This year, the Waterloo Community Foundation awarded $50,000 to nonprofit organizations through our competitive grant process. We received applications from qualified organizations for projects or programs that benefit the community of Waterloo in one of four areas: health and human services, arts and culture, education, and economic development.
After careful consideration of the volunteer Grants Committee, the 2024 recipients include:
- Back 2 Basics – At Risk Diversion Intervention Program ($5,000)
- The At Risk Diversion Intervention program is housed in a dedicated classroom space on the East side of Waterloo. Youth are trained in daily life skills such as communication, decision-making, relationship building, and more through interactive role-playing, creative expression, and physical activity programming.
- Boys and Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley – BGCCV STAR Program ($5,000)
- BGCCV is partnering with UNI’s Department of Social Work to implement a pilot program, STAR (Support and Training for Adolescent Resilience) that provides a site for undergraduate students to provide behavioral and mental health support to in-need Club kids. Their goal is to reduce behavioral reports and suspensions for these Club kids, often those who need BGCCV the most.
- Cedar Valley Youth Sports Association – CVYSA Access to Youth Sports ($5,000, partially funded by Dr. Lance and Ellen Vanderloo Fund)
- CVYS offers a place for youth in the Cedar Valley to learn the true meaning of sportsmanship, inclusion, fun, and teamwork through the dedication of the community, volunteers, coaches, umpires, and parents. Through this grant, they will be able to provide 100 children with free youth sports for the summer.
- Friends of the Family – Housing Retention Program ($5,000, partially funded by anonymous Donor Advised Fund)
- Friends of the Family promotes rapid access to permanent housing for individuals and families experiencing homelessness through active landlord recruitment, retention, and mediation, which increases the number of partner landlords offering affordable housing options. Additionally, they provide the RentWise Curriculum to empower community members with the knowledge and skills needed to secure and sustain stable housing.
- Lutheran Services in Iowa – Black Hawk County Baby Safety Project ($5,000)
- The Baby Safety Project coordinates with local providers such as hospitals, home visitation programs, etc. to provide essential infant safety items including car seats, pack-n-plays, child-proofing materials, and parent education to families in need.
- Marching Against the Darkness – MATD Programming 2025 ($5,000)
- Marching Against The Darkness provides a performing arts platform that challenges disconnected youth to achieve excellence both during the competition and in life. The 4th annual Excellence Expo is in early fall 2025 at the Waterloo Career Center. This free event provides a college and career fair, seminars on leadership, mental wellness, and financial empowerment; and performing arts workshops on dance, step, flag, and drum.
- Refugee and Immigrant Youth Organization (RIYO) – Youth Navigator Program ($5,000, partially funded by Dr. Lance and Ellen Vanderloo Fund)
- RIYO empowers refugee and immigrant youth through youth-led and community-driven solutions. The Youth Navigator Leadership Program is a 7 month leadership fellowship designed for 10 high school ELL (English Language Learner) students from diverse backgrounds, equipping them with essential leadership skills, career readiness, and fostering their overall well-being.
- University of Northern Iowa Foundation – Veggie Vouchers ($5,000)
- The Veggie Vouchers program helps close the nutrition gap for food insecure families, supports the livelihood of local farmers, and enhances the economic resilience of our Cedar Valley community by providing over $100,000 in vouchers to purchase fresh fruits and vegetables from farmers markets. Vouchers are distributed by seven host sites (MercyOne, ACE-SAP Free Clinic, UnityPoint Clinics, Peoples Community Health Clinic, Black Hawk County Public Health, Basurto Behavioral Health, and Jesse Cosby Center) who prescribe vouchers to clients with food insecurity and diet-related health conditions.
- Waterloo Public Library – Discovery Table for Youth Department ($5,000)
- The Waterloo Public Library is enhancing the newly renovated Youth Area with the addition of a Discovery Table with Lightbox Top. This table offers an interactive space that encourages hands-on learning, creativity, problem solving, and exploration through play.
- Waterloo Schools – History in our Hometown ($5,000, partially funded by Robert and Margaret Bradford Fund)
- The History in Our Hometown project seeks to connect 8th grade students to the rich history of their community, particularly the events of the 1960s in East Waterloo. Students will engage in a guided tour of historic sites in Waterloo and a panel discussion with individuals who participated in the 1969 East High sit-in.
“We are proud to support these organizations and encourage their efforts to make a difference in Waterloo. These programs reflect our shared commitment to creating a bright future for our city and expanding opportunities for all,” says Dr. Bev Smith, Grants Committee Chair.
It takes all of us working together to address our community’s needs and we consider it a privilege to partner with local organizations in their work.
