The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $4 million in grants and initiatives funding to 29 nonprofit organizations and government entities in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. Several of the grantees were the recipients of multi-year funding. Launched in 2016, multi-year funding is designed to provide essential general operating funds over a three-year period rather than one year, which allows organizations the capacity to focus more heavily on their missions. Among the local grant recipients was:

• The Carson and Treynor Volunteer Fire Dept.’s, $10,000 each, for EMS equipment
• The Pott. County Board of Supervisors, $474,125 to be used for: the City of Carson, to complete its facade improvements; and the City of Hancock, to improve its municipal wastewater treatment system.
• The City of Logan, $20,000 for basketball and tennis court rehabilitation in the City Park/”Kellen’s Kourts.”

The first cohort included human services organizations: Boys and Girls Club of the Midlands, FAMILY, Inc., Green Hills AEA, Heartland Family Service, Justice For Our Neighbors, Lutheran Family Services and the MICAH House. Housing also was a significant theme for this grant cycle. The 712 Initiative received $1 million to renew the downtown re-vitalization fund, which has been a major driver of development in downtown Council Bluffs. The organization received an additional $500,000 to support its operations. Neighborworks Home Solutions received a combined $262,500 to support new housing and neighborhood outreach in the west end of Council Bluffs near the former Walnut Grove School.  Finally, the City of Council Bluffs received $200,000 toward planning a bike trail along the First Avenue corridor. These grants respond to the recommendations of the Iowa West Foundation’s Housing Task Force. The task force was convened in 2017 to recommend funding priorities for housing in Council Bluffs.

Also in the placemaking category, the Friends of Lake Manawa received a $160,000 grant for the Dream Playground Re-Imagined project. Though the project is still in the fundraising phase, plans call for a six-day community grassroots effort to construct the new playground equipment scheduled for May 22^nd-27^th. More details can be found on the group’s Facebook page.

Local nonprofits gearing up for the 24-hour online giving day Pottawattamie Gives! have an extra incentive again this year. The Iowa West Foundation awarded $20,000 in bonus dollars for the event, which will take place on May 23^rd. The funds are specifically set aside for nonprofits who meet the Foundation’s qualifications and are based in Pottawattamie County or provide services here full time.