(Council Bluffs, IA) The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $4.4 million in grant and initiative funding to 19 nonprofits and government entities that benefit southwest Iowans. Iowa West Foundation President and CEO Pete Tulipana said the Foundation is dedicated to funding programs and projects that are truly transformational for the city, county and region. In the final cycle of 2018, more than $1.1 million went to education-related programs. Locally, the City of Atlantic received a $30-thousand dollar grant for renovation of the Atlantic Public Library.

The Council Bluffs Community School district received just under half a million dollars for the expansion the International Baccalaureate program into Kirn and Wilson Middle Schools as well as the expansion of BLink, the City of Council Bluffs free Wi-Fi service. In addition, Iowa Western Community College was awarded nearly $500,000 for the Pottawattamie Promise program, which funds tuition and more for qualifying, Pell-eligible students from CBCSD, Lewis Central, Riverside, AHSTW and Tri-Center schools.

In the Foundation’s focus area of “Placemaking,” $1.4 million of a $9 million commitment was awarded to Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment. Chanticleer Inc., a subsidiary? Of PACE, received $35,000 for 2018-2019 programming. Several smaller grants were concentrated around inclusion and the prevention of isolation for the elderly. Radio Talking Book Service was awarded $3,200 to bring the printed word to persons with visual impairment in Pottawattamie County; the Intercultural Senior Center received $21,000 for transportation services for Council Bluffs residents; and Inclusive Communities was awarded $8,000 for youth programming.

Finally, as part of its ongoing commitment to rural southwest Iowa communities, the Foundation also awarded a grant to the Crescent Fire Department in Pottawattamie County. The organization received $10,000 for bunker gear. The full list of grant recipients is as follows:

2018 Cycle 3 Grants & Initiatives

• University of Nebraska Board of Regents: MOEC Mathematics at the High School Cohort, $50,000
• Chanticleer Theater: 2018-2019 Operating Funds, $35,000
• Children’s Square U.S.A.: Fund development, $25,000
• City of Atlantic: Library Renovation, $30,000
• Community of Christ Caring Ministries: Beautification Project, $39,299.40
• Council Bluffs Community School District: BLink Phase V, $100,000
• International Baccalaureate – Year 3 Implementation, $365,000
• Crescent Volunteer Fire Department: Bunker gear, $10,000
• FAMILY, Inc.: Raise Me to Read, $100,000
• Fontanelle Forest: Environmental education programming for Iowa, $4,521
• Greater Omaha Chamber Foundation: Council Bluffs Chamber – Workforce Development Initiative, $75,000; Prosper Omaha 2.0: $500,000
• Heartland Bike Share/Heartland BCycle: Electric Bikes for Council Bluffs, $10,000
• Heartland Family Service: Housing and Emergency Assistance Task Force (HEAT), $170,000
• Inclusive Communities: Youth Programming Support, $8,000
• Intercultural Senior Center: Outreach to Council Bluffs residents, $21,000
• Iowa West Foundation: Riverfront Revitalization, $595,000
• Iowa Western Community College: Pottawattamie Promise, $483,928
• Metro Area Planning Agency: Heartland 2050 for Council Bluffs , $14,625
• Omaha Conservatory of Music: String Sprouts in Council Bluffs schools, $22,500
• Omaha Sports Commission: 2020 Olympic Swim Trials, $50,000
• Pottawattamie Arts, Culture & Entertainment: Arts and Culture District, $1,400,000
• Radio Talking Book Service: Outreach in Pottawattamie County,$3,200.