The Buchanan County Community Foundation announced $106,043.37 in grant funding to 15 projects of organizations serving Buchanan County as part of its 2020 grant cycle.

The Community Foundation made the decision to not hold its annual award celebration due to COVID-19. Grant checks will be mailed directly to the nonprofit organizations.

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

Community Betterment

• Buchanan County, Conservation - People to Water Stairway Connection, $12,000
• Buchanan County Animal Shelter dba Otter Creek Animal Shelter, Pawsitively Managing the Pandemic, $8,814.84
• City of Lamont, Scout Park Committee - Revitalization Project, $15,000
• Independence Public Library Foundation, Online and Off-site Library Access, $4,875
• Wildthunder W.A.R.S., Dog Kennels and Dog Runs, $7,432.89

Human Service

• City of Hazleton, Fire Department - Mini Fire and Rescue Unit, $1,786
• Families Helping Families of Iowa, Fostering Hope for Iowa's Children in Foster Care, $7,134.64
• Friends of the Family, Homeless Services, $2,500
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois, General Operating Support for Girl Scouts, $2,000
• Independence Area Food Pantry, Kids Summer Program, $2,500
• Iowa Legal Aid, Civil Legal Services to Low-Income Residents, $2,500
• Kids Corner Childcare & Learning Center, General Operating Support, $4,500
• Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Mobile Food Pantry Program, $10,000
• Operation Threshold, General Support for COVID-19 Response, $20,000
• Waypoint Services, Domestic Violence Program Support, $5,000

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Buchanan County. Committee members include: Tricia Beatty, Brad Bleichner, Donna Boos, Heather Federspiel, Pete Gaumer (chair), Dawn Kress, Denise Lehman, Beth Ownby, Donald Shonka, Ben Stanford, Karen Stephenson, Annie Vander Werff and Kristy Ward.

Grants are awarded through Buchanan County Community Foundation’s competitive grant process 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 Buchanan County in order to be considered for funding. The 2021 grant cycle opens February 1, 2021 with an application deadline of April 8, 2021. The grant guidelines and application will be posted prior to the cycle opening at buchananccf.org.