Support needed as Foundation nears fundraising goal

Local support of the LincolnWay Community Foundation has brought the Foundation board within just $30,000 of its $450,000 fundraising goal. Along the way, the Foundation has captured a $75,000 matching grant from an anonymous donor as part of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s Small-town Dreams Initiative. 

With the goal in sight, community members can help cross the finish line.

In order to capture the full matching grant, the Foundation must meet its fundraising goal by year-end. When the endowment reaches $450,000, it will provide an annual payout of approximately $20,000 to ensure the Foundation can continue doing its important community work.

“The board is so grateful for the generosity and partnership we’ve seen throughout this campaign,” says says Amanda Willimack, the Foundation’s executive director. “Gifts today help us meet our deadline and goal, capture the matching gift, and grow a stronger rural Clinton County for today, tomorrow and forever.”

The match includes dollars to start making grants immediately, as well as a contribution toward the Forever LincolnWay endowment. Forever LincolnWay funds are invested permanently so it can provide annual disbursements to support a paid Foundation staff member who devotes time to building relationships with people and organizations to understand rural Clinton County’s needs and help find solutions.

“The endowment was established to ensure the LincolnWay Community Foundation will be able to continue giving all of the funds we steward the attention and care they deserve, forever,” says Willimack. 

Donors have provided $10 million in scholarships and grants to teachers, nonprofits and local initiatives through the Foundation over the past 30+ years, drastically improving quality of life in rural Clinton County. Since its inception, the Foundation has partnered with local leaders to develop more than 90 funds, which made $124,000 available to communities, nonprofits and special projects this year alone. 

As executive director, Willimack connects with these fundholders regularly to ensure their needs are met, meets with nonprofits and leaders in 12 rural communities to understand their challenges, and leads the Foundation’s own annual competetive grant cycle, which awarded more than $40,000 to 14 local organizations in 2023.

To make your gift and help meet the $450,000 goal, visit dbqfoundation.org/foreverlw or contact Willimack at lwcf@dbqfoundation.org.