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January 13, 2009
CFGD receives three CONNECT grants
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque and its affiliates, the Farley Community Foundation and the Clayton County Foundation for the Future have each received Iowa Council of Foundation CONNECT grants to implement ideas which build awareness of endowments. The mini-grants will fund a fun contest in Farley, new signage for non-profit events in Clayton County, and printing and distribution of an Endow Iowa marketing piece for Dubuque-area donors.
Dubuque Community School District Foundation Names Peggy Johannsen as Development Director The Dubuque Community School District Foundation welcomes Peggy Johannsen as its new Development Director. Johannsen will lead the foundation, which is committed to promoting the importance of public education and building community investment to enhance educational opportunities for all students in the Dubuque Community Schools.
Johannsen comes to the position from a successful career with Thrivent Financial where she served individuals and organizations throughout the Midwest. She looks forward to being involved in the Dubuque community and building a strong future for public education. Johannsen said, "I am happy to be serving students and building support for their most important educational needs."
Johannsen’s office is located within the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, which is a partner with the Dubuque Community School District Foundation and holds its endowment.
December 30, 2009
Dubuque Chosen for the Technical Assistance Initiative
Dubuque has been chosen by the National League of Cities to participate in the Reengaging Disconnected Youth through Economic Recovery Efforts technical assistance initiative, spanning January – June 2010. Dubuque was one of four cities chosen for this support. The other cities were, Manchester, Connecticut, Rochester, New York, and Tucson, Arizona.
The initiative will help define how best to approach this community issue. One important possible approach is through the business community. Examples include encouraging youth internships and youth employment. The second possible approach involves working with social service agencies and the community college to focus on increasing the options for serving disconnected youth.
Project Hope Coordinator Alyssa Hauser commented, “It is a really exciting opportunity for Dubuque to be on the forefront, once again, both testing and learning about really innovate ways to reengage our youth.”
December 14, 2009
Theisen’s awards over $100K to nonprofits serving families and children in More For Your Community Grants
Christmas is coming early to 66 nonprofits in 17 Theisen’s store communities. Announcing cash awards to 66 nonprofits serving his 17 Theisen’s store communities, company president Jim Theisen said, "With these grants of more than $100,000, we are simply giving back to our community and the people we serve. We are so proud to support these nonprofit organizations as they provide food, shelter, healthcare, safety, and education to children and families in our 17 store communities."
The corporate giving program is a partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque (CFGD). CFGD President and CEO Nancy Van Milligen said, "The most immediate and important needs of families and children were expressed in more than 150 applications we received. The review process included a focus on meeting the most basic and urgent needs of children and families in a wide region from Dubuque to DeWitt to Grinnell to Charles City and beyond."
In this inaugural year of Theisen’s More For Your Community Grants, the average cash grant is more than $1500. More than 25,000 students, and 1,000 individual families will be touched by the organizations submitting successful applications. The projects funded included crises child care, family literacy programs, food pantries, winter clothing, after-school programs, financial assistance to families whose children have severe health challenges, holiday meals, personal protective gear for firefighters, neighborhood meals, child abuse prevention, music education for vulnerable populations, support for homeless women, transitional housing for families in foreclosure, a school nurse crises fund, and playground safety improvements.
March 18, 2009
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque named administrator for Kellogg-funded Northeast Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative
The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque has been named administrator and fiscal agent for the Northeast Iowa Food Fitness Initiative.
The five-county regional initiative is building a movement to improve the policies, practices, and systems that determine how food arrives on Iowan’s tables and how NE Iowa communities can grow opportunities for physical activity for all citizens.
Planning teams in Allamakee, Clayton, Fayette, Howard and Winneshiek Counties meet monthly to determine local assets, learn about possibilities, and define a long-term vision. Over 500 people from all sectors (including public health, education, agriculture, business, government, faith communities, parks and recreation) are engaged.
The NE Iowa Food and Fitness Initiative is one of nine projects nationwide supported by the W.K. Kellogg Foundation to be models of change over the next ten years. Each community received a $500,000 two-year planning grant. The potential for long-term implementation support is based on the community action plan being currently developed for the Kellogg Foundation.
Community Foundation personnel supporting the initiative include Jodi Kress, Finance Assistant, Kristin Kluesner, Director of Finance, M.J. Smith, Director of Communications and Affiliate Relations and CEO Nancy Van Milligen.
March 18, 2009
Nancy Van Milligen named to national policy committee
Nancy Van Milligen, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, has been named to the Council of Foundations Public Policy Committee.
With the appointment, Van Milligen joins 27 other national leaders who will set priorities and strategies for national legislative and regulatory action related to philanthropy.
Other committee members include leaders from the United Nations Foundation, W.K. Kellogg Foundation, the Boeing Company, New York Community Trust, and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation.
March 16, 2009
Regional non-profit leaders explore world of grantmaking
Kief Schladweiler, of The Foundation Center, was a guest presenter at The McCarthy Center on March 6.Over fifty non-profit leaders from the Dubuque region explored the world of grantmaking on March 6.
The McCarthy Center for Non-profits hosted national expert Kief Schladweiler, the Coordinator of Cooperating Collections at The Foundation Center, who led the presentation.
Discussion centered on the many resources available to non-profits both at the Foundation Center Website and through the McCarthy Centers’ Foundation Directory Online, a national grant search data base.
One participant shared "We have already received $13,000 in funding, thanks to the McCarthy Center grant search data base."
The Foundation Directory Online is available for use to non-profit leaders and volunteers Monday through Friday from 8 am to 4:30 pm at the McCarthy Center, which is located at the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque. Appointments are recommended. Call 588-2700.
The grant search service is made possible through a gift to the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque from Joy and the late Leo McCarthy, who believed we could make our community stronger by working together.
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