Black Hawk County Grants

From Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa

Veridian Credit Union, in collaboration with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, focuses on enriching communities within its service area in Iowa and Nebraska through support to nonprofit organizations. Their mission encompasses providing general operating support grants to organizations that contribute significantly to community enrichment.

Type of Support

Overview

Black Hawk County Grants Community Impact Grants aim to enhance the quality of life for residents in Black Hawk County by addressing community and county needs through a competitive grant process. These grants support a wide variety of areas including art and culture, community betterment, environment and animal welfare, education and youth development, health, and human services. While grant amounts can vary, most fall within the $7,000 to $25,000 range, with the possibility of larger grants depending on available funds. Organizations are encouraged to discuss their applications with the Program Director, especially if they are applying for the first time or aiming for grants over $50,000.

Eligibility

Organization's Location

USA

Program Location

IA (Black Hawk County)

Organization Type

501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations

Government entities

Tax-exempt organizations other than 501(c)(3)

Public and private schools and school districts

Other

Must provide benefits to the people of Black Hawk County
Must be current with all state and federal reporting requirements
Must not have any past due grant reports for previous CFNEIA grants
Grant requests should be for one year only
Grant requests should be a minimum of $5,000
Organizations can submit only one proposal at a time
Organizations with a separate supporting organization can apply through either the organization or its supporting organization, but not both
Application through supporting organization is encouraged
Requests for capital improvements, salaries, technology, or equipment by schools are not eligible

Ineligibility

Organizations that received a grant in the previous cycle

Organizations that re-grant or redistribute funds

Organizations requesting multiple grants for the same capital campaign

Organizations involved in inherently religious activities

Organizations involved in partisan political or lobbying activities

Organizations seeking debt reduction/elimination

Other foundations requesting operational funding.

5k – 50k

Application deadline

Jan 15, 2025

Submission

Review Criteria

Our primary focus is on supporting organizations that have been significantly impacted by, or are actively responding to, the COVID-19 pandemic. We encourage such organizations to seek funding for overall operational costs rather than for specific projects. When evaluating grant applications, we consider the following elements:

The financial stability, strategic planning, governance, and effectiveness of the organization's programs.
The extent to which the initiative fulfills a community need.
The application of evaluative measures to gauge progress towards objectives.
The degree of collaboration and integration into wider community betterment efforts.

The Community Foundation is inclined towards projects that demonstrate:

HIGH QUALITY – Are the proposals viable and in alignment with current best practices?
LEVERAGE – Do they attract further support, especially from external sources?
LONG-TERM IMPACT – Will they introduce lasting solutions for the community's benefit?
SUSTAINABILITY – Can they persist without needing yearly contributions from the Community Foundation?
ADDRESSING INEQUALITY – Do they proactively tackle challenges related to diversity within our community?
LEADERSHIP DEVELOPMENT – Will they enhance the volunteer leadership skills and expertise within our community?
ORGANIZATIONAL CAPACITY – Do they bolster the core strength or operational capability of the organization?
ALIGNMENT WITH STRATEGIC GOALS – Do they support our key areas of interest, such as child care, art and culture, and workforce preparedness?