The Tama County Community Foundation (TCCF) held its 2025 grant awards celebration at the Wieting Theatre on April 10, announcing the distribution of $181,754.01 to 33 projects of organizations serving Tama 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

• City of Traer - Traer Theatre - Equipment Upgrades - $2,090.49
• Dysart Historical Society - Historical Museum Ceiling Repair - $1,200.00
• Tama County Historical Society - Historical Newspaper Preservation & Digitization - $5,000.00
• Tama County ISU Extension & Outreach Office - Gardening With Seniors III - $1,544.56
• Wieting Opera Housing Company - Equipment Update - $3,800.00

Program Area: Community Betterment

• American Legion Post 142 - Tama County Government Day - $2,000.00
• Amvets Post 10 Lincoln - Main Front Entrance - $6,300.00
• City of Chelsea - Administration - Chelsea Park Project - $10,000.00
• City of Chelsea - Library - Computers, Printer, and Integrated Library System - $6,773.94
• City of Clutier - Emergency Vehicle Fueling Station - $8,226.23
• City of Dysart - Pickleball Court Sport Surface and Fencing - $10,000.00
• City of Garwin - Library - Equipment Upgrades - $1,044.48
• City of Gladbrook - Fire Department - Fire Hose Tester - $2,000.00
• City of Gladbrook - Library - Carpet Replacement - $5,000.00
• Gladbrook American Legion Auxiliary - AED - $1,579.00
• Legion Post 453 - Exterior Siding - $17,000.00
• Tama Fire Department Nonprofit Association - Gas Meters, Docking Station, and Calibration Unit - $5,900.00
• Vining Volunteer Fire Department - Thermal Imaging Camera - $8,191.00

Program Area: Education & Youth Development

• Al Exito - Al Éxito Tama: Student Success Tama - $4,350.00
• Better Tomorrows Early Childhood Iowa - Quality Early Childhood Environments & Early Literacy - $5,000.00
• Crayon Corner Learning Center - The Clean Project - $1,976.00
• Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois - Girl Scout Leadership Program in Tama County - $2,500.00
• Pied Piper Preschool and Child Care - Infant/Toddler Safe Outdoor Play Area - $10,000.00
• Tama County Daycare dba Kids' Corner - Kids' Corner Preschool Program - $8,000.00

Program Area: Environment & Animal Welfare

• Tama County 4-H - Wildlife Education - $2,901.68
• Tama County Humane Society - Website Building/PetPoint Software Subscription - $7,491.50

Program Area: Health

• City of Tama - Ambulance - EKG and Defibrillating Monitoring System - $11,885.86
• Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging, Inc. - NEI3A Tama County Meal Program FY26 - $2,500.00

Program Area: Human Service

• Central Iowa Residential Services, Inc. - Tama Opportunity Center & Tama County Consumer Needs - $2,500.00
• Lutheran Services in Iowa - Healthy Families America (HFA) in Tama County - $3,000.00
• Mid-Iowa Community Action, Inc. - MICA Dental Vouchers for Kids - $5,000.00
• Northeast Iowa Food Bank - Feeding Communities - $7,500.00
• Traer United Presbyterian Church - Christian Hands Across Traer - $9,500.00

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Tama County. Committee members include Sara Forrester (Chair), Lori Baier, Dixie Forcht, Melanie Kemper, Maurice McWhirter, Tara Mennenga, Michelle Podhajsky, and Stacey Zeman. TCCF funds established by generous donors contributing to the discretionary grant process include the STC United Endowment Fund, Pauline Kober Traer Endowment Fund, and the Renew Clutier Fund.

Grants are awarded through TCCF’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 Tama 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.tamaccf.org.