Benton County Community Foundation Distributes More Than $114,500

Benton County Community Foundation

July 31, 2019

The Benton County Community Foundation (BCCF) held its 2019 grant awards ceremony at the Van Horne Community Center on July 30, announcing the distribution of $114,599.24 in grants to 35 projects of organizations serving Benton County.

“The impact these dollars will make in Benton County is important to highlight,” said Ann Jorgensen, BCCF committee chair. “The projects that have been funded fall into areas that are key to strengthening and creating more vibrant communities, and the Benton County Community Foundation is thrilled to be a part of that effort.”

Grant recipient organization, project the grant will fund, and grant amount are listed below by funding areas.

Art and Culture

• Vinton Community Foundation, IBSSS Mary Ingalls Society - Mural of the Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School, $1,500
• Vinton Unlimited, Celebrating 150 Years - Vinton, Iowa, $2,500
• Vinton-Shellsburg Schools, Vinton-Shellsburg Band Uniforms, $3,000

Community Betterment

• Atkins Improvement Mission (AIM), Atkins Soccer Park Improvements, $3,000
• Benton County Conservation Foundation, Hannen Lake Park Boat Dock and Kayak Launch, $5,500
• City of Shellsburg, Shellsburg Library Renovations, $4,000
• Newhall American Legion Post 167, Newhall Legion Centennial Building Project, $2,000

Education

• Happy Time Child Development Center, STEM Materials, $2,000
• Iowa College Access Network, Life After High School - Education and Training for All, $2,000
• Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, Cultivating a Skilled Future Workforce and Addressing Local Skills Gaps in Benton County, $2,500

Environment

• Shellsburg Area Community Group, Shellsburg Prairie Bridge, $3,000

Health

• Area Substance Abuse Council, Benton County Youth Empowerment Project, $4,000
• Urbana Visioning Committee, Automated External Defibrillators (AEDs) in Urbana, $1,500
• Vinton Community Foundation, Vinton Boy Scout Troop 47 – AED, $1,000
• Virginia Gay Hospital Healthcare Foundation, Equipment Upgrade - Sexual Assault Nurse Examiner (SANE) and Lead Testing, $6,500

Human Service

• Benton County Food Pantry, Benton County Food Pantry Partnerships, $7,900
• Benton County Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, Old School Produce Partners Giving Garden, $2,400
• Benton County Volunteer Program, Medical Transportation Assistance Program, $7,749.24
• Blairstown Ambulance Service, EZ Glide with Power Traxx Stair Chair, $4,000
• Cedar-Mt. Auburn Volunteer Fire Department, AED, $2,000
• City of Belle Plaine, Police Department - Load Bearing Vests and AEDs, $3,000
• City of Vinton, Police Department - Stop the Bleed Campaign, $2,700
• Friends of the Family, Safe Shelter and Housing Stability, $2,500
• Genesis Development, Building Relationships and Cultural Awareness Through Community Involvement, $3,500
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, Leadership and Character-Building Program, $3,750
• Horizons: A Family Service Alliance, Horizons Family Support, $6,000
• North Benton Ambulance, Power Cot and Load System, $8,500
• North Star Community Services, Vinton's Drop-In Center Program, $2,500
• Pink Heals Eastern Iowa, Pink Fire Turnout Gear and Helmets, $1,000
• Riverview Center, Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Toolkit, $2,000
• Van Horne First Responders, Personal Protective Equipment for First Responders, $1,700
• Vinton Presbyterian Church, Free Products Just for You, $1,000
• Vinton-Shellsburg Schools, Elementary Schools - Operation Backpack, $4,000
• Waypoint Services, Domestic Violence Safety Net Project, $3,000
• Wesley United Methodist Church, Food Pantry, $1,400

Grants are awarded through BCCF’s competitive grant process. Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Benton County. Grants may be awarded to projects in the program areas of: art and culture, community betterment, education, environment, health, historic preservation and human service. Grant applicants must be a 501(c)(3) designated organization or government entity serving Benton County in order to be considered for funding.

The 2020 grant cycle opens January 1 with an application deadline of March 15, 2020. Grant guidelines and applications can be found at www.bentonccf.org.