Community Foundation Of Northeast Iowa

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $9,000,000 (2023)
• Total Assets: $160,520,000 (2023)
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $100,000 (varies by program)
• Typical Grant Range: $1,000 - $10,000
• Geographic Focus: 20 counties in Northeast Iowa
• Total Grants Awarded: 1,602 grants and scholarships (2023)

Contact Details

Address: 3117 Greenhill Circle, Cedar Falls, IA 50613

Phone: (319) 287-9106

Fax: (319) 287-5015

Website: www.cfneia.org

Online Grant Portal: Available through their website for application submissions

Pre-Application Support: Grantseeker Resources available at cfneia.org; applicants with questions encouraged to contact staff directly

Overview

Founded in 1956, the Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa (CFNEIA) has grown to become a major philanthropic force in the region, with total assets of $160.52 million as of 2023. The foundation awarded $9 million in grants and scholarships across its 20-county service area in 2023, supporting 1,602 grants. Since inception, over $143 million has been granted to projects throughout Northeast Iowa. CFNEIA's mission is "to inspire people and connect resources to enrich our communities," with a vision of "a vibrant region of thriving people." The foundation operates with core values of collaboration, equity, leadership, and trust. CFNEIA has earned a 4/4 Star rating on Charity Navigator with 100% for Accountability & Finance. The foundation is actively moving toward trust-based philanthropy and more strategic, transformational grantmaking with a focus on quality and impact over quantity of grants.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

CFNEIA administers grants through multiple county-level foundations and specialized funds:

County Grant Programs (vary by county):

• Black Hawk County Grants: Two annual cycles (Spring and Fall) with awards announced in March and September
• Butler County Grants: $147,822 awarded to 27 projects (recent cycle)
• Howard County Grants: $144,654 awarded to 26 projects (recent cycle)
• Benton County Grants: $149,028 distributed to 17 projects (recent cycle)
• Individual programs also exist for: Ackley, Bremer, Buchanan, Cerro Gordo, Chickasaw, Emmet, Fayette, Floyd, Franklin, Grundy, Iowa, Kossuth, Palo Alto, Tama, Winnebago, Winneshiek, and Worth Counties

Specialized Programs:

• Women's Fund Grants: Supporting initiatives impacting women and girls
• Teen Trust Grants: Grantmaking led by youth for youth-serving projects
• Uplift Grants: $10,000 - $100,000 for larger transformational projects (deadline April 1)

Application Methods: Online portal system; most county programs operate on fixed cycles (typically two per year - spring and fall); some funds accept applications year-round

Priority Areas

CFNEIA funds across six core focus areas:

1. Education & Youth Development (30.29% of 2023 grants - $2,730,588)

   • Youth programs and educational initiatives
   • JA Finance Park and educational programming
   • Scouting and youth leadership

2. Community Betterment (26.34% of 2023 grants - $2,374,583)

   • Community development projects
   • Civic engagement initiatives
   • Historic preservation

3. Human Service (17.88% of 2023 grants - $1,610,925)

   • Social services and safety net programs
   • Support for vulnerable populations
   • General operating support for service organizations

4. Arts & Culture

   • Cultural programming and access
   • Arts education and enrichment

5. Health

   • Mental health services
   • Hospice and end-of-life care
   • Health access and wellness programs

6. Environment & Animal Welfare

   • Environmental conservation
   • Animal welfare initiatives

Strategic Community Initiatives (receiving increased focus):

• Child care access and affordability
• Workforce readiness
• Nonprofit capacity building
• Racial equity
• Arts programming

What They Don't Fund

Consecutive Grants: Organizations cannot receive grants in consecutive grant cycles (e.g., if funded in fall, ineligible for following spring)

Re-granting: Funds that will be redistributed or re-granted by the applicant

Other Foundations: Operational requests from other foundations

School Restrictions: While public and private schools are eligible, requests for capital improvements, salaries, technology, or equipment are NOT eligible

Additional Restrictions:

• Organizations must be current with all state and federal reporting requirements
• No past-due grant reports from previous CFNEIA grants
• Requests must be for one year only
• Organizations can submit only one proposal at a time (plus one additional as fiscal sponsor)
• Organizations with separate supporting organizations (e.g., "friends of" groups) can apply through either entity but not both

Governance and Leadership

Executive Leadership

Kaye M. Englin - President & CEO

Liz Kurtt - Chief Financial Officer

Jake Byers - Vice President of Marketing & Communications

Angie Widner - Vice President of Community Impact

Board of Directors

Board Officers:

• Mike Hulme - Board Chair
• Matt Waller - Board Vice Chair
• Susan Sims - Board Past Chair
• Joy Briscoe - Board Treasurer
• Ashlyn Jungwirth - Board Secretary

Additional Board Members: Nina Grant, Nick Blasberg, Lauren Finke, Justin Gullekson, Mary Janssen, Matthew Monaghan, Chawne Paige, Kalola Roby, Scott Soifer, Scott Thomson

Board Responsibilities: The board of directors oversees strategic planning, policy, and is responsible for stewardship of over $159 million in assets.

Notable Leadership Perspectives: President & CEO Kaye Englin on grant recipients: "Our nonprofit partners provide critical services and programs to make Black Hawk County stronger for everyone. Congratulations to these grant recipients and thank you. We are proud to support your work."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

1. Create Account: Log in to CFNEIA's online grant management system or register for a new account at www.cfneia.org

2. Review Open Opportunities: All open CFNEIA grants are listed in the online portal

3. Check County-Specific Guidelines: Each county foundation has specific grant guidelines available as downloadable PDFs

4. Complete Application: Fill out the entire application online or work on it and save as draft

5. Minimum Request: Requests should be for a minimum of $5,000 (county programs may vary)

6. One-Year Projects: All requests should be for one-year funding only

Decision Timeline

Black Hawk County Grant Cycle Example:

• First Cycle: Opens November 15, closes January 15, awards announced in March
• Second Cycle: Opens May 15, closes July 15, awards announced in September

Other Counties: Vary by local foundation; most operate on semi-annual cycles with similar spring and fall patterns

Notification: Grant recipients are typically announced at public grant awards celebrations hosted by county foundations

Success Rates

Specific success rate percentages are not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation awarded 1,602 grants in 2023 from its $9 million grantmaking budget, indicating robust support across the region.

Reapplication Policy

Organizations that receive grants cannot apply in consecutive grant cycles. Unsuccessful applicants may reapply in subsequent cycles (after skipping one cycle if they were previously funded). No specific waiting period information is available for denied applications.

Application Success Factors

Trust-Based Philanthropy Approach

CFNEIA has embraced trust-based philanthropy and emphasizes:

• Transparency in their funding processes
• Building trusted relationships with grantees
• Reducing barriers to access
• Multi-year thinking (though grants are still awarded for one year at a time)

What CFNEIA Values in Applications

Storytelling: "Stories are one of the most powerful tools to convey how a project came together. Share a story that paints the picture of the project, such as telling the story of a specific individual who embodies the program and why the program was established."

Equity Focus: The foundation is committed to "dismantling barriers to equity" and "bringing an equity lens to all community leadership initiatives." Applications should demonstrate how projects advance racial equity and serve diverse communities.

Community Collaboration: CFNEIA values collaboration and "fostering a sense of unity among local organizations and stakeholders by bringing together diverse voices and perspectives."

Strategic Alignment: The foundation is moving toward more strategic, transformational grantmaking focused on their five community initiatives: child care, arts, workforce readiness, nonprofit capacity building, and racial equity.

Examples of Recently Funded Projects

Health & Mental Health:

• Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center: $30,000 for general operating support
• Cedar Valley Hospice: $10,000 for GUIDE dementia care program launch
• Iowa Black Doula Collective: $25,000 for general operating support

Human Services:

• House of Hope: $30,000 for general operating support
• Amani Community Services: $5,000 for "Beyond Paper: Innovating Processes to Enhance Care for Survivors"

Education & Youth:

• Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa: $10,000 for JA Finance Park mobile
• Boy Scouts of America, Winnebago Council: $5,000 for Scoutreach access barriers

Women & Girls:

• Iowa Legal Aid: $15,000 for stabilizing lives of women and girls
• Northeast Iowa Food Bank: $5,000 for local produce impacting women's health

Grant Report Requirements Reveal Priorities

The foundation's grant reporting guidance provides insight into what they value: they want to hear the stories of impact, understand how projects came together, and see evidence of community benefit rather than just data points.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Skip Consecutive Cycles: If you receive a grant, you cannot apply in the next immediate cycle - plan your funding requests accordingly

• Embrace Storytelling: CFNEIA explicitly values narratives that illustrate impact through individual stories rather than statistics alone

• Align with Strategic Initiatives: Projects addressing child care, arts, workforce readiness, nonprofit capacity building, or racial equity are receiving increased attention

• Demonstrate Equity: Show how your project dismantles barriers and advances racial equity in your community

• Start with Minimum $5,000: Most programs require minimum requests of $5,000, though some county programs and the Uplift Grant program have higher ranges

• Focus on One-Year Impact: Structure proposals for one-year funding cycles, even if your project has longer-term goals

• Build Relationships Locally: CFNEIA operates through 20 county affiliates - connect with your local county foundation board members and understand local priorities

• Emphasize Collaboration: Demonstrate how your organization works with other community partners to amplify impact

• Think Transformationally: The foundation is shifting toward quality over quantity - larger, more impactful grants rather than many small awards

• Be Current on Reports: Stay up-to-date on all state, federal, and CFNEIA grant reporting to remain eligible

References

• Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa official website: www.cfneia.org (accessed January 2026)
• CFNEIA 2023 Impact Report, published via Issuu: https://issuu.com/cfneia/docs/cfneia_2023_impact_report_-_final_issuu (accessed January 2026)
• Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa Grant Opportunities page: https://www.cfneia.org/nonprofits/grant-opportunities/ (accessed January 2026)
• Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa Board & Staff page: https://www.cfneia.org/who-we-are/board-and-staff (accessed January 2026)
• Charity Navigator Profile for Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa, EIN 42-6060414: https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/426060414 (accessed January 2026)
• Waterloo-Cedar Falls Courier articles on grant announcements (2021-2025)
• FundsforNGOs article "Empowering Change: Community Foundation of Northeast Iowa": https://us.fundsforngos.org/articles/empowering-change-community-foundation-of-northeast-iowa/ (accessed January 2026)
• Fund for Shared Insight case study on CFNEIA's listening and equity work: https://fundforsharedinsight.org/case-study/people-first-philanthropy-a-new-framework-for-iowa-foundations-starts-with-listening/ (accessed January 2026)
• University of Iowa Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center profile: https://inrc.law.uiowa.edu/grants/community-foundation-northeast-iowa (accessed January 2026)