The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine awarded 17 charitable groups with grants in the amount of $34,114. The grants were given to groups in Muscatine, Wilton and West Liberty through the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine's County Endowment Re-granting Program. One grant for $200 was awarded from the Lois M. Walter Endowment Fund.



Grants awarded by the Community Foundation from the Muscatine County Endowment Fund in August:

Wilton Library Foundation - $5000 to buy shelving for the new facility
West Liberty Dream Catchers - $5000 for the scholarship and mentoring program
Friends of Pine Creek Grist Mill - $3500 for promoting mill visits, restoration, newsletters, website and Heritage Day shuttles
Downtown Action Alliance - $3160 to hire a part-time downtown manager
Wilton Daycare - $2000 to develop an outside play area for the baby room and to renovate the current playground
Friends of Pine Creek Grist Mill - $2000 to support the 2010 historical interpretation program for area schools
Partners 4 Success - $2000 to buy athletic shoes for about 80 children
MHS - Fine Arts Dept. - $1753 to purchase needs for the graphic arts computer lab
WMS - Green Team - $1500 to purchase benches, rain barrels, bird feeds and table for outdoor classroom
Friends of the Old Stone Church - $1500 to purchase flooring material - floor joist, CDX plywood and laminate
Senior Resources - $1401 for the Meals on Wheels Program
Muscatine Chamber of Commerce - $1300 in support of PatriArt Week for fireworks, sound system and insurance
Muscatine Civic Chorale - $1000 to assist in bringing the Bluegrass Quintet, Monroe Crossing to Muscatine for a performance in November
Quad City Arts - $1000 for performances by 4 visiting artists for Muscatine students and public
National Multiple Sclerosis Society, North Central States Chapter - $1000 for assistance to indivuduals with MS for food, rent, rehab and respite care
Flickinger Center - $500 for Safety First to ensure appropriate adult volunteers
Families, Inc. - $300 for assistance with mileage, supplies, meals and activities for the Special Child Exception Fund

Grant awarded from the Lois M. Walter Endowment Fund to promote volunteerism:

Friends of the Old Stone Church - $200 to encourage volunteer efforts

The Granting Committee of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine is comprised of board representatives and community members who review and evaluate the grant applications bi-monthly. The committee makes their recommendations to the board of directors for approval. For more information about applying for grants or establishing your own fund for granting purposes, call Judy Holdorf or Linda Bachus at 563-264-3863.

Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program
Giving YOU Credit
Where Credit is Due

Giving through the community foundation to the causes you care about is rewarding—in more ways than one. Your gift creates lasting change in the community, and the Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program offers you generous tax incentives to make it easier for you to give more for less. Those who give to a permanently endowed fund at a qualified community foundation, such as the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, are eligible to receive 20% tax credits for their gifts. Community members who give also are able to take advantage of the tax credits in conjunction with regular federal and state tax deductions.

Tax credits are offered on a first come, first served basis. The tax credits can be claimed by individuals, businesses or financial institutions.

Since 2003, more than $50 million has been invested in community foundations through Endow Iowa, improving residents’ lives both now and for years to come.
Give and Receive

With Endow Iowa, gifts to our community foundation's qualifying endowments cost donors less. For example, a $10,000 gift could cost as little as $3,800 assuming the taxpayer is in the highest tax bracket.

To learn more about how you can give to your community and take advantage of Endow Iowa tax credits, please contact us at cfgm@machlink.com or 563/264-3863 or speak with your professional advisor.

Donate to the Cares & Shares Endowment
It provides funding for community needs – now and always - and ensures the continuation of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine.

For a list of other endowments that you may contribute to, please click on the "FUNDS" tab. You'll find endowments benefiting many important causes under the heading of Permanently Restricted.

Executive Director Judi Holdorf, CFRE, received recertification from the international Association of Fundraising Professionals. First certified in June 1995, Judi is one of only 80 Iowans who are stewards of the public trust holding this credential. Judi has agreed to uphold Accountability Standards and the Donor Bill of Rights.

"The CFRE process was developed as a way to identify for the public and employers those individuals who possess the knowledge, skills and commitment to perform fundraising duties in an effective, conscientious, ethical and professional manner," states Andrew Day, CFRE; Chair of CFRE International. In order to earn the certification, individuals must meet a series of standards which include tenure in the profession, education, demonstrated fundraising achievement and a commitment to service to nonprofit organizations. Initially, candidates must pass a rigorous written examination testing the knowledge, skills and abilities required to perform at a high level. Recertification is awarded for a three-year periord after demonstrating continued commitment and achievement.

Judi brings more than 20 years of experience in nonprofit organization management. She joins over 5,000 professionals around the world who hold the CFRE distiction.

These young ladies don’t let hard economic times deter them from raising money for charity. Kinsey Edmonds and Ashley Hansen are members of the Teen Sunday School Class at Spangler Chapel United Methodist Church and collected 50,000 pennies for the Agricultural Learning Center Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine. Their goal was to collect so many pennies that they would reach to the top of the steeple of their church. They surpassed that goal and kept on going.

“It’s a great cause, and we know they could use more money,” the girls told me in regard to why they selected the Ag Center as their beneficiary.

Good things can come in small packages – pennies AND teens!

Pictured left to right: Community Foundation Executive Director Judi Holdorf, Kinsey Edmonds and Ashley Hansen. Whew! I was glad they didn’t bring all the pennies!!

Is it Spring Yet?
Grants Awarded by Community Foundation Span the Seasons



Photo: (left to right) Charles Rickey from the Arboretum, Judi Holdorf from the Community Foundation, and Friends of the Arboretum Steve and Janet Forbes are pictured at the site of the new water lines. In the past, volunteers have carried water buckets to maintain the Arboretum’s many plants and trees.</center>

Area nonprofits benefiting from grants awarded by the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine span the seasons from Christmas dinner for 500 at Pearl City Outreach Center to spring blooms at the Muscatine Arboretum. In the fourth quarter of 2008, 16 Muscatine and West Liberty nonprofit organizations received grants from the County Endowment Fund.

The County Endowment Fund Program is one of two legislative programs in Iowa that aim to increase philanthropic activity that will enhance the quality of life for Iowans. The funds are only available to community foundations that are qualified by the Iowa Department of Economic Development and accredited by the National Council on Foundations. Because Muscatine is one of the few counties that have their own community foundation in compliance with national standards, grant applications can be evaluated and approved locally, rather than through some parent or sponsoring entity in another county.

Grants awarded by the Community Foundation from the Muscatine County Endowment Fund in the last quarter of 2008 totaled $21,580 for the following:

• Big Brothers/Big Sisters of Muscatine County - $300 to customize national documentary films for local marketing
• Diversity Service Center of Iowa - $1,000 to provide civic and leadership education for minorities
• Eulenspiegel Puppet Theatre - $2,000 to develop a new production featuring the prehistoric wooly mammoth
• Friends of Muscatine Art Center - $200 for Festival of Wreaths to fund arts education
• Friends of Muscatine Historic Preservation - $1,500 to assist with fundraising for two Muscatine books to be sold
• Michael Edmonds - $130 for nutrition and health seminars at schools
• Muscatine Arboretum Assoc. – $2,500 to install watering lines
• Muscatine Art Center - $1,000 for the Mosaic Project that is also a fundraiser for Muscatine Area Arts Council
• Muscatine Center for Social Action - $1,750 to promote dental education program to students
• Muscatine Connected Education Foundation - $4,000 for Spanish language software for a new alternative education program at Muscatine School District
• Muscatine County Extension - $500 to develop First Lego League in West Liberty to interest children in science, technology and engineering
• Muscatine Symphony Orchestra - $200 to support the free holiday concert in conjunction with the Holiday Stroll and $500 to score parts for “Grand Duo” performance
• Muscatine Welfare Assoc. - $1,500 to purchase reusable tableware for eat-in diners at Snackers2
• Pearl City Outreach - $1,000 for Christmas meals and activities
• Quad City Arts – $1,000 to support the Visiting Artists Series program in the Muscatine schools
• West Liberty Dream Catchers - $2,500 for activities related to Dream Catchers’ third graders volunteer mentoring program

The Granting Committee of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine is comprised of board representatives and community members. They review and evaluate grant applications on a monthly basis and make recommendations to the full board of directors. The Community Foundation is a community-wide, countywide charitable organizations building sustainable community resources and our work is supported by gifts to the Annual Fund.

We thank our Community Partners and other contributors to the Annual Fund who help make this re-granting program possible.

New Funds Benefit Muscatine County Residents

We welcomed 9 new funds to the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine since January 2008. We applaud their efforts to make this a better place to live, work and play and are pleased to be a partner in the great work they do.

Endowments:

Cares & Shares Endowment Fund
Family Resources, Inc. Endowment Fund

Charitable Funds:

Downtown Action Alliance Charitable Fund
Muscatine Connected Educational Foundation
Muscatine County Fair Charitable Fund
Muscatine Literacy Coalition
Pearl City Players
Rotary Club of Greater Muscatine Charitable Fund
West Liberty Area Arts Council

The June 2008 flood destroyed homes and devastated lives.

Flood victims have received assistance through grants made to the Atalissa Betterment Committee, Muscatine Red Cross and Downtown Action Alliance.

The Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine created the Emergency Response Fund to accept donations which were used to benefit local nonprofit agencies providing relief to Muscatine County flood victims. The Community Foundation waived their customary, nominal fee of 1% so that 100% of all donations could be distributed back out into the community. In addition, a dollar-for-dollar matching gift fund was created through the generosity of local family. The “CFGM Flood ’08 Fund” support nonprofit organizations that provided first-response efforts and ongoing recovery and rebuilding throughout Muscatine County. Cash, check and credit card donations will continue to be accepted at their office in Muscatine’s Pearl Plaza building at 208 W. Second Street, Suite 213. Please make your check payable to "CFGM Flood '08 Fund."

In addition $289,000 in grants from the Embrace Iowa - 2008 Disaster Relief Fund were received and will continue to be used for unmet needs of flood victims.

Call Judi Holdorf at 563-264-3863 for more information about both funds.

Download Application Here.