The Chickasaw County Community Foundation (CCCF) held its 2025 grant awards celebration at the New Hampton Community Center on April 15, announcing the distribution of $144,061.48 to 19 projects of organizations serving Chickasaw County through its 2025 grant cycle.

Grant recipient, organization, project the grant will fund, and grant amount is listed below by funding area.

Program Area: Arts & Culture

• Carnegie Cultural Center - Cultural Connections at the Carnegie - $2,000.00
• Great Plays Inc - Facility Improvements - $2,622.38

Program Area: Community Betterment

• Chickasaw County EMA - Rescue Operations Equipment - $10,000.00
• Chickasaw Township Fire District - Vehicle Extraction Equipment - $9,985.00
• City of Alta Vista - Fire Department - Air Supply System - $10,000.00
• City of Nashua - Library - Water Bottle Filling Station - $1,684.13
• City of New Hampton - Park & Recreation - Keeping it Cool at the Pool - $10,000.00
• City of North Washington - Fire Department - Bunker (Turnout) Gear - $5,000.00
• Fredericksburg Firefighter Association - Fire Gear Dryer - $8,654.82
• Lawler Firefighters Foundation - Communication Equipment - $10,000.00
• Nashua Volunteer Firefighters Association - Radio Communication - $9,203.00
• New Hampton Firefighters' Association - Upgrade Equipment - $5,000.00

Program Area: Education & Youth Development

• Fun in the Son Daycare and Preschool - Building and Equipment Update - $7,947.20
• Turkey Valley School District - SmartStart: Empowering Young Learners - $10,000.00

Program Area: Environment & Animal Welfare

• Chickasaw County Conservation Board - Learning Center at Twin Ponds - $10,000.00

Program Area: Health

• Chickasaw County EMS - Pediatric & Geriatric Equipment - $1,964.95
• Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, Inc. - NEI3A Chickasaw County Meal Program FY26 - $10,000.00

Program Area: Human Service

• Choose 2 Include - Pave the Way - $10,000.00
• Northeast Iowa Food Bank - Feeding Communities - $10,000.00

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Chickasaw County. Michelle Hoy (Chair), Jeff Berns, Mary Gruenberg, Tara Hackman, Lara Lawrence, Courtney Lechtenberg, Dana Lentz, Bill Meyer, Kristen Nosbisch, Kristi Reicks, Nicholas Winter, and Matthew Ysbrand.

Grants are awarded through CCCF’s competitive grant process to projects in the program areas of arts and culture, community betterment, education and youth development, environment and animal welfare, health and human service. Grant applicants must be a 501(c)(3) designated organization or government entity serving Chickasaw County in order to be considered for funding. The 2026 grant cycle opens November 15 with an application deadline of January 15. The grant guidelines and application can be found at www.chickasawccf.org.