Ida County Community Betterment Foundation Awards 2024 Grants
The Ida County Community Betterment Foundation (ICCBF), an affiliate of the Siouxland Community Foundation, recently awarded grants totaling over $119,000 to nonprofit organizations in support of projects and programs throughout Ida County. This brings the total grants awarded since 2006 to over $1.8 million.
Teresa Hunt, Chair of the ICCBF Advisory Board, expressed the Foundation’s delight in offering a range of grants that enhance the well-being of Ida County residents. The following grants were presented on May 5 at Horn Memorial Hospital:
Battle Creek Community Fire Department – Fire Gear Replacement – $15,000.00
Holstein Fire & Ambulance Association – Quick Attack Apparatus – $15,000.00
Holstein Historical Foundation – Douglas School House Historical Renovation – $15,000.00
Horn Memorial Hospital – Scope Cabinet – $15,000.00
Ida County Community Betterment Foundation – Marketing and Philanthropy – $3,125.00
Ida County Conservation Board – CCRA – Mobility Path – $10,000.00
Ida Grove Community Foundation, Inc. – East Wing Renovation – $15,000.00
Ida Grove Kiwanis Charitable Foundation Inc. – Ida Grove City Park Phase One – $15,000.00
Ida Grove Public Library – Outdoor Library Spaces – $15,000.00
NWIA Mental Health Center DBA Seasons Center – OABCIG CSD School-Based Services Support – $1,067.00
The ICCBF was formally established in 2005 through affiliation with the Siouxland Community Foundation and is governed by a local ten-member advisory board composed of representatives from each of the five communities in Ida County: Arthur, Battle Creek, Galva, Holstein, and Ida Grove.
The ICCBF receives funds from the Iowa Legislature County Endowment Fund Program. Created in 2004, the County Endowment Fund Program (CEFP) is funded by a percentage of the state’s commercial gaming tax revenue, which currently does not include online sports betting revenue. These funds are distributed annually to participating community foundations located in the 84 counties without a state-issued gaming license. The 15 counties with a state-issued gaming license benefit from their local casino’s Qualified Sponsoring Organization, which distributes a portion of gaming revenues in their area. CEFP was designed by the Legislature to ensure the benefits of gaming tax revenues were felt statewide.
In the 84 CEFP counties, 75 percent of each county’s annual allocation is directed to foundation grantmaking activities for that year, and 25 percent is added to their permanent endowment fund, which provides support for nonprofits now and in perpetuity. This two-pronged approach has provided thousands of dollars for local projects each year, plus ensured a savings account for future needs.
The mission of the ICCBF is to promote philanthropy, serve as a vehicle to carry out the charitable objectives of donors, build endowments, identify needs, and make grants for the benefit of the citizens and communities of Ida County.
