Community Foundation for western iowa awards $66,876 in latest impact grants funding cycle

(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 37 Community Impact Grants totaling $66,876 to nonprofit and city organizations throughout Pottawattamie County.

The Community Foundation received 71 grant proposals totaling $290,064.00 in project requests, with total project budgets combined reaching nearly $13 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.

Donna Dostal, CEO of the Community Foundation for Western Iowa states: “On behalf of the Board of Directors, Impact Grants Committee, and staff at the Community Foundation for Western Iowa, it is truly an honor to support the important work of our area nonprofit partners.  Pottawattamie County and southwest Iowa residents are fortunate to have such a strong network of impact-driven organizations doing wonderful, important work to help make our communities strong, healthy, and vibrant. We congratulate each of these great organizations and look forward to the wonderful things these grants will accomplish.”

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 2023, investors at the Community Foundation awarded 320 grants totaling a formidable $5.4 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).

2024 community Grants Award Recipients

• Abraham Lincoln High School Dugout Club - AL Baseball Capital Campaign | $3,000 

• All Care Health Center - Increased Patient Access through Care Coordination | $1,500 

• American Midwest Ballet - AMB Season 15 Education & Community Engagement | $2,000 

• American Red Cross Nebraska and Southwest Iowa - Home Fire Campaign Including Sound the Alarm | $1,000 

• Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands - Readers to Leaders and Math Matters | $3,000 

• Carson Business Club - 3rd of July Community Celebration | $1,000

• Carson Community Rodeo - Bleacher Replacement Project | $3,000 

• Centro Latino of Iowa - ESL Classes | $1,000 

• Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus - Back to School | $3,000 

• City of Avoca - Entertainment, Education, and Customer Engagement on Avoca Main Street | $1,000 

• City of Avoca - Avoca Holidays on Main | $1,000 

• Eckels Memorial Library - Eckels Memorial Library Aesthetic Update | $3,981 

• Eckels Memorial Library - Cemetery Walk | $500 

• Golden Hills RC&D - WanderLoess | $1,000 

• Goodwill Industries - Expansion of Goodwill Employment Solutions | $1,000 

• Historic General Dodge House, Inc. - Annual Independence Day Celebration 2024 | $1,000 

• Hope-Net Ministries, Inc. - Housing Helps CB | $2,000 

• Horses Help SWI - Equine Enrichment Activities for Older Adults | $1,395 

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

• Iowa Legal Aid - Legal Services for Pottawattamie County Residents with Low Income | $2,000 

• Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Foundation - Caring for Our Communities | $2,000 

• Learning for All - Hybrid Adult Education Learning Initiatives | $1,000 

• Lutheran Family Services of Nebraska, Inc. - Family Education & Initiative Program | $1,500 

• Macedonia Heart & Soul - Macedonia Main Street Murals Project Add on - 3 figures in Windows | $5,000 

• Nebraska Diaper Bank - Changing Diapers, Changing Lives Pottawattamie County 2024 | $1,000 

• Omaha Performing Arts - Southwest Iowa Music & Arts Education $1,500 

• Omaha Symphony - 2025 Mission Imagination at Iowa Western $1,500 

• Partners for Livable Omaha - Council Bluffs Youth Talent Show $1,500 

• Pottawattamie Arts Culture & Entertainment (PACE) - 2024 PACE Music in the Park Series | $2,000 

• Sleep in Heavenly Peace, Inc. - Building a Better Future: Providing Beds for Kids | $1,000 

• Southwest Iowa Art Tour - 11th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour | $2,000 

• Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy - Southwest Iowa Leadership Academy | $1,500 

• Southwest Iowa Nature Trails Project - Wabash Trace Maintenance Equipment | $2,500 

• Together Inc. - Council Bluffs Food Pantry | $2,000 

• Vision to Learn - Increasing Vision Care Access to Students | $1,000 

• Vision Treynor Group - The Treynor Family Recreation Complex | $2,000 

• Walnut Community Center Foundation - Playground Seating | $2,500