Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa Celebrates Near-Record Year for Generosity, 65-Year Anniversary

CFNEIA

June 3, 2021

The Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa reached a near-record year for giving in 2020 as announced in its annual impact report which is now available online. More than 1,500 grants totaling $6.48 million from all charitable giving funds of the Foundation were awarded to organizations benefitting CFNEIA’s 20-county region in 2020. Over $101 million in grants have been awarded since CFNEIA’s establishment in 1956, a major milestone for the organization.

“None of our work would be possible without the ongoing support from our donor partners whose continued contributions to various funds led to a near-record fundraising year in 2020,” said Kaye Englin, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa. “The overwhelming generosity gave us the ability to allocate funds immediately to nonprofits serving community members directly impacted by the pandemic and maintain our endowment so we can respond to the current and long-term needs of our region.”

Along with the outpouring of generosity, and despite market volatility, CFNEIA’s total assets increased to $133.5 million. This increase demonstrates the commitment to provide long-term, risk-managed returns for the Foundation’s diverse portfolio.

Other 2020 impacts include:

• CFNEIA’s relationship with Black Hawk County funding partners and affiliate volunteers led to unprecedented cooperation to support COVID-19 response efforts with grants totaling nearly $550,000.
• CFNEIA awarded 272 scholarships totaling $558,770 with an average award amount of $2,165.
• The Foundation reinforced its commitment to racial equity and launched the CFNEIA Racial Equity Fund to provide a dedicated and agile funding source for the region’s response to ending racism.

“The Community Foundation is built for forever and last month marked 65 years of history for CFNEIA,” said Pat Monat, CFNEIA board chair. “It is a privilege to serve our region and we thank our donor partners, nonprofit partners and community partners for their commitment to community and our mission. These partner relationships will continue to be an essential part of our work in being here for good for our communities into the future.”

Grantee stories, donor impacts and additional 2020 financial details can be found in the full report.