Essential Estrogen

Three of Iowa's community foundations are a little more flush today, thanks to matching grants from Endow Iowa.

Gov. Chet Culver joined the Iowa Council of Foundations and the Iowa Department of Economic Development to announce the 2007 award recipients. Kossuth County Community Foundation received a $10,000 grant, while Hardin County Community Endowment Foundation and the Community Foundation of Greater Story County each received $20,000 grants.

"I would like to congratulate the community foundations from Hardin, Kossuth and Story counties," Culver said in a prepared statement. "Because of their foresight and dedication to philanthropy, these communities will continue to grow stronger."

Iowa community foundations are tax-exempt charitable organizations created by and for the people of a given region. The organizations make positive, local impacts by offering tools to help people achieve charitable goals and do good works in their communities such as college scholarships, youth activities and quality of life projects.

Endow Iowa provides an incentive to encourage individuals, businesses and organizations to invest in their region. All recipients receive a matching grant to build their community foundation’s unrestricted endowment fund. To be eligible the organization must show enough local, non-earmarked contributions to provide the matching funds.

“Iowa’s strategy for economic development has two focuses: creating great new jobs and building great communities,” said Michael Tramontina, director of the Iowa Department of Economic Development. “Well into the future, these long-term endowment foundations will improve quality-of-life in these communities, making them even more attractive to businesses and employees.”

The Endow Iowa grant program is a competitive process. Organizations complete applications reviewed by a committee formed by the Iowa Council of Foundations. Items such as the governing body representatives, philanthropic spirit in the area, unrestricted endowment fund contributions raised, enthusiasm toward growing the community foundation, long-term plans and charitable needs of the area are all aspects of the application process and review.

“The Community Foundation movement in Iowa is certainly creating long-term opportunities for community betterment in every corner of the state,” said Angela Dethlefs-Trettin, director of the Iowa Council of Foundations. “Through programs such as Endow Iowa, we are building upon that spirit of philanthropy which will continue to benefit charitable projects and programs that are so important. By helping to build strong community foundations, so much is being done for Iowa communities – for good and forever.”

The goal of the Endow Iowa Grant Program is to enhance the quality of life for Iowans by funding community foundations that will aid nonprofit projects and programs. The grant program is administered by the Iowa Council of Foundations in collaboration with the state. Now in its third year, the Endow Iowa Grant Program in total has leveraged nearly $1.1 million in local contributions, creating sustainable, philanthropic vehicles in communities throughout Iowa.