Search Through Cedar Rapids Grants for Nonprofits in Iowa

Making community possible

At U.S. Bank, we are dedicated to supporting our communities through responsive and humbled actions focused on addressing racial and economic inequities and creating lasting change in our communities. Through our Community Possible Grant Program, we are partnering with organizations that focus on economic and workforce advancement, safe and affordable housing and communities connected through arts and culture.

The U.S. Bank Foundation is committed to making Community Possible through Work, Home and Play. We advance this work through collaborative grant making to bring equitable and lasting change through our focus on sustainable, high-impact funding with 501c3 nonprofit partners.

How we partner with nonprofits

We focus on collaborative grantmaking and sustainable, high-impact funding with 501(c)(3) nonprofit partners. We partner with organizations that support:

• Economic and workforce advancement
• Safe and affordable housing
• Community arts and culture

Our strategy

Our community affairs and foundation team work closely with U.S. Bank regional leadership, business resource groups and our National Community Advisory Committee to ensure that prevailing needs are addressed in all the communities we serve.

To make the most meaningful impact, we prioritize organizations that:

• Focus on economic development issues related to work, home and play
• Address more than one of the grant pillars (work, home and play)
• Are based in and serve designated U.S. Bank communities
• Advance diversity, equity and inclusion

Who We Are

The Creag Foundation is a private grant making foundation established in 2009 in Woodinville, Washington.

The founders of the Creag Foundation believe that meaningful change can only be achieved through hard work, creativity and passion. They also understand the practical mechanisms that allow charitable organizations to succeed and grow. As a group, Creag Foundation principals are dedicated to helping today’s most innovative programs improve the human condition in a wide variety of ways.

Our Focus

The broad purpose of the Foundation is to support the efforts of nonprofit organizations who are innovators in the field of human services. Our particular focus is on smaller organizations that are starting out or established organizations that are looking for funding to take their organization in a new direction.

What We Fund

/ What We Fund

The Creag Foundation is focused on innovation in the industry. We will consider proposals from 501(c)(3) organizations that are finding new ways to address societal issues facing the nonprofit community. Applicants must have held 501(c)(3) status for one year before submitting. If your organization has held 501(c)(3) status for over a year, and your believe that your organization has a new approach to an existing social problem or is addressing a previously unaddressed social issue, you are welcome to contact us and request that we consider your organization for a funding opportunity.

Mission

The DanPaul Foundation will use its resources to help train teachers and parents in early childhood development, protect children from abuse and neglect, stimulate children's personal social responsibilities, and offer them opportunities for enrichment and growth.

The Foundation will also encourage children to be concerned and informed about the environment and the underprivileged, particularly with regard to clean air and water, and adequate housing and nutrition for all.

Beliefs

The DanPaul Foundation believes that children should have ample opportunities for enrichment in their lives, and thus strives to provide many different ways to enrich and expand children's minds through direct programs and monetary support to organizations doing similar work.

We have provided or currently provide grants related to the following program areas:

• Workshops, Conferences, + Seminars: We strive to offer educational workshops, conferences, and seminars for parents and teachers on topics related to early childhood development.
• Student Scholarships: We aim to help students attending post-secondary education institutions by providing need-based and academic scholarships.
• Scientific Endeavors: We desire to advance scientific endeavors which seek to improve the quality of life for everyone in the world.
• Clean Air + Water: We hope to pass on knowledge and practical life skills to youth regarding their personal responsibility to the environment, teaching them about issues surrounding clean air and water.
• Child Advocacy: We believe in protecting children from abuse and neglect and particularly love to support programs that provide education and assistance to children as well as organizations advocating or caring for vulnerable children.
• Homelessness: We want to encourage young people to take a personal interest in seeing that adequate housing and proper nutrition, especially for the underprivileged and homeless, are available.
• Poverty + Neglect: We seek to help those in poverty as well as educate youth about their responsibility to consider the underprivileged and take care of those most in need of life's basic essentials like adequate housing and proper nutrition.
• Refugee Enrichment: We wish to help refugee youth by supporting programs that provide them enrichment and help them transition to life in a new country.

The DanPaul Foundation provides grants to 501(c)3 tax-exempt non-profit organizations as defined by the IRS. The Foundation is interested in providing funding to programs that directly serve the health, education, development, and welfare of the world's youth.

Grants range from a few hundred dollars up to $15,000 per calendar year.

Background

Draper Richards Kaplan Foundation seeks to dramatically improve the lives of underserved communities across the globe by supporting scalable, innovative, and impact-first solutions that leverage existing systems and stakeholders. Our goal is to find social entrepreneurs with dynamic products or services that have a proven ability to positively impact the lives of underserved people, and nurture those organizations at the early stages by providing capacity, capital, and community.

Our application process is designed to be open and accessible, and we accept applications year round from across our priority geographies and sectors. Borrowing from our venture capital legacy, we find exceptional entrepreneurs and provide them with: 

Capacity

• The core of DRK’s model is deep and extensive operational and technical support for each portfolio organization, both through dedicated hands-on Board service and specialist capacity-building resources for fundraising, board and organizational development, leadership, financial support, and scaling strategy,

Capital

• DRK provides up to $300,000 USD in either unrestricted grant funding or investment capital over a three-year period, and

Community

• DRK convenes our portfolio and alumni annually, facilitating connections and community. 

What We Fund

DRK Foundation funds early-stage social impact organizations solving the world’s biggest social and environmental problems using bold, scalable approaches.

What stage of growth does DRK Foundation typically fund?

Early stage: Organizations who are early stage, which we define as post-pilot and pre-scale. This typically means: 

• Your program, product or service is already being used in the market or in the field, 
• You have early indication that your model is having its intended impact on the beneficiary populations,
• Your organization is relatively young (ideally between two and five years old, although we will consider both younger and older organizations).

Venture funding: In the case of for profits, we typically support Seed to Series A organizations, and never lead rounds; we also generally but not exclusively refrain from participating in financings exceeding a $15M USD post-money valuation.  

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation invests in local nonprofit organizations that contribute to improving the quality of life in our community. Our grants support innovation, sustainability and capacity building.

Purpose

Rapid Response Grants support emergency expenses and emerging opportunities for nonprofit organizations that serve Linn County, Iowa. This fund is intended for infrequent use in unique circumstances. Please note, funding is for organizations, not individuals.   

Maximum Request Amount and Duration of Grant: $2,500 and up to 12 months

Global Impact Cash Grants

Cisco welcomes applications for Global Impact Cash Grants from community partners around the world who share our vision and offer an innovative approach to a critical social challenge.

We identify, incubate, and develop innovative solutions with the most impact. Global Impact Cash Grants go to nonprofits and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) that address a significant social problem. We’re looking for programs that fit within our investment areas, serve the underserved, and leverage technology to improve the reach and efficiency of services. We accept applications year-round from eligible organizations. An initial information form is used to determine whether your organization will be invited to complete a full application.

Social Investment Areas

At Cisco, we make social investments in three areas where we believe our technology and our people can make the biggest impact—education, economic empowerment, and crisis response, the last of which incorporates shelter, water, food, and disaster relief. Together, these investment areas help people overcome barriers of poverty and inequality, and make a lasting difference by fostering strong global communities.

Education Investments

Our strategy is to inclusively invest in technology-based solutions that increase equitable access to education while improving student performance, engagement, and career exploration. We support K-12 solutions that emphasize science, technology, engineering, and math (STEM) as well as literacy. We also consider programs that teach environmental sustainability, eliminate barriers to accessing climate change education, and invite student engagement globally to positively affect the environment.

What we look for:

• Innovative early grade solutions using the internet and technology to bridge the barriers preventing access to education for underserved students globally.
• Solutions that positively affect student attendance, attitudes, and behavior while inspiring action by students to improve learning outcomes, whether they participate in person, online, or in blended learning environments. 
• Solutions with high potential to replicate and scale globally, thereby increasing the availability of evidence-based solutions that support student-centricity, teacher capacity in the classroom, and increased parental participation to help students learn and develop.

Economic Empowerment

Our strategy is to invest in early stage, tech-enabled solutions that provide equitable access to the knowledge, skills, and resources that people need to support themselves and their families toward resilience, independence, and economic security.

Our goal is to support solutions that benefit individuals and families, and that contribute to local community growth and economic development in a sustainable economy.

We target our support in three interconnected areas:

• Skills development to help job seekers secure dignified employment and long-term career pathways in technology or other sectors, including environmental sustainability/green jobs.
• Inclusive entrepreneurship with small businesses as engines of local growth as well as high growth potential start-ups as large-scale job creators nationally and internationally, in technology or other sectors, including environment sustainability/green businesses.
• Banking the unbanked through relevant and affordable financial products and capacity building services.

Cisco Crisis Response

We seek to help overcome the cycle of poverty and dependence and achieve a more sustainable future through strategic investments. We back organizations that successfully address critical needs of underserved communities, because those who have their basic needs met are better equipped to learn and thrive.

What we look for:

• Innovative solutions that increase the capacity of grantees to deliver their products and services more effectively and efficiently
• Design and implementation of web-based tools that increase the availability of, or improve access to, products and services that are necessary for people to survive and thrive
• Programs that increase access to clean water, food, shelter, or disaster relief and promote a more sustainable future for all
  • By policy, relief campaigns respond to significant natural disaster and humanitarian crises as opposed to those caused by human conflict. Also by policy, our investments in this area do not include healthcare solutions.

Climate Impact

Our strategy is to invest US$100 million in Cisco Foundation funds over the next decade to help reverse the impact of climate change, working toward a sustainable and regenerative future for all.

The commitment includes both grant and impact investment funding for early-stage climate innovation. Both categories of support will be focused on bold climate solutions, and the grants side will also concentrate on community education and activation. Grants will go to exceptionally aligned nonprofit organizations, while impact investments will go to highly promising for-profit solutions through the private sector and climate impact funds.

Funding comes from the Cisco Foundation and will focus on:

• Identifying bold and innovative solutions that:
  • Draw down the carbon already in the atmosphere
  • Regenerate depleted ecosystems and broadly support the transition to a regenerative future
• Developing curricular initiatives to spur community engagement that can lead to measurable behavioral change and collective action

We will prioritize organizations that can achieve, measure, and report outcomes such as:

• Reduction, capture, and/or sequestering of greenhouse gas and carbon emissions
• Increased energy efficiency and improved mapping and management of natural resources, such as ecosystem restoration, forest treatments, reforestation, and afforestation that also will help repair our water cycles
• Transition to inclusive, just, coliberatory, and regenerative operating models, ways of being, and ways of organizing economies
• Creation of, and increase in, access to green jobs and job training
• Changes in community and individual behavior that lead to carbon footprint reduction, community climate resilience, and localized roadmaps to a sustainable shared climate future for all

Mission

Driven by a philanthropic calling to support marginalized communities throughout the world, the Semnani Family Foundation partners with on-the-ground organizations and leverages its resources in a cost-effective and efficient manner that delivers the maximum benefit.

History

Guided by his grandmother Maliheh’s example and teachings, Khosrow Semnani and his wife Ghazaleh established the Semnani Family Foundation in 1993. The foundation’s first grant was issued through CARE International to an orphanage in Romania that cared for newborns affected by HIV. Over the last few decades, the foundation has continued to build upon its mission to empower the disaffected, partnering with a variety of organizations in different countries who can make the greatest impact.

In addition to its global influence, the Semnani Family Foundation established roots within the state of Utah with the founding of Maliheh Free Clinic in 2005 to provide free healthcare to thousands of uninsured people in the Salt Lake City area.

Where We Work

The Semnani Family Foundation focuses primarily on promoting health, education, and disaster relief for marginalized communities all around the world. Driven by a clear mission to adapt and serve at the global level, we have leveraged our resources to make a meaningful impact in the following countries so far:

• Afghanistan
• Bosnia
• Colombia
• England
• Ethiopia
• Ghana
• Guatemala
• India
• Iran
• Kenya
• Madagascar
• Mali
• Mexico
• Pakistan
• Philippines
• Romania
• Somalia
• South Africa
• Tanzania
• Tonga
• Uganda
• United States
• Yemen

At the heart of the Foundation lies a fervent commitment to human welfare, always prioritizing health and the needs of society’s most vulnerable.

We have strong partnerships with nonprofit organizations across the country that are working to advance economic mobility and social progress in low- and moderate-income communities. Our focus areas include basic needs like food and housing, workforce development and education, and community development. In addition to our philanthropic investments, we also encourage our employees to make a difference by offering robust employee giving and volunteering programs, including the opportunity to direct funds to organizations they support through volunteer efforts, and a matching gifts program that doubles their individual giving to causes they care about. Last year, we invested $350 million in the communities we serve, and employees contributed more than 1 million volunteer hours and directed $65 million through individual giving and matching gifts to support nonprofits.Through our regional U.S. sponsorships, we support the economic, social and cultural life of the places we live and work. We provide an extensive program of arts and sports sponsorships to help maintain vibrant, healthy communities.Sponsorships supporting communitiesBank of America welcomes your sponsorship proposal for opportunities that make our communities a better place to live and work. We are particularly interested in providing support to address needs vital to the health of our communities through a focus on:

• preserving neighborhoods;
• educating the workforce for 21st century jobs;
• addressing critical needs such as hunger and emergency shelter;
• arts and culture;
• the environment; and
• diversity and inclusion programs.

Grants are made at the Foundation’s discretion based on our current funding strategies focused on housing, jobs and hunger. 

Wells Fargo and the Wells Fargo Foundation collaborate with a wide range of nonprofit organizations that align with our strategic funding priorities. We prioritize our funding to activities and programs that have a broad reach and support the needs of underserved communities. We aspire to have a positive impact on the communities we serve by using our financial and volunteer resources and business expertise in collaboration with community organizations to help solve complex societal problems.

• Financial health
• Housing affordability
• Small business growth
• Sustainability

We may also support other local needs in eligible communities such as disaster relief, arts and culture, civic engagement, education, human and social services, and workforce development. However, opportunities are limited as our intent is to direct the majority of our giving within our major focus areas.

GreenState Foundation

The GreenState Foundation of the GreenState Credit Union was founded to further invest in our communities in the areas of Financial Education, Housing and Children’s Health. We feel passionately about these causes and know that each of them will give all of us a brighter, more secure, future. Whether it’s educating our community to make informed financial decisions, affording a home to build equity and participate in the American Dream, or improving the mental and physical health of our youth, our Foundation is actively changing lives,

GreenState Credit Union's mission is to improve the quality of life in the communities we serve. We give back by volunteering time and donating funds to support local organizations and charities that allow our communities to thrive. GreenState is proud to support a variety of events and programs. Our committee meets monthly to evaluate applications and determine funding based on eligibility and compliance within our donation guidelines.

Our primary areas of focus are:

• Financial Education & Economic Empowerment
• Children's Health
• Affordable Housing & Homeownership
• Underserved Communities

GreenState Credit Union Donations

The GreenState Foundation is accepting grant requests for projects or programming that directly support the following three areas of philanthropy:

Financial Education & Economic Empowerment

Education around finance encourages fiscally responsible behavior. We pursue equitable projects and programs that help possess the skills, experience, and knowledge to make informed decisions.

Children's Health

Our children are our future, and we seek out organizations that provide direct or supportive services for their mental and physical health needs.

Affordable Housing & Homeownership

We believe a stable home is the foundation for everything in life. Being able to afford a safe place to live is a key part of the American dream of opportunity.

Funding must be used to support communities within our geographic footprint. Currently, our funding is available in the following geographic regions:

• Iowa - Des Moines, Grinnell, Fort Dodge, Cedar Valley, Iowa City, Cedar Rapids, Dubuque, Quad Cities & surrounding metros
• Illinois - Quad Cities, Rockford, Freeport, Suburban Chicago
• Nebraska - Omaha

The Lawrence Foundation is a private family foundation focused on making grants to support environmental, human services and other causes.

The Lawrence Foundation was established in mid-2000. We make both program and operating grants and do not have any geographical restrictions on our grants. Nonprofit organizations that qualify for public charity status under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or other similar organizations are eligible for grants from The Lawrence Foundation.  

Grant Amount and Types

Grants typically range between $5,000 - $10,000. In some limited cases we may make larger grants, but that is typically after we have gotten to know your organization over a period of time. We also generally don’t make multi-year grants, although we may fund the same organization on a year by year basis over a period of years.

General operating or program/project grant requests within our areas of interests are accepted. In general, regardless of whether a grant request is for general operating or program/project expenses, all of our grants will be issued as unrestricted grants.

Aegon Transamerica Foundation

The Aegon Transamerica Foundation supports non-profit organizations that help improve the well-being of the communities where Transamerica employees live and work. The nonprofit, private foundation evaluates grant requests based on their location and priorities.

The Aegon Transamerica Foundation was formed on June 30, 2000, when the Aegon USA Charitable Foundation and the Aegon Transamerica Foundation merged.

Our grant programs are designed to empower our neighbors to provide people in our communities the resources to live life on their terms.

What we support

The Aegon Transamerica Foundation focuses on financial and social empowerment to create more inclusive communities where people can live longer, more fulfilling lives. The nonprofit organizations we support must:

• Encourage self-reliance and empower people socially by enhancing their adaptability, skills and capabilities
• Empower people financially by building financial awareness and knowledge and providing relevant tools
• Be active in a market where we operate
• Include opportunities for employees and stakeholders to contribute (time, effort, knowledge)
• Be a distinct and innovative initiative

Social empowerment

We support partnerships that enhance the opportunities and capabilities of people in our communities; broaden social networks, interactions, and aspirations; and increase access to essential services.

• Increase accessibility to the arts for youth and the underserved
• Advance community development, civic engagement, and leadership
• Advance inclusion and diversity
• Promote health education, nutrition, medical services, or disease prevention
• Increase access to food, housing, and clothing
• Build resilient communities 
• Encourage self-reliance and empower people socially by enhancing their adaptability, skills and capabilities

Financial empowerment

Partnerships that build financial awareness, knowledge, and skills, or provide tools to become more financially resilient. 

 

• Provide and promote education and personal development, especially in financial literacy
• Provide access to job skills training

Ameriprise Financial Grantmaking

At Ameriprise Financial, giving back is deeply rooted in our culture. We’ve initiated positive change in the communities where we live and work for more than 120 years. We believe our community involvement enables us to actively live our values. Through grant making, volunteerism and employee and financial advisor gift matching programs, we support a diverse group of over 6,000 nonprofits across the country.

Focus Areas

Awarding grant dollars to nonprofits is one way we strengthen our communities and help individuals on a path to financial independence. To ensure we're meeting the needs of our communities and making an even greater collective impact, we focus on three key giving areas when awarding grants.

Volunteer engagement is a priority across all focus areas:

The engagement of Ameriprise employees and financial advisors is a critical component of our philanthropy. Whether it’s serving on a nonprofit board, engaging friends, clients and community members in volunteering or providing skills-based support, our relationships with nonprofits go deep. For this reason, we give priority across all focus areas to applications where there is active volunteer engagement of Ameriprise advisors and employees. 

Meeting Basic Needs

At Ameriprise Financial, we help clients achieve financial security and peace of mind. That’s satisfying, meaningful work. We also help the people in our neighborhoods who struggle to meet basic needs such as where their next meal comes from, where they’ll sleep tonight or how they’ll find a higher wage job. We’re here to help them through the three platforms of our Meeting Basic Needs focus area.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Hunger
• Food banks, food shelves and food pantries, daily meal programs or meal services for the homebound
• Hunger-relief programs targeted to meet the special needs of children, ethnic populations or veterans
• Food programs run by nonprofits where hunger is not their sole focus, for example a youth meal program at the YWCA or a backpack program run by a Boys & Girls Club
• Shelter
• Emergency shelter, including youth homelessness
• Transitional housing, permanent supportive housing and efforts to end chronic homelessness
• Housing-first models (programs quickly providing housing and then addressing needed services)
• Achieving and maintaining home ownership, repair and maintenance efforts helping keep seniors, veterans and other populations in their homes 
• Adult Self-Sufficiency: Programs serving adults age 21 and older that help address the following areas:
• Basic hard and soft skills that help adults achieve economic and family stability
• Basic financial and budgeting skills
• Increase employability and wages, including work readiness and job transitions
• Employment of disabled adults

Supporting Community Vitality

We believe communities should be strong, healthy and resilient. We want livable places for all, where neighbors look out for one another, cultural events are well-attended and people pull together in times of crisis and joy. We work to create economic vitality and cultural enrichment through the following areas of focus.

Consideration is given to applications addressing the following: 

• Community Development
• Neighborhood revitalization
• Economic development
• Strengthening and supporting small businesses and nonprofits through technical expertise
• Cultural Enrichment
• Arts education
• Access for underserved populations
• Diverse artists and performances that spark topical community conversations 

Volunteer Driven Causes: Ameriprise employees and financial advisors are outstanding volunteers who serve in teams and also as individuals bringing personal skill-sets to nonprofits. Volunteering is part of the culture at Ameriprise and we are proud to support communities through contributions of both service and financial resources. 

Funding for Volunteer-Driven Causes is determined by current Ameriprise volunteerism. In general, funding is in proportion to the size of the Ameriprise volunteer team supporting a nonprofit. A team may include employees, financial advisors and/or staff or a combination of any Ameriprise volunteers. 

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

GreatAmerica Financial Services Corporation

Eligible Categories: Program or Capital or Sponsorship

Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high-impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation invests in local nonprofit organizations that contribute to improving the quality of life in our community. Our grants support innovation, sustainability and capacity building.

Organization Support Grants

Organization Support Grants support general operating costs and capacity-building projects for nonprofits that impact the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa. 

Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by promoting charitable giving; connecting donors to the causes they care about; strengthening nonprofits through grants and support; and providing leadership on community issues that involve charitable giving. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $194 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Mission

To help donors give in meaningful ways, to strengthen nonprofits, and to provide leadership that supports a vibrant community.

Priorities

The Community Foundation’s grantmaking program invests in innovation, sustainability and capacity building across the spectrum of the entire nonprofit sector including education, health and human services, arts and culture, environment and public benefit.

PROGRAM SUPPORT GRANTS

Program Support Grants support new, innovative programs and sustain current and/or ongoing programs that demonstrate impact on the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa.

This fund is intended to target the programmatic work of an organization and is not intended to assist with capital infrastructure projects (bricks and mortar) projects.

New initiatives are always limited to a maximum of $15,000. Ongoing programs are up to $30,000 depending on organizational budget. Duration of Grants is 12 months.

The Carleen and Eugene Grandon Charitable Foundation was established in 2004 by Carleen M. Grandon. However, its genesis began years before with many philanthropic gifts to various organizations during the 1980’s and 1990’s. These gifts primarily focused on cultural, healthcare and educational endeavors by organizations located in the Greater Cedar Rapids, Iowa area. During this time, Carleen Grandon was active on various boards of charitable organizations and developed a deep sense of improving the community through charitable giving. Since its inception, the Foundation has focused its giving to programmatic endeavors as opposed to building programs. While building projects have a place, the Foundation believes funding of programs provides more direct benefit to the individuals being served by the funded organizations.  

Carleen and Eugene Grandon Charitable Foundation Grant

The Carleen and Eugene Grandon Charitable Foundation provides grants to support qualified nonprofit organizations that align with the Foundation's funding interests in the following area:

• Cultural Arts

Mrs. Grandon possessed an enthusiasm for the cultural arts; she found joy in music and theatre, in particular through opera, singing and the piano. The Foundation continues to honor Mrs. Grandon's passion by providing grants to charitable organizations for programs that seek to promote such endeavors within the Greater Cedar Rapids Community.

• Education

The Grandons were lifelong learners and teachers who had a profound understanding of the importance of education for individuals, families and the larger community to thrive. The Foundation continues these efforts through grants to charitable organizations with programs that seek to provide educational support to individuals within the Greater Cedar Rapids Community so they may reach their full potential.

• Health and Wellness

As a physician and a nurse, Dr. and Mrs. Grandon devoted much of their time and talents in careers that serve others by improving the health and wellness of individuals within the Community. The Foundation similarly provides grants to charitable organizations in the Community for programs that continue this tradition of service to improve the health and wellness of individuals in need within the Greater Cedar Rapids Community.

The Foundation provides grants that support programs, rather than building projects. This limitation is based on Dr. and Mrs. Grandon's firm belief that funding programs provide the greatest and most direct benefit to individuals served by the non-profit organizations. 

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

Altorfer Inc.

Eligible Categories: Program or Capital

Fund Priorities:

• Health and human services
• Educational programming
• Community development

Duration of Grant is 12 months. Average Award is $2,400.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

Bloomhall Family

Eligible Categories: Program or Capital

Priorities: Health-related activities

Duration of Grant is 12 months.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

Diamond V

Eligible Categories: Program or Capital

Priorities:

• Health-related activities

Duration of Grant is 12 months. Average Award is $7,500.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

Lil’ Drug Store Products

Eligible Categories: Program or Capital or Sponsorship

Priorities: Projects within Cedar Rapids

Duration of Grant is 12 months. Awards: Up to $5,000.

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

World Class Industries

Eligible Categories: Program

Priorities:

• Basic health and human services
• Classroom education for Iowa Core Standards
• Capital improvements to support priority program areas. Please submit a program application for these improvements to provide context.

Duration of Grant is 12 months. Award Range is $500 to $10,000.

Community Partnership Award

The Mutual of America Foundation Community Partnership Award recognizes outstanding nonprofit organizations in the United States that have shown exemplary leadership by facilitating partnerships with public, private or social sector leaders who are working together as equal partners, not as donors and recipients, to build a cohesive community that serves as a model for collaborating with others for the greater good.

Each year, the Mutual of America Foundation sponsors a national competition in which hundreds of organizations demonstrate the value of their partnership to the communities they serve, their ability to be replicated by others and their capacity to stimulate new approaches to addressing significant social issues.

Six organizations are selected by an independent committee to receive the Community Partnership Award.

• The Thomas J. Moran Award is given to the national award-winning program and includes $100,000 and a documentary video about the program.
• The Frances R. Hesselbein Award is given to a partnership that is addressing social challenges in more than one community, or which demonstrates the potential to be replicated in other communities. This recipient receives $75,000.
• Four other organizations are named Honorable Mention recipients for their programs, and each receives $50,000.

Since its inception in 1996, the Community Partnership Award has recognized 262 partnerships from cities and towns across America. Like so many of our clients working in the nonprofit community, Mutual of America is dedicated to having a direct, positive impact on society.

Background

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds are different from other grants offered at the Community Foundation because they are donor-driven. The funding priorities, exclusions, decision-making and timing of grant awards are determined by the donor advisor.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds are not related to the Program Support or Organization Support Grant programs. Therefore, applications to Competitive Donor-Advised Funds are not subject to the application limits for those two grant programs. 

Purpose

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family funds. Funding priorities are determined by each donor-advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

CRST International

Eligible Categories: Program or Capital or Sponsorship

Priorities: Arts and culture

Duration of Grant is 12 months. Award Range is $500 to $30,000

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by partnering with donors, funders, and other community collaborators to achieve high impact philanthropy; supporting nonprofit organizations that address our community’s needs and opportunities; and convening people to learn, share ideas, and develop solutions for the future. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $223 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family foundations. Funding priorities are determined by each donor advisor and may include programmatic or operating support, capital campaigns, event sponsorships, and religious activities.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds are different from other grants offered at the Community Foundation because they are donor-driven. The funding priorities, exclusions, decision-making and timing of grant awards are determined by the donor advisor.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds are not related to the Program Support or Organization Support Grant programs. Therefore, applications to Competitive Donor-Advised Funds are not subject to the application limits for those two grant programs.

Purpose

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation accepts grant applications for a number of local corporations and family funds. Funding priorities are determined by each donor-advisor and may include:

• programmatic or operating support,
• capital campaigns,
• event sponsorships, and
• religious activities.

Competitive Donor-Advised Funds: McGrath Automotive Group

Eligible Categories: Program, Capital or Sponsorship

Priorities: Children’s needs

Duration of Grant is 12 months. Average award is $3,000

Purpose

The Linn County Grants support programs and projects that enhance the quality of life and community development outside the metropolitan area in Linn County, Iowa.

• The metropolitan area consists of Cedar Rapids, Marion, Hiawatha, Robins and Fairfax.

Priority is given to applications from non-metro communities in Linn County.

Capital projects are eligible for consideration.

Priority is given to programs that are well designed, responsive to community conditions, innovative, make effective use of community resources, and test or demonstrate solutions to community issues.

Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation

The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation improves the quality of life in Linn County, Iowa by promoting charitable giving; connecting donors to the causes they care about; strengthening nonprofits through grants and support; and providing leadership on community issues that involve charitable giving. The Community Foundation is a public, nonprofit organization with over $194 million in assets and over 1,000 different charitable funds.

Mission

To help donors give in meaningful ways, to strengthen nonprofits, and to provide leadership that supports a vibrant community.

Priorities

The Community Foundation’s grantmaking program invests in innovation, sustainability and capacity building across the spectrum of the entire nonprofit sector including education, health and human services, arts and culture, environment and public benefit.

Endowment Challenge Grant

The Endowment Challenge Grant is a matching grant supporting nonprofit organizations in building endowments in Linn County, Iowa. The matching endowment fund is opened and held at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation after notification of funding. Nonprofit endowment funds are an investment in the mission and the future of the organization by providing general operating support, stability during cyclical income variances, and income for areas of high importance to the organization.

Grant award is $25,000. Organizations have five years in which to meet the match.