Pottawattamie County Community Foundation Awards $60,040 to Organizations in Largest Impact Grants Funding Cycle to-Date
(Council Bluffs, IA) – In its latest and largest Impact Grants Funding cycle to-date, Pottawattamie County Community Foundation (PCCF) is pleased to announce its 2021 grant award recipients. After a thorough evaluation process, the PCCF grants committee – a group of county residents and board members – elected to award 40 Community Impact Grants totaling $60,040 to area nonprofit and city organizations, a 10% increase in available grants from the 2020 grant cycle.
PCCF received an impressive 57 grant proposals totaling $218,000 in project requests, with total project budgets combined at an astonishing $8.8 Million, a true testament to the incredible work that is being done in our community.
Individual grant awards for this year’s funding cycle ranged from $600 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.
“The community-wide impact created by each organization and project represented during this year’s grant cycle is astounding,” said Donna Dostal, president and CEO of Pottawattamie County Community Foundation. “With over $8 million in services and projects, we all should be proud and excited to be part of this dynamic Southwest Iowa community. We wish all the organizations receiving grants this year our absolute best and look forward to seeing the outcomes of their valuable work.”
The majority of PCCF’s grant making is directed by donors who have funds created to purposefully impact charities located within our community. Dostal added that individuals and businesses can create their own fund through PCCF as a means to “give back” to our community, and their contributions can receive major tax benefits. New endowment funds and future contributions will receive an additional 10% contribution from PCCF, and an Endow Iowa tax credit of 25% may also be available. In 2020, PCCF donors provided 229 grants totaling $663,607. For information on creating a fund, please call PCCF at 712-256-7007 or visit www.ourpccf.org for more details. PCCF is nationally accredited by the Council on Foundations (www.cfstandards.org).
2021 Community Grants Award Recipients
American Midwest Ballet - American Midwest Ballet: Season 12 Education and Community Engagement, $1,000.00
Bethany Lutheran Health Services - Safe, Functional and Ergonomically Correct Furniture for Current and Future Residents, $1,000.00
Big Brothers Big Sisters of the Midlands - MentorU in Council Bluffs, $1,000.00
Birthright of Council Bluffs - Formula Vouchers, $750.00
Book Trust - Book Trust in Council Bluffs: Providing Access to Books for Low-Income Students, $500.00
Boys & Girls Clubs of the Midlands - Summer Brain Gain for Iowa Youth, $1,500.00
Carson Business Club and City of Carson - Carson Community Christmas, $2,500.00
Carter Lake City Hall - Carter Lake Village Winter Festival Lighting Ceremony, $600.00
Charles E. Lakin Human Services Campus - Back to School Extravaganza, $1,500.00
CHI Health Mercy Council Bluffs - Basic Health Needs Assistance Program (BHNAP), $1,000.00
Children's Square U.S.A. - Aftercare Initiative for Young People ages 18-21 Who Have Aged Out of Foster Care, $2,500.00
City of Avoca - Holidays on Main 2021 - Santa's Ho Ho Hoedown, $1,000.00
City of Avoca - Entertainment, Education, and Customer Engagement on Avoca Main Street, $900.00
City of Minden - Playground/Park Revitalization, $2,500.00
City of Treynor - Keeping Treynor Active, $1,000.00
Completely KIDS - Phoenix House Family Services, $1,000.00
Family Crisis Centers - Family Crisis Centers' Awareness Project, $1,000.00
First Responders Foundation - First Responders Support Team - Behavioral Health Training and Crisis Support, $2,000.00
Golden Hills RC&D - 8th Annual Southwest Iowa Art Tour, $1,000.00
Golden Hills RC&D - Promoting Pottawattamie County’s Museums Through Videos, $2,500.00
Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs, Homeownership Program Build, $1,000.00
Heartland Family Service - InSHAPE® Program, $1,000.00
Historic General Dodge House, Inc. - July 4th Community Celebration, $1,000.00
Inter-Faith Response, Inc. - The Emergency Assistance Fund, $2,000.00
Jennie Edmundson Memorial Hospital Foundation - Caring for Our Communities Program, $1,000.00
Justice For Our Neighbors - Pottawattamie County Immigration Legal Services, $1,000.00
League of Human Dignity - Equipment loan and Rental Program, $1,500.00
Minden Little League - Minden Little League Field Pitching Mound, $3,790.00
New Visions Homeless Services - MOHM's Place - Community Meal Site, $1,000.00
Omaha Bridges Out of Poverty, Inc. - Southwest Iowa Poverty Alleviation Initiative, $2,000.00
Omaha Conservatory of Music - Pottawattamie County String Sprouts, $1,000.00
Omaha Symphony - 2021/2022 Mission Imagination at Iowa Western, $1,000.00
Pottawattamie Arts Culture & Entertainment (PACE) - PACE Music in the Park, $1,500.00
Southwest Iowa Fish Team Inc - Fish Habitat Conservation Project, $1,500.00
Underwood Optimist Club - Underwood Optimist Ballfield Improvements, $2,000.00
Vision Treynor Group - The Treynor Family Recreation Complex: Phase Two, $4,000.00
Visiting Nurse Association Pottawattamie County - VNA Bridging Healthcare for the Vulnerable (BHV) Program, $1,000.00
Vocational Development Center, Inc. (VODEC) - Equipment to Enhance the Health and Safety of Developmentally
and Intellectually Disabled Youth and Adults - $1,000.00Walnut Community Center Foundation, Inc. - Walnut Community Center - ADA Accessibility, $5,000.00