(Radio Iowa) – Deidre DeJear, the Democratic candidate for governor, says it’s time for damage control to address the shortage of teachers, bus drivers and other staff in some Iowa schools. “It’s not just our teachers,” DeJear says. “It’s everyone that’s making that education ecosystem work being impacted by our failure to fund education.” DeJear says her opponent, Republican Governor Kim Reynolds, chose to focus this year on state funding to send 10-thousand students to private schools.

“Rather than meeting the needs of all of our public school students…she focused only on 2% of those students and so now is the opportunity for us to use this election cycle to put someone in office who truly believes in ensuring that every student throughout our state has access to a quality education,” DeJear says, “an education that’s preparing them for a limitless future.” DeJear says things like retention bonuses could help some schools keep veteran teachers in the classroom.

“We’ve got to get the workforce built back up,” DeJear says. “Part of that is not only investing in K-12, but part of that is also investing in our higher education institutions that have the ability to train the next teacher workforce, the next educators and that cost is getting more and more and more less affordable.” Governor Reynolds used federal pandemic funds to provide one-time bonuses of one-thousand dollars to teachers and this spring she approved a two-and-a-half percent increase in per pupil funding for public schools.

Reynolds and the Republican-led legislature also started a teacher apprenticeship program — but the state scholarships for private school students Reynolds proposed didn’t have enough support in the Iowa House. Reynolds says she will continue to press for the plan. Reynolds says when it comes to education, one size really doesn’t fit all — and some parents may want their children in a private school that conforms to their faith and moral convictions. DeJear says Reynolds has yet to agree to debates.

A spokesman for the governor’s campaign says Reynolds is happy to debate and details will be ironed out as fall approaches.

(Council Bluffs, IA) – The Iowa West Foundation Board of Directors recently approved $3.5 million in grant and initiative funding for more than 20 nonprofits in the southwest Iowa region. The funding will improve and enhance the lives of residents in Pottawattamie and surrounding counties, particularly those of children by way of early childhood services, trauma-informed care training, Wi-Fi access, parenting programs, and music education, among others.

Brenda Mainwaring, President and CEO of the Iowa West Foundation, said “Our goal is to help communities achieve their dreams. By supporting both critical services like access to early childhood development while also funding projects that increase quality of life such as park space and free, family-friendly events, it allows for the next generation to thrive within their community.”

The Iowa West Foundation also continues to address the lack of housing in the area. This follows a series of “Imagine Hour” listening sessions in which participants indicated it was a priority issue for the community. Anawim Housing as well as Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless will receive support to increase the amount of safe housing for Council Bluffs residents. Studies show home ownership increases financial stability as well as a sense of belonging in communities.

Mainwaring noted that the partnerships with local casinos Ameristar, Harrah’s, and Horseshoe make it possible for the Foundation to continue meaningful grantmaking and initiative work in the community. Fees from gaming in addition to the Foundation’s investments enable the organization to award operating, capital, and programmatic grants throughout 14 counties in southwest Iowa.

For this cycle, the rural communities of Carson, Carter Lake, Dunlap, Little Sioux, Treynor, Underwood, and Walnut received funding for placemaking projects or essential fire safety gear. This includes a $500,000 grant to the Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation to preserve the Little Sioux Scout Ranch as Loess Hills State Forest.

The Iowa West Foundation now accepts Letters of Inquiry (the first step in the grant application process) year-round with deadlines of Jan. 1, May. 1 and Sept. 1 prior to each of the three grants cycles. For more information, visit www.iowawestfoundation.org and sign up for our e-newsletter.

2022 Cycle 2 Grants and Initiatives

• Anawim Housing: Supportive housing gap, $360,000
• Angels Among Us: Assistance for Iowa families of children with cancer, $10,000
• Carson Volunteer Fire Department: Equipment, $10,000
• Children’s Square U.S.A. : Trauma Informed Care expansion initiative, $50,000
• City of Carter Lake: Mabrey Park enhancements, $45,000
• Council Bluffs Community School District: BLink Phase IX – LC School District Area, $100,000
• Council Bluffs Schools Foundation: STARS Scholarships, $275,000
• FAMILY, Inc.: Expanding Early Head Start, $300,000
• Food Bank of Iowa: Feeding Adams, Audubon, Carroll, and Taylor Counties,  $27,576
• Four County Fair Association: Parking lot improvements, $20,000
• Historic General Dodge House: 2022-2025 Operations, $38,500
• Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation: Little Sioux Scout Ranch addition to Loess Hills State Forest, $500,000
• Iowa West Foundation Initiative: Capacity-building, $100,000
• Iowa West Foundation Initiative: Support to leverage state and federal infrastructure funding, $1,600,000
• Metro Area Continuum of Care for the Homeless: Pottawattamie County housing problem solving, $75,000
• Nebraska Diaper Bank (Pottawattamie County distribution), $8,000
• Omaha Conservatory of Music: Council Bluffs String Sprouts,  $25,000
• Thriving Families Alliance: Coordinated intake,  $85,000
• Treynor Volunteer Fire Department: Gear replacement, $10,000
• Underwood Fire and Rescue: Gear & radio replacement, $10,000
• Union Pacific Museum Association, Railroad Days at Mile Zero, $18,662
• Walnut Volunteer Fire Department: Equipment & gear, $9,720.

(Walnut, Iowa) – The Iowa West Foundation’s grants team is hitting the road! Nicole Lindquist, Director of Communications for the IWF, says on Friday, Aug. 26th, the Foundation will host a free, rural grants workshop in Walnut. Individuals from surrounding communities are more than welcome to attend the in-person event, which will be held at the Walnut Community Center from 1-3 p.m.  Register for the workshop HERE.

Michelle Wodtke Franks, Program Officer, said “Great things are happening in rural southwest Iowa, so what better way to connect and partner than taking the workshop on the road to Walnut. This will be a great opportunity to meet with nonprofit leaders, share more about our grantmaking process, and answer questions about how to apply for funding.”

Topics will include:

Building a successful project: Project evaluation and review
Creating a budget and understanding match requirements
Securing bids and planning for a capital project
Navigating the IWF grants process and policies

There also will be time for attendees to talk to program officers 1-on-1 in advance of Cycle 3 of 2022.