Benton County Community Foundation distributes more than $114,500 to local organizations

The Benton County Community Foundation (BCCF) held its 2019 grant awards ceremony at the Van Horne Community Center on July 30, announcing the distribution of $114,599.24 in grants to 35 projects of organizations serving Benton County.

Benton Awards Ceremony Group Shot.jpg – Benton County Community Foundation grant recipients gather at the annual Community Foundation grant awards ceremony on July 30. Thirty-five projects of nonprofit organizations and government entities received grants totaling $114,599.24.

“The impact these dollars will make in Benton County is important to highlight,” said Ann Jorgensen, BCCF committee chair. “The projects that have been funded fall into areas that are key to strengthening and creating more vibrant communities, and the Benton County Community Foundation is thrilled to be a part of that effort.”

Grant recipient organization, project the grant will fund, and grant amount are listed below by funding areas.

Art and Culture

Vinton Community Foundation, IBSSS Mary Ingalls Society – Mural of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, $1,500
Vinton Unlimited, Celebrating 150 Years – Vinton, Iowa, $2,500
Vinton-Shellsburg Schools, Vinton-Shellsburg Band Uniforms, $3,000

Community Betterment

Atkins Improvement Mission (AIM), Atkins Soccer Park Improvements, $3,000
Benton County Conservation Foundation, Hannen Lake Park Boat Dock and Kayak Launch, $5,500
City of Shellsburg, Shellsburg Library Renovations, $4,000
Newhall American Legion Post 167, Newhall Legion Centennial Building Project, $2,000

Education

Happy Time Child Development Center, STEM Materials, $2,000
Iowa College Access Network, Life After High School – Education and Training for All, $2,000
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, Cultivating a Skilled Future Workforce and Addressing Local Skills Gaps in Benton County, $2,500

Environment

Shellsburg Area Community Group, Shellsburg Prairie Bridge, $3,000

Health

Area Substance Abuse Council, Benton County Youth Empowerment Project, $4,000
Urbana Visioning Committee, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Urbana, $1,500
Vinton Community Foundation, Vinton Boy Scout Troop 47 – AED, $1,000
Virginia Gay Hospital Healthcare Foundation, Equipment Upgrade – Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and Lead Testing, $6,500

Human Service

Benton County Food Pantry, Benton County Food Pantry Partnerships, $7,900
Benton County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Old School Produce Partners Giving Garden, $2,400
Benton County Volunteer Program, Medical Transportation Assistance Program, $7,749.24
Blairstown Ambulance Service, EZ Glide with Power Traxx Stair Chair, $4,000
Cedar-Mt. Auburn Volunteer Fire Department, AED, $2,000
City of Belle Plaine, Police Department – Load Bearing Vests and AEDs, $3,000
City of Vinton, Police Department – Stop the Bleed Campaign, $2,700
Friends of the Family, Safe Shelter and Housing Stability, $2,500
Genesis Development, Building Relationships and Cultural Awareness Through Community Involvement, $3,500
Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, Leadership and Character-Building Program, $3,750
Horizons: A Family Service Alliance, Horizons Family Support, $6,000
North Benton Ambulance, Power Cot and Load System, $8,500
North Star Community Services, Vinton’s Drop-In Center Program, $2,500
Pink Heals Eastern Iowa, Pink Fire Turnout Gear and Helmets, $1,000
Riverview Center, Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Toolkit, $2,000
Van Horne First Responders, Personal Protective Equipment for First Responders, $1,700
Vinton Presbyterian Church, Free Products Just for You, $1,000
Vinton-Shellsburg Schools, Elementary Schools – Operation Backpack, $4,000
Waypoint Services, Domestic Violence Safety Net Project, $3,000
Wesley United Methodist Church, Food Pantry, $1,400

Grants are awarded through BCCF’s competitive grant process. Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Benton County. Grants may be awarded to projects in the program areas of: art and culture, community betterment, education, environment, health, historic preservation and human service. Grant applicants must be a 501(c)(3) designated organization or government entity serving Benton County in order to be considered for funding.

The 2020 grant cycle opens January 1 with an application deadline of March 15, 2020. Grant guidelines and applications can be found at www.bentonccf.org.

The Benton County Community Foundation is a local foundation making grants to organizations creating stronger, more vibrant communities in Benton County and helps people establish funds to support the causes they care about. The BCCF is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, a nonprofit committed to creating long-term impacts in 20 counties in Iowa. For more information, contact 319-287-9106 or visit www.cfneia.org. CFNEIA is confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations.

Ann Jorgensen of the Foundation.
Bill Danker, Newhall, on behalf of the Legion.
Food Pantry receives a grant. Shown are Ann Jorgensen and Phyhis Kurrriger.
Belle Plaine Police Chief Kris Hudson.
Jeff and Angie Holmes for Wesley United Methodist Church.
Geneisis was a grant recipient.
John Mossman speaks at the Benton County Community Foundation awards presentation.