November 26, 2024

Empowering Adair County funds 25 projects, totaling $127K

Accepting grant funds disbursed recently by Empowering Adair County Foundation are from left in front: Roleen Chiles (Greater Greenfield Community Foundation), Trish Randel (Adair County Tourism Council), Kris Schildberg (Adair County Tourism Council and Iowa Aviation Museum), Kayte McLain (Adair County Health and Fitness Center), Jeannette Jorgensen (Eureka Township); second row: : TJ Oder (Greenfield Fire Department), Bob Cook (Stuart Rock Island Depot), Priscilla Watkins and Laura Ward (Canine Miracles for Heroes), Heather Schneider (Boys and Girls Club of Central-Southwest Iowa), Jessica Wambold (Little Smiles and Co), Deb Houghtaling (Wallace Centers of Iowa); back row: David Reha (Stuart Police Department), Jimmie Schultz (City of Greenfield – Police and Fire), Lisa Rardin (Adair County Hot Shots), Jeffrey LaBarge (Greenfield Police Department), Josh Rardin (Adair County Hot Shots 4-H Club), Dominic Johnson (Adair County Conservation Board), Brian Eisbach (EACF Chair), Mary Dunn (Bridgewater Fire Department), Dan Grandfield (Orient-Macksburg Schools), Bobbi & Jim Williams (Nodaway Valley High School Booster Club), Roberta Carpenter (City of Bridgewater), RJ Wyllie (Bridgewater Fire Department), Austin Buckner (Warren Cultural Center), Connie Terry (Orient-Macksburg School)

Accepting grant funds disbursed recently by Empowering Adair County Foundation are from left in front: Roleen Chiles (Greater Greenfield Community Foundation), Trish Randel (Adair County Tourism Council), Kris Schildberg (Adair County Tourism Council and Iowa Aviation Museum), Kayte McLain (Adair County Health and Fitness Center), Jeannette Jorgensen (Eureka Township); second row: : TJ Oder (Greenfield Fire Department), Bob Cook (Stuart Rock Island Depot), Priscilla Watkins and Laura Ward (Canine Miracles for Heroes), Heather Schneider (Boys and Girls Club of Central-Southwest Iowa), Jessica Wambold (Little Smiles and Co), Deb Houghtaling (Wallace Centers of Iowa); back row: David Reha (Stuart Police Department), Jimmie Schultz (City of Greenfield – Police and Fire), Lisa Rardin (Adair County Hot Shots), Jeffrey LaBarge (Greenfield Police Department), Josh Rardin (Adair County Hot Shots 4-H Club), Dominic Johnson (Adair County Conservation Board), Brian Eisbach (EACF Chair), Mary Dunn (Bridgewater Fire Department), Dan Grandfield (Orient-Macksburg Schools), Bobbi & Jim Williams (Nodaway Valley High School Booster Club), Roberta Carpenter (City of Bridgewater), RJ Wyllie (Bridgewater Fire Department), Austin Buckner (Warren Cultural Center), Connie Terry (Orient-Macksburg School) (Empowering Adair County)

The Empowering Adair County Foundation (EACF) received 27 applications totaling $195,103.85 in requests for their October 2023 deadline. The committee was able to fund 22 projects totaling $127,748.38. Applications covered a variety of topics and programming efforts serving much of Adair County.

The organizations and projects funded were as follows:

Adair County Conservation Board – Mormon Trail Park Shelter -$10,000Adair County Extension – Clover Kid Recycled Plastic Bag Program - $1,413.99Adair County Health and Fitness Center – Operation Mule UTV - $8,000Adair County Hot Shots 4-H Club – Adair County Fair Shade structure - $500Adair County Tourism Council – Statewide Tourism Advertising Campaign Phase II - $8,000Boys and Girls Club of Central-Southwest Iowa – Our Community, Our Kids, Our Future - $8,288.31Bridgewater Community Fire Department – Turnout Gear - $10,000Canine Miracles for Heroes – Training Service Dogs for Adair County Residents - $2,500City of Bridgewater – Bridgewater sound system - $435City of Greenfield Police Department – Radar Speed Signs - $2,000Eureka Township – Cemetery gravestone restoration - $2,500Greater Greenfield Community Foundation – The Gathering Place - $9,969Greenfield Fire Department – Rescue Air Bags - $7,455Iowa Aviation Museum – Researching & Documenting Iowa’s Involvement in Aviation - $8,000Little Smiles and Co – Safety First! - $3,000Nodaway Valley Booster Club High School – update replace food service equipment - $8,000Orient-Macksburg School – Student built large scale flower boxes - $2,200Orient United Methodist Church – Mobile Food Pantry - $10,000Stuart Police Department – Traffic Incident Management - $3,000Stuart Rock Island Depot – Jack Kerouac Plaque and Bench - $4,487.08Wallace Centers of Iowa – Outdoor Facility & Program Improvements - $10,000Warren Cultural Center – Warren Cultural Center Programming 2024 - $8,000

The Empowering Adair County Foundation currently has one annual grant cycle with applications due Oct. 15. Groups eligible to apply include nonprofit organizations with a 501c3 status, government entities such as cities, counties or schools, or other groups sponsored by one of the above. Applications are scored and reviewed by EACF committee members based on completeness of application, benefit to Adair County residents, support of entrepreneurial activity, community and leadership development, identification of community needs and addressing community needs. The committee’s recommendations are then sent on to the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines for final approval and grant disbursement.

EACF was formed in 2005 to coordinate and provide philanthropic support for community betterment and to enhance the quality of life for communities in Adair County. The Foundation is governed by a 9-member committee representing all geographic areas of Adair County.