(Audubon, Iowa) – At its first annual grant celebration event, the Audubon County Community Foundation honored 14 nonprofit organizations and community projects that received grants throughout the past year. The honorees included both spring and fall grant recipients, who were awarded a collective sum of over $154,000.

Throughout 2021, the Foundation received a total of 22 grant applications from community organizations, with over $400,000 requested. As a part of its two grant cycles, the Audubon County Community Foundation awarded $154,750 to 14 of these 22 applications. “In 2021, we’ve been able to fund a wide array of projects and programs,” said Board Chair Joel Hoegh. “Grants were awarded to support construction and renovation, recreational opportunities, and many more projects that will have a positive effect on our community members—both young and old. We’re proud of the impact of the Foundation, and we’re glad to have this opportunity to celebrate the important work of these organizations throughout Audubon County.”

Each year, the Audubon County Community Foundation holds two grant cycles with an objective to fund projects that will have a lasting impact in the county. “Since the Foundation was established in 1997, it has distributed over $2.5 million in grants and scholarships,” said Iowa Foundations Director Stacey Goodman. “Through the generosity of donors and charitable funds allocated through the community foundation, along with our participation in the County Endowment Fund Program, we are able to continue to invest valuable resources back into communities across Audubon County.”

The Audubon County Community Foundation is an affiliate of the Omaha Community Foundation, which meets National Standards for Community Foundations, and is one of nine county
members of the Community Foundations of Southwest Iowa. It annually receives funds from the State of Iowa County Endowment Fund Program for endowment building and grantmaking throughout the county. The spring cycle of grants is made possible through the County Endowment Fund Program and is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which is distributed annually to participating community foundations associated with counties without a state-issued gaming license. The Foundation’s fall grant cycle is made possible through the generosity of donors to the Audubon County Community Foundation.

The Foundation works with individuals, families, businesses, and organizations to create permanent and expendable funds that address changing, vital community needs and interests. Gifts to permanently endowed funds through the Audubon County Community Foundation may be eligible to receive a 25% Endow Iowa Tax Credit.

Pictured are Foundation board members and representatives of Audubon County organizations who
received grants from the Audubon County Community Foundation. (1st Row Left to Right); Taylor
Hanson – Audubon County Fair Board; Megan Wagner – Audubon County Community Foundation
Board Member, Secretary/Treasurer; Abby Rasmussen – Exira Community Club; Jessie Wheeler –
Exira Public Library, Exira Community Club; Donna Olson – Audubon County Community Foundation Board Member; (2nd Row); Pat Kaiser – Audubon County Community Foundation Board Member; Joel Hoegh – Audubon County Community Board Member, Chair; Steven Hansen – Audubon County Community Foundation Board Member, Vice Chair; Doug Olsen – Audubon Recreation Foundation; Jason Hocker – Audubon Recreation Foundation, Gym Expansion Subcommittee; Barbara Johnson – The Children’s Nest; Katie Wheeler – Exira Public Library, Exira Community Club

The Audubon County Community Foundation Advisory Board Members are Chair, Joel Hoegh of rural Brayton; Vice Chair, Steven B. Hansen of Audubon; Secretary/Treasurer, Megan Wagner of Audubon; Gina Benton of Exira, Bob Blomme of Audubon; Pat Kaiser of Audubon; and Donna Olson of Kimballton. For information about donating or establishing an individual foundation/fund, please contact Stacey Goodman, Iowa Foundations Director, at 800-794-3458 or stacey@omahafoundation.org.