girls Club of the Midlands | Readers to Leaders & Math Matters - $2,000 

• Carson Business Club | 30th Annual Carson Community Christmas - $1,000 

• Carson Community Rodeo | 2023 Carson Community Rodeo - Grounds Improvement Project - $1,500 

• Carstens 1880 Farmstead Inc. | Steam Boiler Exhibit Reinstatement - $1,000 

• Carter Lake City Hall | Carter Lake Village Winter Festival - $1,000 

• Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus | Back to School Extravaganza | Backpack Supplies - $2,500 

• CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs | Basic Health Needs Assistance Program (BHNAP) - $1,500 

• City of Avoca | Entertainment, Education, and Customer Engagement on Main Street - $500 

• City of Avoca | Avoca Holidays on Main Event Live Reindeer Team & Sleigh Photo Opportunity - $1,000 

• City of Underwood | Community Volunteer Fire & Rescue Exterior Building Mural - $2,000 

• Completely KIDS | Family Services at Catholic Charities Domestic Violence & Sexual Assault Program Shelter - $2,500 

• Council Bluffs Public Library | Shelter for Kiosk at Cochran Park - $3,000 

• Council Bluffs Schools Foundation | Kids & Company Summer Programming - $500 

• Dexter's Dream Foundation | 2023 Sensory Santa - $1,500 

• Eckels Memorial Library | Laminator for Library Materials - $1,000 

• First Responders Foundation | Peer Support Training - $1,500 

• Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa | Pottawattamie County Girl Scouts Outdoors - $1,200 

• Golden Hills RC&D | 10th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour - $2,000 

• Historic General Dodge House, Inc. | Annual Independence Day Celebration 2023 - $1,000 

• Horses Help SWI, Inc. | Outside Horse Riding Area - $2,000 

• Impact Hill | Community Resources - $2,000

• Inter-Faith Response, Inc. | Program Support - $2,000 

• Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Foundation | Caring for Our Communities Assistance Vouchers - $1,500 

• Justice for Our Neighbors | Pottawattamie County Immigration Legal Services - $1,000 

• Lookout Village | Countering Social Isolation with Tables & Chairs - $1,000 

• Macedonia Historical Preservation Society | Painted Camel Gallery Cooperative Transition - $3,400 

• Nebraska Diaper Bank | Pottawattamie County - Changing Diapers, Changing Lives 2023 - $1,000 

• New Visions Homeless Services | New Visions - Street Outreach - $2,000 

• Omaha Bridges Out of Poverty | Southwest Iowa Poverty Alleviation Initiative - $2,000 

• Omaha Performing Arts | Southwest Iowa Music & Arts Education Programs - $1,000 

• Omaha Symphony | 2023/24 Mission Imagination at the Arts Center at Iowa Western - $1,000 

• Pottawattamie Arts Culture & Entertainment (PACE) | 2023 PACE Music in the Park Series - $1,500 

• Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc. | No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town! - NE-Omaha for Council Bluffs 2023 - $1,500 

• Trivium Life Services | Skill-Building Development Through Hobby Exploration - $1,144.89

• Vision Treynor Group | The Treynor Family Recreation Complex - The "T" - $5,000 

• Walnut Community Center Foundation, Inc. | Fitness Center Equipment - $1,900