COMMUNIT Y Winter 2020 Newsletter
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Disaster Funds Offer Hope, Thanks to Kindness of Donors As a community foundation, we are here to respond to our community’s changing needs and challenges. In 2020, as Linn County faced two concurrent disasters, that flexibility and responsiveness was more important than ever. When the pandemic arrived in Eastern Iowa, many nonprofits faced multiple new challenges. Besides having to cancel fundraisers and alter programming, many organizations were also dealing with increased demand for services. As more people sought mental health services, educational assistance, economic relief and healthcare, among other things, additional strain was placed on our nonprofit sector. In March, the Community Foundation established the COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund to help meet the health and human service needs brought on by the pandemic. Since then, hundreds of donors and businesses have contributed more than $422,141. To date, $317,300 has been granted to nearly 40 organizations, providing food, shelter, education, and mental health services, and focusing primarily on vulnerable populations. Additional funding priorities are informed by the coordination efforts of Linn Area Partners Active in Disaster (LAP-AID).
On August 10, a derecho swept through the area, upending lives and increasing the challenges faced by the organizations serving our community. Recovery from the storm—already sure to be a long and expensive process—was made more difficult by public health concerns and social distancing requirements. The Disaster Recovery Fund was established to help meet the basic needs of those disproportionately impacted and to fund long-term recovery efforts. Since then, 1,762 donors from all 50 states and three countries contributed to the Disaster Recovery Fund, which has now raised over $1,903,348. Within one week of the storm, the Disaster Recovery Fund began making grants to local organizations that were providing food, water and shelter to those most affected by the storm. As cleanup continues amid the pandemic and cooling weather, the fund has been responding to the changing needs of recovery efforts. To date, more than $376,239 has been granted into the community to aid response and recovery. Both the COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund and the Disaster Recovery Fund remain open for contributions and grant applications. To make a gift, apply for a grant, or view a list of grants made, visit gcrcf.org.
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Disaster Grantmaking: Nonprofits Rise to the Challenge His Hands Free Clinic When the pandemic caused the cancellation of both of its major fundraisers, His Hands Free Clinic turned to local donors and funders. “It is through working together that we provide the biggest impact for our community,” said Dawn Brouwer, Executive Director. A grant of $14,242 from the COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund has helped the clinic serve those in need of medical care, including a large number of patients with mental health needs exacerbated by the pandemic and derecho.
Salvation Army Despite damage to their own facility, Salvation Army was serving the community the day after the derecho. In the following weeks, mobile kitchens served thousands of meals, and emergency food boxes replaced food lost due to power outages. A $20,000 grant from the Disaster Recovery Fund has helped the Salvation Army provide food and emergency financial assistance for those impacted by the storm.
Alzheimer’s Association Caring for a loved one with Alzheimer’s or dementia is challenging, and the pandemic has made it even more so. A $3,825 grant from the COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund helped Alzheimer’s Association provide virtual programming. “Our support groups, care consultations and education programs are more important now than ever as they provide much needed support for caregivers facing challenges keeping their loved ones safe and healthy during this unprecedented time,” said Julie Coppock, Development Director.
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Winter 2020
Thank You Lead Supporters Disaster Recovery Fund Leaders ($100,000+)
Directors ($50,000+)
Partners ($20,000+)
Collins Aerospace Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust Schimberg Co. World Class Industries
BankIowa ITC Midwest Nordstrom O’Brien Family McDonald’s Toyota Financial Services
ImOn Communications KCRG TV-9 and Parent Company Gray Television Linn County Anesthesiologists Lockton Companies Odyssey Group
Ryan Specialty Group Securian Financial Sovos Compliance, LLC Gary Watts Real Estate & Development in Coralville
Coppock Family Fund Chris and Suzy DeWolf Family Endowed Fund Franciscan Sisters of Perpetual Adoration Ed and Pat Hermann Jeremy Johnson George and Claire Kittle Gilchrist Foundation Joni’s Roast and Ride Kuhn Foundation Nancy and Tom Lackner Dave and Cathy Loy Dianne O’Connell PPREP Community Foundation Disaster Response Fund, a project of The Funders Network PricewaterhouseCoopers Foundation
Norman Rinderknecht Shepard Family Private Foundation Stroup Family Fund John L. Tompson Charitable Trust Ronald and Sue Neil Duane J. and Laura D. Smith Fund John T. Smith and Jane N. Smith Richard H. and Mary Jo Stanley Health & Shelter Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine Richard and Joan Stark West Bend Mutual Independent Agency’s Fund of the West Bend Community Foundation
Supporters ($5,000+) Alliant Energy Foundation AmWINS Group, Inc. Foundation Energy Company, LLC Great American Insurance Companies GreenState Credit Union HDR, Inc.
Charities and Individuals ($5,000+) Allen Family Fund Alana Asmussen Alumbra Innovations Foundation Michael Aubrey Pat and Judy Baird Meri Barnes Bloomhall Family Endowed Donor-Advised Fund Diane Bloomhall John and Cynthia Bloomhall Donor-Advised Fund Bryant Charitable Trust Ned and Micky Burmeister Charitable Fund of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine
COVID-19 Disaster Response Fund Directors ($50,000+)
Partners ($20,000+)
Supporters ($5,000+)
Collins Aerospace Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation Transamerica
MidAmerican Energy Company The Hall-Perrine Foundation Toyota Wells Fargo
Alliant Energy Foundation ImOn Communications UFG Insurance United Way of East Central Iowa
Loren and Patti Coppock Phil and Christy Rezin
Duane and Laura Smith Thomas C. Jackson and Joanne Stevens
Individuals ($5,000+) Pat and Judy Baird John and Cindy Bloomhall
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Community
John and Christine North
Many Donors Give Through Donor-Advised Funds to Help Recovery Efforts Even during good times, the needs and opportunities in our community outpace philanthropy’s ability to fill them. But the August 10 derecho, coupled with the COVID-19 pandemic, has made this gap even larger. Donors John and Christine North wanted to support the community after the devastating storm. With a donoradvised fund already established, they were able to make a grant to the Disaster Recovery Fund within its first week. “We hope our modest contributions combined with those of others will enable timely and meaningful assistance,” John and Christine said. “Having a donor-advised fund allows us to quickly designate contributions to special programs created to address local needs arising from tragic events such as the derecho and COVID-19 pandemic.” The Norths established a donor-advised fund in 2007 and have used it to support a number of local nonprofit organizations over the years. “We initially established our funds at the Community Foundation to underwrite some of our on-going charitable donations and to serve as an integral part of our estate plan,” the couple said. The flexibility of donor-advised funds has allowed them to adapt their giving in response to this year’s challenges.
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Giving from donor-advised funds for COVID-19 relief has totaled $148,757 from 54 grants; and giving from donor-advised funds to support derecho recovery has totaled $343,840 from 31 grants. Donor advisors have made distributions to the disaster funds at the Community Foundation as well as nonprofits they care about to help them during this difficult year. “It has been moving to see the generosity of our fund holders who want to help our community during the disasters of 2020,” says Michelle Beisker, Senior Vice President of Development. “We have been a resource for many donors inquiring about how they can help.” Giving from donor-advised funds is on the rise nationally in 2020. The National Philanthropic Trust noted a 120% increase in the amount granted from these funds in March, and community foundations throughout the Midwest have seen similar trends. “We’re proud to partner with donors like the Norths,” says Michelle. “As our community continues to recover, we will continue to communicate with donors to connect them with needs and opportunities so they can make an impact on the lives of people in Linn County.”
Winter 2020
Collaboration Key to Successful Community Response New PATCH Program Addresses Housing Repair Needs Our community has faced a number of disasters in recent memory, and as trying as these events have been, they have also been learning experiences. In the wake of the August 10 derecho, those experiences have helped us support our friends, family and neighbors. After the 2008 flood, the Community Foundation began participating in the Philanthropic Preparedness, Resiliency and Emergency Partnership (PPREP), a program of The Funders Network. This cohort of 23 foundations is facilitated by the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP) with the goal of building resilience and disaster response proficiency in communities throughout the Midwest. Our work with PPREP allowed us to hit the ground running in August, quickly connecting donors with the organizations that were meeting the most urgent needs in the days after the storm.
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As those organizations worked to meet the most pressing needs, and as local funders worked to support those organizations, it became clear there was a need for extensive collaboration. To ensure all needs were identified and services were not being duplicated, the Community Foundation coordinated with United Way of East Central Iowa, Alliant Energy Foundation, the City of Cedar Rapids and Linn County. Through this partnership, and with input from Linn Area Partners Active in Disaster (LAP-AID), housing repair was identified as a primary need and a new program called Providing Assistance to Community Homeowners (PATCH) was developed. With winter approaching, the goal of PATCH is to make homes habitable, even if funding or contractor availability delays the more permanent repairs.
Community
Several nonprofits came together to make PATCH a reality—Matthew 25 and Habitat for Humanity have lead home repairs with volunteers and contractors, Waypoint has handled program intake, and HACAP and Iowa Legal Aid have helped homeowners navigate FEMA applications and insurance claims. Grants from the Community Foundation’s Disaster Recovery Fund covered construction materials and part of the PATCH Program Volunteer Coordinator position. The program is also supported by local companies. Cedar Rapids Bank & Trust provided a lead gift of $100,000 to establish a revolving loan fund for homeowners facing budget gaps, and TrueNorth Companies has offered free claim assistance for those struggling to navigate insurance. The Community Foundation and United Way each contributed an additional $50,000 to the revolving loan fund. “PATCH shows the value of having LAP-AID acting as a convening group for disaster response in our community,” said Clint Twedt-Ball, Executive Director of Matthew 25. “We have a strong group of nonprofits involved in housing, each with its own unique set of skills. Working together with this incredible team to create a patchwork of support for our community has been a joy and will hasten community recovery.” Nearly 70 homeowners have accessed home repairs through PATCH. Dozens of qualified volunteers have helped with the simpler projects, like siding and gutters, with more extensive repairs being handled by contractors. One of those homeowners is Holly Hartkemeyer, a single mother of three who just purchased a new home last July. As a server, Holly was already facing challenges brought on by the pandemic. After the derecho, she came home from work to find a whole new list of challenges.
“About half of my siding was gone,” Holly said. “The air conditioner was pulled way from the house, the roof was damaged, our tree had fallen and ripped up the sidewalk. All of the downspouts and gutters were gone, the screens all had rips, and the front and back porches were sagging.” Friends and neighbors helped Holly with immediate concerns, and she was able to find a contractor to start the rebuilding process, but supplies were running low. She would have to wait until spring for siding and gutters. Then her mom told her about the PATCH Program. When volunteers showed up from as far away as Wisconsin, Holly said she felt like she was witnessing a miracle. The volunteers were able to patch the siding, install gutters and downspouts, and stabilize the porches. Holly has always considered Cedar Rapids to be resilient, but she admits to feeling overwhelmed before getting connected to PATCH. “It was an absolute weight lifted from my shoulders when everything felt helpless,” she said. “As easy as it is to get discouraged, you have to keep looking up.”
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Winter 2020
FOR THE
ARTS
More Important Now Than Ever
Many of the initial efforts surrounding the COVID-19 and derecho disasters of 2020 focused on grants to support basic needs. The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation recognizes the arts also play a key role in the overall health and vitality of Linn County. The Community Foundation is committed to providing grant programs for operating support during this time when shows are on hold and museum attendance is low. “During this difficult time, it is imperative that we support our arts and culture organizations,” said Les Garner, President & CEO of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. “These organizations educate, inspire, enlighten and nurture residents of Linn County. They are a critical part of our economy and the creative life we have here. We are fortunate to have these organizations and we must work together to insure their stability and strength.”
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Environmental, Social and Governance Pool Marks Three Years of Socially Responsible Investing In 2017, the Community Foundation made a commitment to socially responsible investing by transferring $1 million of unrestricted funds into a new Environmental, Social and Governance (ESG) Pool. Like traditional investments, the ESG Pool aims to minimize risk and maximize gains. The difference is that it does so while considering a company’s stewardship of resources, shareholders and society.
houses over 100 Agency Funds, each belonging to a nonprofit that in turn can take annual distributions from that fund. Organizations now have the option of moving those funds into the ESG Pool.
We’re pleased that returns have been even better than expected.
Three years in, the ESG Pool is off to a good start. “It took a lot of work to get this off the ground,” said Kevin Welu, an investment professional who serves on the Investment Committee. “But the Community Foundation made a commitment, and we’re pleased that returns have been even better than expected.” The Community Foundation’s Investment Committee recently went through the request for proposal (RFP) process for an investment consultant—a process that happens every 5-10 years to ensure we remain good stewards of charitable gifts. After interviews with three firms, Fund Evaluation Group was selected to remain the Community Foundation’s investment consultant. Fund Evaluation Group has filled this role since 2011.
- Kevin Welu, Investment Committee Last year, Eastern Iowa Health Center established an endowment in the ESG Pool. Like many who opt for ESG investments, their choice was driven by their values.
The Investment Committee consider people, process, performance, and fees when selecting a consultant. Other factors include community foundation experience and ESG investment options and experience. Fund Evaluation Group’s experience with ESG investing is one of the things that truly set it apart.
“Eastern Iowa Health Center is committed to ensuring that our funds are invested in socially, culturally and environmentally conscious companies,” said Joe Lock, President & CEO. “As a nonprofit committed to improving the health of the underserved in the Cedar Rapids area, we believe it is our responsibility to guarantee that our investments are mirroring the work and values of our organization.”
Having an ESG Pool at the Community Foundation makes it possible for local nonprofits to make global investments that support their vision. The Community Foundation
For more about the Community Foundation’s investment management and the ESG Pool, visit www.gcrcf.org/about/investment-management/.
DonorsChoose Match Supports Linn County Classrooms
Three Endowment Challenge Grants Awarded in 2020
Since 2015, the Community Foundation has supported Linn County public school teachers by partnering with DonorsChoose.org—a national nonprofit that allows teachers to crowdsource funding for supplies, projects and equipment. Each year the Community Foundation has $25,000 available in matching funds from its Fund for Educational Excellence to match gifts to local classrooms. So far this year, the fund supported 97 projects in 31 schools, reaching 9,359 students.
This year, the African American Museum of Iowa, Area Substance Abuse Council, and Red Cedar Chamber Music were awarded grants from the Community Foundation’s Endowment Challenge Fund. This matching grant helps organizations establish endowments by contributing $1 for every $3 raised by the organizations, up to $25,000. Endowments contribute to the long-term success of organizations by providing flexible and reliable income for areas of high importance.
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SET Fund Brings Group Violence Intervention Model to Cedar Rapids On November 12 and 13, more than 30 community leaders, members of law enforcement, and social service providers came together for the local launch of Group Violence Intervention (GVI), an evidence-based approach to violence reduction developed by the National Network for Safe Communities (NNSC). GVI is being implemented in Cedar Rapids through the work of the Creating Safe, Equitable and Thriving Communities (SET) Fund.
Besides reducing violence, GVI also works to build trust between the community and criminal justice agencies. Many of the strategies of GVI are based on the fact that communities are not dangerous, and violence is carried out by a small number of people.
Earlier this year, the SET Fund was awarded a $465,000 grant to support its work in reducing youth violence in Cedar Rapids, including the new partnership with NNSC. The SET Fund was established in 2018 through a partnership with the City of Cedar Rapids, Linn County, and the Cedar Rapids Community School District to address the inter-relational factors in our community that lead to youth violence.
To make a gift to the SET Fund, or to sign up for the SET e-newsletter, visit www.gcrcf.org.
The SET Fund will continue to make grants to local programs and projects.
The GVI model reduces group-related violence by focusing on those who are at very high risk for violent victimization, which is usually an extremely small percentage of any given community. By concentrating on those individuals and coordinating the efforts of key stakeholders—law enforcement, social services, and community-based groups—the model interrupts the cycle of violence and retaliation. “NNSC has implemented GVI in several communities with amazing results,” said Rachel Rockwell, SET Program Officer at the Community Foundation. “We’re very excited about what this means for our community, and we’re very hopeful for the future.” The November launch, held virtually, laid the groundwork for utilizing this approach in Cedar Rapids. In the months ahead, those stakeholders will find new ways of working together and will engage with NNSC regularly. “Success will require sustained collaboration amongst entities that are not necessarily accustomed to doing so,” said Anne H. Carter, a member of the SET Policy Committee.
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During a summer “porch talk,” ReSET 2020 Outreach Team member Britton Fields speaks with a local teen about losing friends to gun violence. These check-ins have allowed outreach workers to connect with at-risk youth about the dangers they face.
Grant Opportunities Adjusted for 2021 As part of our effort to remain responsive to the needs of our community, our competitive grant programs shifted from offering either programmatic or capacity-building support to offering more generalized support in response to the 2020 pandemic. Additionally, 2019 grantees were encouraged to use grant funding wherever it was needed most. “Most organizations had to alter programming and cancel fundraisers,” said Elizabeth Cwik, Senior Program Officer. “Providing flexible grant dollars was a way for us to support those organizations through this difficult year.” As the pandemic and recovery from the derecho continue to impact our community, and as organizations adjust to a new normal, the Community Foundation continues to look for innovative and efficient ways to support those organizations. To help build long-term sustainability, the Organizational Development Fund will be reorganized into the Organization Support Fund. This fund will continue to
support capacity-building projects while also offering general operating support grants for Linn County based organizations with budgets under $5 million. “We have learned from the adjustments made in 2020, and we have incorporated that learning in planning for grantmaking in 2021,” said Rochelle Naylor, Senior Program Officer. “Organizations are continuing to face many challenges, and we believe continuing to offer some flexibility in grant opportunities is the right plan for the coming year.” The Program Fund, now known as the Program Support Fund, will continue to support programs that impact the quality of life in Linn County. More information on these funds, including eligibility criteria and maximum request amounts, will be posted to gcrcf.org later this month. The next grant deadline is on Friday, February 12, 2021 at 4:30 p.m. CST.
AFP Honors Outstanding Contributions to Community On November 10, the Eastern Iowa Chapter of the Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP) honored donors Barry and Gilda Boyer and Lil’ Drug Store Products, as well as Senior Vice President of Development Michelle Beisker, for their outstanding philanthropic contributions to our community. Barry and Gilda Boyer were recognized as Outstanding Individual Philanthropists for their gifts and volunteerism, which have impacted countless local organizations. Their vision gave rise to the award-winning MICRO loan program that supports Cedar Rapids entrepreneurs. Lil’ Drug Store Products, which administers a competitive donor-advised fund through the Community Foundation,
Barry and Gilda Boyer Outstanding Individual Philanthropists
was recognized as the Outstanding Large Philanthropic Organization. This honor recognizes the culture of involvement and generosity built by owners Chris and Suzy DeWolf. Senior Vice President Michelle Beisker was named the Outstanding Fundraising Professional in recognition of her life-long commitment to organizations serving Linn County. Throughout her career, Michelle has raised tens of millions of dollars for local nonprofits, impacting countless lives. Congratulations to all the honorees and thank you for your tireless support of our community.
Lil’ Drug Store Products Outstanding Large Philanthropic Organziation
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Michelle Beisker Outstanding Fundraising Professional
324 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401-1841 319.366.2862 / gcrcf.org
Where charitable gifts multiply for community good.
We’re experiencing the power of a community that works together. Les Garner, President & CEO
Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
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