The Worth County Community Foundation (WCCF) has granted $87,227.10 to 17 projects of organizations serving Worth County through its 2020 grant cycle.

“The Worth County Community Foundation’s mission is to connect resources to enrich our communities and we are proud to be able to support the projects of these deserving nonprofits as they help make Worth County communities better places for all people,” said Lucy Heiken, chair of the WCCF governing committee.

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

Community Betterment

• City of Fertile, Fertile Garden Club - Banners and Brackets, $3,000
• City of Joice, Library - Book Shelving Project, $10,000
• City of Kensett, Library - Computers Update, $3,700
• TUNE - Total United Northwood Effort, The Timbers - Northwood's Event Center, $5,000

Education

• Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, Show Love Campaign, $1,000
• Lake Mills Family Center, Three-Year-Old Preschool, $1,000
• North Central Iowa Ag in the Classroom, Ag Education in Worth County, $5,000
• Worth County ISU Extension, Workroom Equipment and Building Sign, $8,000

Health

• City of Northwood, Water Plant Upgrade - SCADA Monitoring & Remote Access System, $10,000
• Lutheran Retirement Home, COVID-19 Visitation Walls, $3,162
• N-K Booster Club, Vikings Activity Center, $9,177.10

Historic Preservation

• Bolan Schoolhouse & Cultural Center, Grandma Sina's House, $5,000

Human Service

• 43 North Iowa, Virtual Services Project, $1,845
• Elderbridge Agency on Aging, Client Assistance, $8,000
• Iowa Legal Aid, Stabilizing Low-Income Families in Worth County During the COVID-19 Pandemic & Economic Crisis, $3,000
• Serenity Acres, Port-A-Potty, Hand Washing Station, and General Operating Expenses, $4,017
• Worth County, Sheriff's Reserve Unit - Protective Equipment Purchase, $6,326

Decisions on grant awards are determined by a local committee, which consists of volunteers from Worth County. Committee members include: Merlin Bartz, Craig Benjegerdes, Keven Bruesewitz, Ronald Davidson, Lucy Heiken (chair), Linda Johnson Prestholt, Pat Muehl (ex-officio), Chad Nelson, Cindy Peters, John Tenold and Mark Thoma.

Grants are awarded through WCCF’s competitive grant process to projects in the program areas of: art and culture, community betterment, education, environment, health, historic preservation and human service. Grant applicants must be a 501(c)(3) designated organization or government entity serving Worth County in order to be considered for funding. The 2021 grant cycle opens July 1 with an application deadline of September 30. The grant guidelines and application can be found at www.worthccf.org.

The Worth County Community Foundation grant cycle has been made possible by the Jaspers Family Foundation Fund. Maynard and Marjory Jaspers were long time successful business owners in Worth County. They had three sons with no heirs. At his death, Donald Jaspers donated the proceeds from combined estates of the Jaspers Family to provide charitable support for Worth County. Now, the funds have grown, allowing the Worth County Community Foundation to begin granting to area programs.