The Empowering Adair County Foundation (EACF) has awarded funding for fifteen projects for the new annual grant cycle of 10-15-17. Organizations and their projects that received funding include:

• Adair County ISU Extension with their Project: Youth Hunger & Nutrition
• Adair County Fair Foundation with their Project: Adair County Fairgrounds Restroom & Shower Facility Improvements
• Adair County Farm Bureau Federation with their Project: Growing Ag Adventure & Who’s Your Iowa Farmer?
• Adair County Health Foundation with their Project: Adair County Memorial Hospital Structure Safety
• Adair County Historical Society with their Project: 1896 Penn Avenue Church Exterior Beautification
• Adair Public Library Board of Trustees with their Project: Façade Improvements
• Boys & Girls Club of Central Southwest Iowa, Inc. with their Project: Technology Learning Center and Advancement
• Casey Historical Society with their Project: The Abram Rutt Park Citizen’s Improvement
• Greater Fontanelle Community Foundation with their Project: 2018 Fourth of July Celebration Publicity, Sound and Entertainment
• Iowa Aviation Museum with their Project: Iowa Aviation Museum & Adair County Outreach Program
• Orient Rural Fire District with their Project: Jaws of Life
• Stuart Library Foundation: People Advocating for Library Success with their Project: Replacing Aging and Failing Computers, Part II
• Sunshine Day Care Center with their Project: Increased Safety
• The Wallace Centers of Iowa with their Project: Improving Country Life Center Grounds-Keeping
• Warren Cultural Center with their Project: Warren Cultural Center Programming 2018

Grant applications were scored and reviewed by the Empowering Adair County Foundation Committee members. Applications were scored on the following criteria: Completeness of Application; Benefit to Adair County Residents; Support of Entrepreneurial Activity, Community and Leadership Development; Identification of
Community Needs; and Addressing Community Needs. The Committee’s recommendations were sent on to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines for final approval of grant disbursements.

Empowering Adair County Foundation (or EACF) was formed in 2005 to coordinate and provide philanthropic support for community betterment and to enhance the quality of life for communities in Adair County. The Foundation is governed by a 9-member board representing all areas of the county. Since inception, Empowering
Adair County Foundation has granted $1.38 million to help fund excellent projects in Adair County.

The Foundation has made some new policy changes this year. From this point forward, there will only be one grant cycle with an October 15th grant application deadline, For more information, visit the website www.extension.iastate.edu/adair and scroll down the homepage to the EACF logo and links. Other policy changes include the requirement that all grant recipients must complete a Six Month Progress report and Grant Final Report within twelve months (deadline for project completion is twelves months from receiving grant distribution checks). Photos of each project in progress and completed must be provided with the Final Report.

There are currently two seats open on the EACF Committee—one needs to represent the Bridgewater area and the other should reporesent the Stuart area. If you are interested in applying for the EACF Board please contact Deena Wells or visit the website for an application form.

For more information regarding EACF’s grant program, contact Deena Wells, Adair County ISU Extension at 641-743-8412 or dwells@iastate.edu.