The Emmet County Community Foundation (ECCF) held its grant awards celebration at the VFW Hall in Estherville on July 10, announcing the distribution of $149,750 to 16 projects of organizations serving Emmet County through its 2024 grant cycle.

"The Emmet County Community Foundation is proud to support the work of our local nonprofits through impactful grantmaking to strengthen Emmet County communities,” said Robin Enerson, chair of the ECCF committee.

The 2024 grant recipient organizations, project the grant will fund, and grant amount are listed below by funding area.

Arts & Culture

• Peterson Point Preservation Foundation – Septic Tank, Bathrooms, Barn Restoration – $5,000
• Ringsted Community Improvement Organization – Open the Doors! - $6,800

Community Betterment

• City of Armstrong – Recreation Department, Pool Repairs - $20,000
• City of Ringsted – Community Action Club, Landscaping at Town Sign - $3,000
• City of Ringsted – Library, Renovation - $20,000
• City of Wallingford – Fire Department, Wildland Response Unit & Upgrade - $17,000
• Emmet County Auditor – Emergency Management, Weather, Emergency Camera - $15,200
• Estherville Firefighters Association – Breathing Air System - $10,000

Education & Youth Development

• Emmet County ISU Extension – Farm Safety Day - $3,000
• North Central Iowa Ag in the Classroom – Agriculture Education in Emmet County Schools - $5,000
• Upper Des Moines Opportunity, Inc. – Emmet Head Start/Early Head Start Boiler Updates - $10,000

Environment & Animal Welfare 

• Emmet County Nature Center Foundation – Prairie Center Classroom Furnishings - $7,500

Health

• Emmet County – Public Health, Community Programming - $6,750

Human Service

• Elderbridge Agency on Aging – Client Assistance - $10,000
• Food Bank of Iowa – Fighting Childhood Hunger in Emmet County - $7,500
• Grandview Baptist Church – Community Outreach and Breakfast - $3,000 

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Emmet County. Committee members include Ryan Cellan, Robin Enerson, Sonya Gjerde, Robert Grems, Jean Hoffman, Megan Janssen Spurgin, Morgan Klingeil, Autumn Larsen, Diane Nelsen, Cory Rezac, James 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/