Leading Our Region TOGETHER.

Throughout its 20-year history, the Community Foundation has established a tradition of attracting generous, passionate volunteers to lead the organization and build a strong Dubuque region.

In 2003, a group of driven community members dreamed big and took a risk establishing something that was new to many in Dubuque — a foundation that could help people invest in the place they call home. That visionary spirit is alive and well among the board members leading the Foundation today as it tackles systemic community issues and strengthens the region for the future.

“When we started the Foundation, it was a simple idea: People didn’t have a vehicle for leaving money to the community when they died,” says founding board member John O’Connor. “They lived in this community, they wanted to take care of this community, but they didn’t have the means to establish their own foundation.

“The community foundation concept created a mechanism for them to use, but it has expanded greatly from that little idea to something much bigger and, really, much better.”

Today, new board members are building on the groundwork laid by the founders, steering a leadership organization that bridges community needs with local generosity to foster a place where all people can access resources and opportunities.

“Nobody gets to where they are without some type of help, and I believe that has a lot to do with community members giving back and volunteering their time,” says Danielle Moore, who joined the board in 2022 and serves as manager of global parts order fulfillment for John Deere Dubuque Works.

When the opportunity came to volunteer on the board, Danielle didn’t have to think twice. Since moving to Dubuque in 2005 for a John Deere internship, Danielle became immersed in the community. Not only has she stayed with the same employer all these years, but she also put down roots. She started a family, became a mentor to teen girls at Hempstead High School, and tutored students at Northeast Iowa Community College.

She has seen the Community Foundation at the forefront of strengthening the Dubuque region and was eager to be part of the region’s transformation.

“I’m passionate about lifting up the most vulnerable people in our community,” Danielle says. “The Foundation is positioned to do this because of its track record and the vision of its leaders. Board members are going out in the community and using their resources, knowledge and relationships to secure funding that addresses the needs of local people.”