Up to $75,000 available in challenge grants just announced by Quad Cities Community Foundation

To celebrate the resilience of Quad Cities nonprofits as they continue to support the local community despite ongoing funding challenges, the Quad Cities Community Foundation has announced another round of Community Impact Fund Challenge Grants.

Challenge grants of $15,000 will be issued to five Quad Cities nonprofits which will then be required to raise $15,000 through new or increased giving from other sources by December 31, 2018.

The grants focus on nonprofits in Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, assisting them as they navigate changes and work to diversify funding sources. 

“The Community Foundation historically focuses on endowment building, which is crucial to the stability of every nonprofit,” said Kelly Thompson, vice president of grantmaking and community initiatives at Community Foundation. “After issuing a challenge last year—and seeing area nonprofits and donors embrace it wholeheartedly—our board of directors decided to once again extend a challenge grant opportunity which can support either endowment building or funding of current needs because, as the urgent needs of our community continue to outpace funding resources, nonprofits continue to step up and fill in the gap. We want to celebrate their work and help them remain resilient and able to adapt to the changing needs of this community.”

Applications may be submitted online at the beginning April 15, 2018, with the application due June 15. Five organizations will be notified by July 31, 2018, that they have been selected to take on the challenge. Each will earn a $15,000 grant by raising an additional $15,000 in a 1:1 match through new or increased giving from other sources by December 31, 2018. 

The grant and the matching funds will be for unrestricted purposes so that the organization can identify its current area of greatest need or opportunity. Organizations that received a 2017 Challenge Grant are not eligible to apply in 2018.

Also this year, the Community Foundation will host a panel and idea-sharing session for nonprofit organization leaders and development officers that will feature the 10 recipients of challenge grants in 2017. The panel is from 10 a.m. to noon Thursday, April 26, 2018, at the Community Foundation’s offices at 852 Middle Road in Bettendorf.

Colleagues from the 10 recipient organizations will share how they met and exceeded the $10,000 challenge grant through fresh and creative approaches to fund development. In addition, Tim O’Donnell of Fund Evaluation Group (FEG), who provides investment oversight and guidance for the Community Foundation, will be present to discuss the very positive changes that have been made to the Community Foundation endowment investment options and to answer questions about fund investment.

“We have witnessed the innovative ways these nonprofits have leveraged additional funding so they can make every dollar count,” Thompson said. “We look forward to this conversation so we can share ideas and help support and strengthen the ways we each go about our mission.” 

Grants awarded through the 2018 challenge program are made possible by the Community Impact Fund, a fund that has grown to over $14.7 million and allows the Community Foundation flexibility to respond to unmet needs and opportunities in the community, as they arise and vary from year to year.

“These grants are only possible because of our generous donors,” Thompson said. “This effort is a way for us to align their interests with the unrestricted resources made possible by their gifts.”

Challenge Grants are possible because of our Community Impact Fund. You can make a gift online right now to support the fund. Make a gift online now.