Funding supports access to preschool, playgrounds, and financial freedom (Council Bluffs, IA) – A recent report from the Iowa Department of Education found that Pottawattamie County ranked No. 1 in Iowa for kindergarteners’ early literacy skills, a significant increase over the past five years. Since 2008, Iowa West Foundation has invested more than $18 million in […]
Women of Color Leadership Program The second year of Women of Color kicks off this month. WOC is a leadership program to enhance professional development through mentoring opportunities for women of color who live or work in Pottawattamie County. Building off a pilot program that launched in 2022, the initiative is designed to provide access […]
Grants & initiatives will support nonprofit partners addressing financial stability, housing, and services for vulnerable populations (Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $3.9 million in grant and initiative funding for more than 20 nonprofits in the southwest Iowa region. The funding will address several of the needs voiced by local […]
Pottawattamie County museums grateful for IWF, PCCF support From shutdowns to sanitizing to social distancing, pandemic protocol has forced local arts and culture nonprofits that rely on visitors to repeatedly adjust and adapt over the past year. Even though their buildings were often closed down, expenses didn’t stop piling up. Therefore, the nonprofit continuity of […]
More than a dozen southwest Iowa communities receive funding for education & wellness (Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently awarded $9.4 million in grants and initiatives to several area nonprofits. Missions fueled by this cycle of funding include alleviating poverty, providing essential equipment for volunteer firefighters, supporting infrastructure and amenities in […]
On November 8, I celebrated 60 days on the job as President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation. It has been a busy two months! In addition to getting to know the staff and board, I’ve met with partner organizations, grant recipients, community leaders, elected officials, and business owners. In spite of the immediate […]
(Council Bluffs, IA) – The Southwest Iowa COVID-19 Response Fund, a partnership between the Iowa West Foundation and Pottawattamie County Community Foundations, continues to grow and provide for area nonprofits and their clientele affected by the pandemic. The Iowa West Foundation announced it has committed another $500,000 to the cause for a total of $1 […]
PACE showcases what IWF can make possible More than eight years ago in my first few months as the President and CEO of Iowa West Foundation – I started to hear the same story repeated over and over: the arts were in trouble in Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County. Providers were operating on shoestring budgets, […]
(Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $7.9 million in grants and initiatives funding to 41 nonprofit organizations and government entities in southwest Iowa and eastern Nebraska. A common thread among many of the grants included the benefit to rural communities throughout the region. Leading the way was Pottawattamie County, […]
