BOONE, Iowa — The Boone County Community Endowment Board has awarded $139,695 to 31 local organizations. These grants funds are anticipated to leverage another $1,100,788 in total project spending.
The 30 grant recipients were announced at a special celebration held at the ISU Extension Office in Boone on April 12. “We received 52 grant applications requesting $318,976. We wish that we had more resources at the Endowment because we know there are many needs and worthy projects throughout the county,” said Mike Tungesvik, Chair of the Community Endowment Board.
This was the thirteenth time that the Boone County Community Endowment has engaged in grantmaking. The first awards were made in 2006 where 10 grants were awarded totaling $42,883. In 2018, $139,695 were granted to 30 recipients. To date, $1,120,231 has been distributed in Boone County from the BCCEF utilizing our granting process. The Endowment receives funds annually from the County Endowment Fund legislation. Starting in 2016, Boone County is also the recipient of funds from Grow Greene County, a philanthropic associate of the Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson.
The Boone County Community Endowment Fund Board was organized by representatives from throughout Boone County. “Our mission involves helping the communities and non-profit organizations of the county,” said Tungesvik. “We want to partner with communities and non-profit organizations to help them with programs and projects that might otherwise not be available to the individuals, families and visitors to our county.”
As an affiliate Endowment, the Boone County Community Endowment can assist donors who wish to make outright and testamentary gifts of support to our Endowment or other charitable organizations in the county. “It is possible for local charitable organizations to establish their own funds and benefit from special tax credits and the professional expertise and investment management we help provide,” said Tungesvik. There are currently 27 funds established.
— Iowa State University Extension and Outreach
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