The Emmet County Community Foundation (ECCF) held its 2023 grant awards celebration at the VFW Hall in Estherville on June 28, announcing the distribution of $151,220.16 to 20 projects of organizations serving Emmet County through its 2023 grant cycle.

“There are so many fantastic things happening in Emmet County and the Emmet County Community Foundation is honored to be able to help make some of these efforts possible through impactful grantmaking,” said Robin Enerson, chair of the ECCF committee.

The grant recipient organizations, project each grant will fund and grant amounts are listed below by funding area.

Arts & Culture

• Peterson Point Preservation Foundation, Handicap Accessibility and Farmhouse Preservation, $10,000
• Ringsted Community Improvement Organization, Operation Umbrella, $10,000

Community Betterment

• Armstrong Betterment Club, Park Improvement Phase 2 & 3, $10,700
• City of Estherville, Airport Commission - Estherville Airport Signage, $5,000
• City of Estherville, Parks & Rec - Disc Golf Course Expansion, $4,000
• City of Estherville, Police Department - Programming and Equipment, $9,000
• City of Gruver, Fire Department - Helmets and Complete Fire Suits, $6,000
• City of Ringsted, Evening Out Club - Park Improvement, $13,700
• City of Ringsted, Friends of the Library - Digitalization of Yearbooks, $3,000
• Estherville Firefighters Association, Purchase Rescue Tool, $10,000

Education & Youth Development

• Emmet County ISU Extension, Farm Safety Day, $3,000
• North Union Elementary School - Fenton Campus, Rock Climbing Wall, $7,220.16
• Northwest Iowa Mental Health Center, Seasons Center: Emmet County Respite Care & Wrap-Around Support, $4,600
• Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Emmet County Early Head Start Roosevelt Renovation, $10,000

Environment & Animal Welfare

• Emmet County Nature Center Foundation, Nature Center Roof, $10,000

Health

• Emmet County, Public Health - Client Services and Community Programming, $9,500
• Wallingford Community Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Life Pack "15" Saving One Heart at a Time, $10,000

Human Service

• Elderbridge Agency on Aging, Congregate and Home-Delivered Meal Program, $5,000
• Food Bank of Iowa, Feeding Emmet County, $7,500
• Grandview Baptist Church, Community Breakfast and Outreach, $3,000

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Emmet County. Committee members include: Robin Enerson (chair), Bob Grems, Jean Hoffman, Megan Janssen Spurgin, Autumn Larsen, Mary Moorman, Diane Nelsen, Dr. Cory Rezac, Jim Rosendahl and Tena Sunde.

Grants are awarded through ECCF’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 Emmet County in order to be considered for funding. More information about the ECCF can be found at www.emmetccf.org.

The Emmet County Community Foundation (ECCF) held its 2022 grant awards celebration at the VFW Hall on June 29, announcing the distribution of $135,050 to 20 projects of organizations serving Emmet County through its 2022 grant cycle.

“These nonprofit organizations are great examples of work being done to improve the quality of life in Emmet County and the Emmet County Community Foundation is honored to support them,” said Robin Enerson, chair of the ECCF governing committee.

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

Community Betterment

• City of Armstrong, Pool Safety Equipment Upgrade, $2,600
• City of Ringsted, Library – Building Renovation, $5,000
• City of Wallingford, City Hall – Heating/Cooling Update, $6,000
• Estherville Firefighters Association, PPE Fire Gear, $10,000
• Ringsted Community Improvement Organization, RCIO Project Special Delivery, $13,700
• VFW Post 3388, Improving the Infrastructure, $5,225
• Wallingford Community Fire and Emergency Medical Services, Upgrading Equipment for Patient Care & Fire Fighter Safety, $7,700

Education & Youth Development

• Emmet County ISU Extension, Farm Safety Day, $1,375
• Estherville Lincoln Central Community School Foundation, Demoney Elementary Playground Equipment, $10,000
• North Central Iowa Ag in the Classroom, Agriculture Education in Emmet County Schools, $3,000

Environmental & Animal Welfare

• Emmet County Nature Center Foundation, Educational Building Concrete and Parking Area, $10,000
• Emmet County Water Trails, Emmet County Water Trails Kayak Rental, $15,000
• Izaak Walton League of Emmet County, Replacement Trap Thrower, $3,000
• N-Compass, Inc., Iowa Project AWARE 2022, $7,500

Health

• Emmet County – Auditor, Public Health – Healthy Beginnings Family Support, $1,500
• Iowa Great Lakes Ambulance Service, Stryker Power Cot, $11,350

Human Service

• Food Bank of Iowa, Fighting Childhood Hunger in Emmet County, $10,000
• Grandview Baptist Church, Free Community Breakfast, $2,700
• Seasons Center for Behavioral Health, Camp Autumn Therapeutic Respite Care, $4,600
• Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc., Coats For Kids, $4,800

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Emmet County. Committee members include: Robin Enerson (chair), Bob Grems, Jean Hoffman, Megan Janssen Spurgin, Autumn Larsen, Mary Moorman, Diane Nelsen, Dr. Cory Rezac, Jim Rosendahl and Tena Sunde.

Grants are awarded through ECCF’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 Emmet County in order to be considered for funding. The 2023 grant cycle opens January 1 with an application deadline of March 1. The grant guidelines and application can be found at www.emmetccf.org.