AT&T Makes $10,000 Gift to Grundy County Community Foundation
Grundy County Community Foundation
December 22, 2020
AT&T has made a $10,000 donation to the Grundy County Community Foundation (GCCF) to provide additional support to the Foundation’s 2021 grant cycle. The gift will allow the GCCF to increase its grantmaking, through its discretionary process, to nonprofits and government entities serving Grundy County.
"The impact of COVID-19 on our communities in Northeast Iowa has been far-reaching,” said Dustin Blythe, AT&T director of external affairs-Iowa and Nebraska. “As a native of Grundy County, it is my pleasure to support the communities where I was raised. AT&T’s contribution will help fill some of the gaps created by this pandemic that nonprofits are working to fill. I know this contribution will be maximized to support area families.”
The donation is a large boost in the Foundation’s ability to support local nonprofits in a year when fewer dollars are available for the grant process. The Iowa Department of Revenue announced in early September a 20% decrease this year to the County Endowment Fund Program (CEFP); a program where a percentage of the state's gaming tax revenue is distributed to community foundations in the 84 counties that do not hold a state-issued gaming license. The gaming industry has been greatly impacted by closures of Iowa casinos due to COVID-19 and this year’s reduction means roughly $20,000 less for grantmaking in CEFP participating counties, including Grundy County.
“We know there is going to be a long-term impact on nonprofit organizations due to the COVID-19 pandemic and an increase in community need in conjunction with the reduction of, what has been, a reliable source of funding,” said Laurie Everhardt, director of development with the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. “This generous gift from AT&T will allow the dedicated governing committee of the Grundy County Community Foundation to fill some of this gap and create a greater impact on nonprofits serving the people of Grundy County.”
The Grundy County Community Foundation is encouraging area residents to consider donating directly to a local nonprofit during this holiday season, or donors can give to the Community Foundation in an effort to strengthen the Foundation’s grantmaking to support local nonprofit agencies.
Donors can take advantage of normal federal deductions for charitable gifts. Gifts to endowed funds of the GCCF supporting Iowa charitable organizations may be eligible to receive a 25% state tax credit through the Endow Iowa program. More information about the Endow Iowa program can be found at cfneia.org/endowiowa.
The deadline for organizations to submit grant applications to the Grundy County Community Foundation for its 2021 grant cycle is 11:59 p.m. on December 31, 2020. The online grant application can be found on the Community Foundation’s website at www.grundyccf.org.
Questions about donating to the Community Foundation can be directed to Laurie Everhardt at 319-243-1352 or leverhardt@cfneia.org. To learn more about the GCCF visit www.grundyccf.org. The GCCF is an affiliate of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, which serves as the host foundation for 23 affiliates throughout a 20-county region.
