Benton County Community Foundation Distributes $134,426 to Local Nonprofit Organizations

Benton County Community Foundation

July 27, 2022

The Benton County Community Foundation (BCCF) held its 2022 grant awards celebration at the Van Horne Community Building on July 26, announcing the distribution of $134,426 to 22 projects of organizations serving Benton County through its 2022 grant cycle.

“Benton County is very fortunate to have these organizations striving to better our community and the Benton County Community Foundation is proud to support them,” said LeRoy Staker, chair of the BCCF governing committee.

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

Arts & Culture

• Belle Plaine Historical Society, Photograph and Negative Preservation, $2,000

Community Betterment

• American Legion Post 167 – Newhall, Roof Replacement, $8,000
• Benton County Solid Waste Disposal Commission, Convenience Area, $5,000
• Blairstown Firemans Associations, Inc., Ice Rescue Equipment, $2,526
• Cedar-Mt. Auburn Volunteer Fire Department, Gear Replacement, $10,000
• Friends of the Urbana Public Library, A Library for All Seasons, $8,900
• Urbana Fire Fighters Association, Inc., Grain Bin Rescue Equipment, $8,000
• Van Horne Firemans Associations, Inc., Self Contained Breathing Apparatus Air Compressor, $10,000

Education & Youth Development

• Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, Girl Scout Leadership Experience in Benton County, $4,000
• Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa, Inspiring Futures – Building Dreams in Benton County, $7,000
• Vinton Early Learning Center, Implementation of PBIS, $9,568
• Vinton-Shellsburg Community School District, Backpack Program, $4,482

Environment & Animal Welfare

• Benton County – Auditor, Conservation – Hoefle-Dulin Shoreline Stabilization Project, $8,375

Health

• Benton County Volunteer Program, Medical Transportation Program, $7,500
• Blairstown Ambulance Service, Inc., Cardiac Monitor and IV Pump, $10,000
• North Benton Ambulance, Sapphire Multi-Therapy Infusion Pump Kit, $7,050

Human Service

• Families Helping Families of Iowa, Program Support for Benton County Children in Foster Care, $5,000
• Hawkeye Area Community Action Program, Rural Senior Services Walk-in Cooler Repair, $5,540
• Lutheran Services in Iowa, Healthy Families America in Benton County, $2,000
• North Star Community Services, Accessing our Community, $4,600
• Riverview Center, Benton County Sexual Assault Crisis Intervention Toolkit, $2,885
• Wesley United Methodist Church – Vinton, Wesley United Methodist Food Pantry, $2,000

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Benton County. Committee members include: Jean Fish, Mindy Fisher, Alison Henkle, Rod Kubichek, Kassie Mather, Jackie McDermott, Manda McKinley, Brian McNulty, John Mossman, Tracy Papesh, LeRoy Staker (chair) and Christine Turner.

Grants are awarded through BCCF’s competitive grant process to projects in the program areas of arts and culture, community betterment, education and youth development, environment and animal welfare, health 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 2023 grant cycle opens January 1 with an application deadline of March 15. The grant guidelines and application can be found at www.bentonccf.org.