Nearly $110,000 in capacity building grants announced

The Quad Cities Community Foundation has awarded nearly $110,000 to 10 Quad Cities nonprofits to strengthen their ability to do their work. The Community Foundation’s Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants provide funding to local organizations for staff training, board development, strategic planning, technology, and more to help them carry out their missions.

The grants are awarded during a critical juncture for nonprofits in the Quad Cities as the community continues response and recovery efforts due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “Nonprofits are on the frontlines of response, and are learning a lot about the delivery of their services during this heightened time of need,” said Kelly Thompson, vice president of grantmaking and community initiatives. “As we continue to offer support through the Quad Cities Disaster Recovery Fund, these capacity building investments will help some grantees to take their learnings and strategically inform their work in the future.”

Trinity Health Foundation is one of this year’s grant recipients. They will leverage a $9,000 grant to plan new approaches to fundraising in an ever-evolving healthcare environment through a new strategic plan. “We are looking to make transformational changes that will make an impact on the health and wellbeing of our community,” said Pat Shouse, president of the foundation. “We can’t thank donors to the Community Foundation enough for this wonderful grant.”

The following organizations have been awarded Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants this summer:

  • 180 Zone, for staff training and security upgrades—$12,549

  • Dress for Success Quad Cities, for technology upgrades—$11,963

  • Grow Quad Cities, for technology upgrades—$5,000

  • Humility Homes & Services, for strategic planning—$14,250

  • QC Elite FIRST Robotics Team 648, for critical equipment needs—$10,700

  • Quad City Symphony Orchestra, for musician training—$6,485

  • Second Chance Housing, for technology upgrades—$8,500

  • St. Alphonsus Catholic Church, for technology and security upgrades—$13,782

  • Trinity Health Foundation, for strategic planning—$9,000

  • WQPT Quad Cities PBS / Western Illinois University Foundation, for staff training—$15,000

Grants are made from the Quad Cities Community Impact Fund, a permanent fund started by donors in the community so that the Community Foundation can respond to high-priority needs and opportunities in the Quad Cities as they arise. 

Ed and Connie Cervantes of Bettendorf, Iowa, give to the fund that makes these grants possible because they trust the Community Foundation to put financial resources where they are most needed. “The Community Foundation is connected to our community and well-positioned to identify needs and opportunities in a timely manner,” Ed Cervantes noted. “That is why Connie and I choose to contribute to the Community Impact Fund.”

Another round of Nonprofit Capacity Building Grants will be awarded in the fall. Letters of interest are being accepted now through September 1, 2020. To learn more, click here.

Ted Stephens IIIGrant, Nonprofit Capacity Building Grant