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Iowa West president outlines $4 million-plus in local grants, youth, housing and rural priorities
Summary
The Iowa West president updated supervisors on the foundation’s latest grant cycle, reporting more than $4 million distributed to over 40 organizations with emphasis on rural communities, early‑childhood preschool, workforce training and housing rehab programs.
The president and chief executive officer of Iowa West reported to the Pottawatomie County Board that the foundation allocated more than $4,000,000 to more than 40 organizations this grant cycle and is focusing more on smaller rural organizations and youth‑serving programs.
Program highlights cited by the CEO included a roughly $10,000 standard allocation to volunteer fire departments, long‑running support for all‑day four‑year‑old preschool (Green Hills) across county school districts, early‑head start and birth‑to‑preschool programs, and an Aspire workforce‑training program for high‑school students. The foundation is also supporting food‑bank backpack programs in rural counties and mental‑health peer support through NAMI Southwest Iowa.
On housing, the CEO said Iowa West continues funding the Southwest Iowa Housing Trust Fund for owner‑occupied home repairs, and that the foundation recently added a grant to Houseworks to help elderly homeowners who cannot afford needed rehabs. The CEO said the foundation supports Habitat and NeighborWorks and that a $150,000 allocation to a program called Together (Together Gathering) is designated to help at‑risk individuals in Council Bluffs keep housing by funding critical short‑term needs such as car repairs that otherwise would cause job loss and rental default.
Cultural and conservation support: The foundation is backing upgrades to exhibits at Hitchcock and other local heritage sites and plans a rural push for “belonging grants” to strengthen community ties.
Gaming revenue and regional context: The CEO addressed questions about cross‑river gaming competition, saying statewide studies forecast impacts when neighboring states change gambling laws; local casinos have seen smaller declines than predicted and the CEO described efforts to leverage state and federal funds and to provide matching dollars for local museum projects.
What to watch for: Iowa West posted letters of interest deadlines for the next grant cycle (letters due Sept. 1, applications due Sept. 15; board decision in November with payments in December) and expects further rural‑focused grant rounds in the coming months.
