When generosity adds up

In another year of uncertainties, one thing proved as steadfast as ever in 2021: generosity in the Quad Cities. Donors made more than $19 million in new gifts through the Quad Cities Community Foundation last year, the second-highest total in the organization’s 57-year history.

“To see our community come together like this to help others and better our region—that’s powerful,” said Jean Moran, a member of the Community Foundation’s board of directors and chair of its Development Committee. “It shows the care and the hearts of the people in our community.”

It also demonstrates the trust they put into the Community Foundation to be responsible stewards of their giving, she added. “From the approachability and knowledge of the staff to our investment strategy and grantmaking programs, people know they can count on us to make the most of their dollars,” she said. “We’ve worked hard to be the place you think of when you think of generosity—and the place where you feel empowered to share yours with the community.”

According to Anne Calder, vice president of development, the $19+ million total includes gifts made to individual and corporate charitable funds, nonprofit endowment funds, geographic affiliate funds, and the Community Foundation’s community funds, such as the Quad Cities Community Impact Fund. These gifts translate into grants to nonprofits that advance important social, cultural, educational, and environmental work being done all across the region. Last year, the Community Foundation surpassed $100 million in all-time grants, a major milestone in the organization’s 57-year history.  

“We’re so grateful to welcome these gifts not just because of what they say about our community but because of what they’ll do for our community,” said Calder. “Every gift from every person matters, and when you see them all added up like this with the multiplying effect of endowments, you can see that generosity is nothing short of transformational.”