Support for youth and nonprofits

Two new community advocates have joined the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque staff, poised to make an impact by leading education-focused initiatives and supporting nonprofits in the grant process. Kelly Krause will apply her experience as a principal and superintendent as the new education officer and Gretchen Corcoran brings her fundraising background to the grants manager role.

After many years of teaching and serving in school leadership roles, Krause is continuing to support future generations by guiding the Foundation’s work focused on academic achievement. She will facilitate grade-level reading initiatives and other educational programs in the Dubuque region.

Teaching is a proud tradition in Krause’s family. Her father was a teacher, her great-grandmother was a teacher, and early on, she knew she would carry on their legacy. 

“I had wanted to be a teacher ever since I could remember,” says Krause. “I used to play school and tutor kids who were younger than me while riding the bus to school. 

Krause took that energy and applied it to both sides of the school desk. She was an English teacher and middle and high school principal. She also served as a member of a unique superintendent team for three and a half years and superintendent for three years. While she held those positions, she enjoyed the role of a student, earning a master’s and doctorate degree in education leadership.

“We feel extremely fortunate to have Kelly on our team. She brings a wealth of knowledge, experience and expertise that will guide our education work and engage our partners in new, exciting ways,” says Mary Jo Jean-Francois, vice president of impact.

The second new team member, Corcoran, served as an intern at the Foundation in 2016 while completing her degree in nonprofit management, then applied what she learned to serve in nonprofit fundraising and corporate recruiting roles for several years.

“After COVID, I realized I really wanted to do more meaningful work,” Corcoran says. “When the opportunity came up to return to the Foundation, I jumped at that chance.”

In her role as grants manager, Corcoran will serve as a point of contact for nonprofits, supporting them through all the components of the grantmaking process, such as applications and reporting.

“Gretchen’s understanding of the Dubuque community and her passion for nonprofit work is going to be a great asset to the work we do at the Community Foundation. I am thrilled she’s joined our team and look forward to seeing how she helps us grow as grant makers,” says Jean-Francois.