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The Community Foundation of Jackson County was established in 1982 as the Maquoketa Area Foundation to help individuals throughout Jackson County make a positive impact on the communities they care about. From a humble beginning consisting of $3,000 in donations, a seven-member volunteer board created a nonprofit organization to accept donations and bequests and make grants back to the community.
In 2006, the Maquoketa Area Foundation acquired National Standards accreditation. Its name changed to the Maquoketa Area Community Foundation, and later to the Community Foundation of Jackson County to reflect a commitment to a larger geographical area being served through the Foundation's grantmaking. In 2012, it joined the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque as an affiliate foundation.
A.W. Sunleaf (FBO Bellevue High School Jazz Band) | Give Now |
Alta Bailey Fund | Give Now |
Andrew Education Endowment | Give Now |
Arthur & Ruth Carstensen-Youtz Memorial Scholarship | Give Now |
Barry Watters Citizenship Award Endowment | Give Now |
Bellevue Education Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Bellevue Public Library Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Bellevue Rotary Scholarship | Give Now |
Bernard Community Fire Service Association Endowment Fund | Learn More | Give Now |
Bernard Rescue Unit | Give Now |
Bernard Rescue Unit Endowment | Give Now |
Betty Jetter Fund | Give Now |
Bill & Audrey Upmeyer Scholarship | Give Now |
Bill Fleming and Dennis Streets Scholarship | Learn More | Give Now |
Bowman Family Scholarship | Give Now |
Broman Family Fine Arts Scholarship | Give Now |
C.L.E.A.R. Scholarship | Give Now |
Caecilia McDermott Scholarship | Give Now |
Community Foundation of Jackson County Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Cornelius Family Donor-Advised Endowment | Give Now |
David L. Ringen Scholarship | Give Now |
Doc Broman Athletic Scholarship | Give Now |
Dolly Parton Imagination Library (Jackson Co.) | Learn More | Give Now |
Dolly Parton Imagination Library Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Don & Linda Hughes Endowment of Hope & New Beginnings | Learn More | Give Now |
Don L. Hughes Memorial Scholarship | Learn More | Give Now |
Edwards Family Donor-Advised Endowment | Give Now |
Fern & Norm Hinke Scholarship | Give Now |
Friends of Jackson County Conservation | Learn More | Give Now |
Gertrude Behne Memorial Scholarship | Give Now |
Gibson Easton Valley Education Opportunity Fund | Give Now |
Grace Tubbs Memorial Scholarship | Give Now |
Harlan & Helene Ruff Scholarship | Give Now |
Helen Stoddard Fund | Give Now |
Jacki Jan Fund | Give Now |
Jackson County 4-H Endowment | Give Now |
Jackson County Better Together Fund | Give Now |
Jackson County Disaster Recovery Fund | Learn More | Give Now |
Jackson County Endowment Fund | Learn More | Give Now |
Jackson County Grade-Level Reading | Give Now |
Jackson County Realtors Scholarship Fund | Give Now |
Jackson County Sheriff K-9 | Give Now |
Jackson County Vision to Learn | Give Now |
James Hughes Scholarship | Give Now |
Janssen Fund Benefiting the Jackson County Historical Society | Give Now |
Jason & Casey Veach Family Foundation | Learn More | Give Now |
Jim and Marilyn Foster Family Endowed Fund | Give Now |
Ken Mallas Maquoketa Class of 1961-66 Memorial Scholarship | Give Now |
Koski-Preston American Legion Scholarship | Give Now |
Lampe Family Foundation | Learn More | Give Now |
Laurabelle Mae Rutenbeck Scholarship Fund | Give Now |
Laurie Petersen Excellence in Music & Citizenship Award | Give Now |
Linda Hughes Memorial Scholarship Fund | Give Now |
Little Shepherd Preschool Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Luke Osterhaus Scholarship | Give Now |
Maquoketa Agricultural Learning Center | Learn More | Give Now |
Maquoketa Area Family YMCA Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Maquoketa Art Experience Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Maquoketa Class of 1979 Scholarship | Give Now |
Maquoketa Community Cupboard Capital Fund | Learn More | Give Now |
Maquoketa Community School District Education Endowment | Give Now |
Maquoketa Community School District Education Fund | Give Now |
Marquette Catholic Schools Fund | Learn More | Give Now |
Mary Ann Trevathan Scholarship | Give Now |
Mary Helen Merriam Stewart Scholarship | Give Now |
Mt. Hope Cemetery | Give Now |
Mt. Hope Mausoleum | Give Now |
Myrna J. Larkey Memorial Scholarship | Learn More | Give Now |
North Family Foundation Non-Endowed Donor-Advised Fund | Give Now |
Ohnward Fine Arts Center Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Olive Kendall Scholarship | Give Now |
PBnJ Youth Philanthropy Board in Jackson County | Give Now |
Penrose Scholarship | Give Now |
Piano Festival Scholarship | Give Now |
Preston Area Betterment | Give Now |
Preston Area Betterment Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Preston Public Library | Give Now |
Preston Public Library Endowment | Give Now |
Raymond & Emma Diedrich Fund | Give Now |
Red Basket Project of Jackson County | Learn More | Give Now |
Sabula Community Visioning Project Fund | Learn More | Give Now |
Sacred Heart School Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
Special Needs of Jackson County | Learn More | Give Now |
St. Mary's Cemetery Maintenance Endowment | Learn More | Give Now |
St. Pat's Cemetery Endowed Fund (Delmar) | Give Now |
Ted & Diana Strait Legacy Fund | Give Now |
Timber City Endowment | Give Now |
Together We Build: Jackson County Fair & Extension Outreach Center | Learn More | Give Now |
Travis Gerardy Scholarship | Give Now |
Tubbs Family Scholarship Fund | Give Now |
Verda McLendon Fund | Give Now |
Verda McLendon Scholarship | Give Now |
W. John & Elvira Koski Scholarship | Give Now |
Wanda Cornelius Donor-Advised Fund | Give Now |
Youth Fine Arts Fund | Give Now |
How To Apply For A Scholarship
The Community Foundation of Jackson County administers many scholarship funds with various criteria. The following information is intended to ensure you know what is required in order to be considered for each of the awards for which you qualify. To view the eligibility criteria for individual scholarship opportunities please view the Scholarship Eligibility Document.
All scholarship applications are available online through the Community Foundation's online scholarship system. You may qualify and apply for more than one scholarship. Be sure you include information that demonstrates how you match the criteria each scholarship seeks. Be sure to include all materials requested. All Jackson County Scholarship applications will be due March 1, 2021. For questions on our scholarship opportunities please visit our Frequently Asked Questions or contact the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque at office@dbqfoundation.org or 563.588.2700.
James Hughes Bio Leo and Madeline Hughes Bio Linda Hughes Bio Don L. Hughes Bio Bill Fleming and Dennis Streets Bio
The Community Foundation of Jackson County is committed to supporting the needs of the communities throughout Jackson County. In order to do so, we rely on local nonprofit organizations and service groups to inform our board of the ongoing needs in their communities through our grant program. Learn more about this grant »
Important Update: The Community Foundation of Jackson County has decided to consolidate our two grant cycles into one fall cycle. Beginning in the fall of 2020, we will award all our state of Iowa gaming grant dollars in November of each year. Jackson County nonprofits should begin planning all 2021 requests for the fall 2020 grant cycle. If you have questions, please don’t hesitate to reach out.
The PBnJ Youth Advisory Board strives to engage and empower young people throughout the community. PBnJ grants provide youth-serving organizations with organizations with the opportunity to strengthen and grow their programs. Learn more about this grant »
PBnJ (Philanthropy Board in Jackson County) is the cooperative effort of the Community Foundation of Jackson County and the Jackson County ISU Extension service. PBnJ gives young people the opportunity to examine and identify the needs of the communities in which they live, report and evaluate their findings, identify key challenges and needs of their communities, and consider how they can effectively meet those needs. Students strengthen their leadership skills, learn to build consensus and make decisions as a group through involvement with PBnJ. This Board provides an important insight into philanthropy and its impact on a community's quality of life.
PBnJ Mission Statement
As youth leaders, our mission is to empower community members to pursue philanthropic qualities and leadership skills to ensure the quality of life of those in the community and others around them.
In fall of 2014, an anonymous donor grant to the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque helped to expand the Campaign for Grade-Level Reading to Jackson County. In January 2015, stakeholders in Jackson County convened to learn more and committed to becoming a Campaign community. This collaborative effort by partners across the community is working to ensure that more children succeed in school and are prepared for college, a career and active citizenship. The campaign focuses on the most important predictor of school success and high school graduation: grade-level reading by the end of third grade.
Partners throughout Jackson County collaborated to create a Community Solutions Action Plan (CSAP), which is a comprehensive, realistic and sustainable plan to improve the reading proficiency of Jackson County students by the end of third grade. The CSAP focuses on three areas: school readiness, school attendance and summer learning.
Through the anonymous donor grant, Jackson County has been able to hire a coordinator for the Campaign, along with a coordinator to help facilitate a summer learning program in the county.*
Download the Community Solutions Action Plan
*The Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque does not allow for overhead or indirect costs on sponsored projects.
Iowa Transfer of Wealth
Between the years of 2000-2049, Iowa can expect to see $531.7 billion transfer from one generation to the next through probate estates. In 2020 through 2029 alone, $98.25 billion is expected to pass to heirs.
Jackson County Transfer of Wealth
During years 2020-2029, $612 million is expected to transfer from one generation to the next through probate estates. Between 2000-2050, the estimated transfer is $3.2 billion.
Transfer of Wealth | Jackson County | State of Iowa |
2020-2029 | $ 612 million | $ 98.25 billion |
2000-2049 | $ 3.2 billion | $ 531.7 billion |
If just 5% of the projected transfer could be invested between now and 2050 at the Community Foundation in an endowment, nearly $160 million would be secured forever. Figuring a 4.25% grant payout, an estimated $6.8 million could be available annually to improve the quality of life in our community and secure our future.