Forever LincolnWay hits $225,000 campaign milestone

The LincolnWay Community Foundation board is celebrating a milestone in its campaign to build a $450,000 permanent endowment that will help address local needs for years to come. Thanks to gifts from board members and community leaders, over $262,500 has been raised for the Forever LincolnWay Endowment Fund. The campaign, when completed, will include a generous $75,000 matching challenge grant from an anonymous donor.

The initiative and challenge grant will help the Foundation build its endowment and provide an annual payout that will help address emerging needs and opportunities in communities across rural Clinton County.

“The Forever Fund presents an opportunity for each of us to invest in the Foundation and thus the success of our communities,” says Amanda Willimack, executive director. “As an endowment, it will continue growing forever, and the flexible dollars it will provide can help address critical and emerging needs.”

In partnership with its affiliate foundations, including LincolnWay , the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque has launched the Small-town Dreams Initiative in ten communities across its seven-county affiliate region, which includes Clinton County. In partnership with the anonymous donor, the initiative has been structured to provide a cash match both for endowment-building and immediate local grantmaking. 

The anonymous donor awarded $5,000 to the LincolnWay Community Foundation at the $225,000 fundraising milestone for immediate grantmaking. A decision will be made next month based on the Foundation’s understanding of local needs.

These awards supplement the Foundation’s annual competitive grant cycle, which currently awards $40,000 annually. Building the Forever LincolnWay Fund and completing the Small-town Dreams Initiative will provide an additional $20,000 for the Foundation to continue its impact.

"The Foundation was created as a lasting vehicle to connect local generosity with emerging needs in our communities,” says John Peavey, board president. “Today, the Forever LincolnWay Endowment will help us as we transition from an all-volunteer board into a sustainable, professionally-managed organization."

To learn more about how you can establish a fund or make a gift to the Forever LincolnWay Endowment, contact Amanda Willimack at 563-212-2812 or go to dbqfoundation.org/lwcf.