Iowa West Foundation Awards Nearly $5 Million in Grants

(Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $4.7 million in grants and initiatives funding to 18 nonprofit organizations and government entities in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska.

In the focus area of education, more than $500,000 went to the Council Bluffs Community School District for the implementation of the International Baccalaureate Program at the two middle schools: Kirn and Wilson, as well as the expansion of BLink: the free, community Wi-FI in Council Bluffs. The Lewis Central School District will be the primary beneficiary of a $160,000 Heartland Family Service grant to provide mental health services throughout the school year.

“Our schools are some of our greatest assets in the community and the Iowa West Foundation is committed to supporting their efforts,” said Pete Tulipana, President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation. “While each grant funds a unique program or service, they all provide students with the tools they to succeed in school and in life.”

Wellness was another recurring theme of the final grants cycle of 2019, with three area YMCAs receiving funding for capital, operating, and programmatic support. One of those was the Nishna Valley Family YMCA in Atlantic, which received $32,500 for an expansion.

“These funds will help our organization convert unused space into vital square footage that will allow us to carry out our mission of developing young children and improving wellness opportunities for our citizens,” said Dan Haynes, Executive Director. “These dollars will give us leverage to raise other funds that will allow us to improve the lives of area residents and better use the facilities we already own.”

Another facility set to improve the lives of area residents is the Iowa West Sports Plex, for which the Foundation awarded another $1,500,000. Construction is currently underway with completion set for spring of 2020.

Finally, as part of its ongoing commitment to rural southwest Iowa communities, the Foundation awarded $10,000 each to two rural area fire departments. The Avoca Volunteer Fire Department will use the funds for bunker gear while the Crescent Volunteer Fire Department will use the funds for acquisition of a hands-free, mechanical CPR device.

2019 Cycle 3 Grants and Initiatives

Avoca Volunteer Fire Department
Bunker gear replacement
$10,000
Blair Family YMCA
Virtual fitness program
$15,000
Board of Regents of the University of Nebraska
Improving secondary/middle school math proficiency in MOEC schools
$50,000
City of Coon Rapids
Quality assurance lab renovation
$50,000
City of Council Bluffs
All-America City signage
$23,500
River’s Edge parking garage
$387,685
Convention and Tourism Bureau tourism activation
$50,000
Council Bluffs Community School District
International Baccalaureate
$435,600
BLink VI
$100,000
Council Bluffs Goodfellows
Matching funds for 2019 Goodfellows campaign
$25,000
Crescent Volunteer Fire Department
LUCAS device acquisition
$10,000
Heartland Family Service
HEAT 2020 (Housing and Emergency Assistance Taskforce)
$170,000
Lewis Central Children’s Mental Health Program 2019 – 2020
$160,000
Historic General Dodge House, Inc.
2020 operations
$11,000
Iowa West Foundation Initiative
Downtown Arts/Culture Trail
$125,000
Iowa West Foundation Initiative
Iowa West Sports Plex
$1,500,000
Iowa West Foundation Initiative
Riverfront Revitalization
$300,000
Make-A-Wish Foundation of Iowa, Inc.
Wish granting in Pottawattamie County
$10,000
NeighborWorks Home Solutions
Financial & accounting capacity building
$24,625
New Visions Homeless Services
Services for the homeless in Council Bluffs
$115,000
Nishna Valley Family YMCA
Childcare and healthy lifestyle renovation
$32,500
Omaha Conservatory of Music
Council Bluffs String Sprouts
$33,000
Strategic Air Command & Aerospace Museum
Afterschool STEM enrichment
$17,000
The 712 Initiative
Downtown Revitalization Fund
$1,000,000
YMCA of Greater Omaha
YMCA Health Living Center program support in Council Bluffs
$60,000