Join us for an inspiring Slide Slam as we kick off our first quarterly meeting of the year!
5 Organizations. 5 Slides. 5-Minute Presentations.
Come hear from incredible organizations making a difference in the lives of our immigrant communities, including LSI, River Arc, Pati’s Libelulas, RIYO, and World Grace. This is a great opportunity to learn, connect, and be inspired!
Lunch is provided to members who attend in person. Not sure if you're a member? Contact Sherita Jenkins at sjenkins@cfneia.org or 319-243-1356.
The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA) is excited to announce the opening of its 2025 scholarship application process, offering students the opportunity to receive a share of over $700,000 in scholarships. The deadline to apply is 8 p.m. on March 12.
The CFNEIA scholarship program supports high school, college, and adult students in pursuing higher education. In 2024, CFNEIA awarded 253 scholarships, averaging over $3,000 per recipient. Scholarship notifications for 2025 will be sent in June, with selections finalized in May.
Students interested in applying should visit https://www.cfneia.org/students/scholarship-opportunities/ to view the eligibility checklist and access the application. The common application requires the following:
Some scholarships may require additional materials, which will be outlined in the application. All required materials must be submitted through CFNEIA’s online system by the March 12 deadline.
CFNEIA scholarships cater to a variety of students, with awards based on factors such as financial need, academic performance, field of study, and community involvement.
For more information about scholarship opportunities, contact Staci Mueller, Director of Scholarship Impact, at 319-243-1359 or smueller@cfneia.org.
Don't miss this opportunity to secure funding for your educational goals. Visit https://www.cfneia.org/students/scholarship-opportunities/ to apply today!
On January 21, 2025, 86 Cedar Valley community members came together for “A Walk In Their Shoes,” a free poverty simulation event organized by Advancing Equity in the Cedar Valley that brought participants face-to-face with the realities of poverty. Hosted at the Waterloo Center for the Arts, the event was designed to increase understanding, inspire local change, and transform perspectives on poverty in the Cedar Valley.
Sponsors for this event included the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA), Veridian Credit Union, Grow Cedar Valley, ONE Cedar Valley, 24/7 Black Leadership Advancement Consortium, Black Hawk County Public Health, and ISU Extension and Outreach of Black Hawk County. In addition, 26 people, many with lived experiences of poverty, served as volunteers for the simulation.
During the simulation, participants assumed the roles of low-income family members navigating four 15-minute “weeks” of real-life challenges, such as transportation barriers, providing food for their families, managing chronic illness, and overcoming language barriers. Family scenarios ranged from single mothers raising children with disabilities to elderly couples living on Social Security income, to households grappling with job loss. The event concluded with a debriefing session where participants discussed their experiences, volunteers shared their perspectives, and together they explored systemic issues contributing to poverty.
“It’s crucial that we work together as a community to build solutions that foster equity and opportunity for all. This simulation sheds light on the daily struggles faced by so many in our community,” said Kaye Englin, President and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. “We hope it inspires meaningful conversations and actionable steps to address these challenges.” The event was a step forward in addressing the realities of poverty in the Cedar Valley. By fostering empathy and understanding, it empowers individuals, organizations, and the Advancing Equity collaborative to take action toward meaningful change.
Advancing Equity in the Cedar Valley is a community collaborative working to dismantle barriers to equity in Black Hawk County and surrounding areas. The initiative brings representatives from the business and nonprofit sectors together to eliminate inequity in the areas of transportation, childcare, education and training, basic needs, and culture and language to create a Cedar Valley where everyone has an opportunity to thrive. Core planning organizations include Black Hawk County Public Health, Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, Grow Cedar Valley and ONE Cedar Valley with over 20 organizations serving on the Steering Committee.