Willimack joins Foundation in shared role
The LincolnWay Community Foundation and the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque are proud to announce that Amanda Willimack, executive director of the LincolnWay Community Foundation, will begin supporting the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s affiliate foundation team while continuing her work in rural Clinton County.
Willimack has learned and practiced donor stewardship, grant making strategy, fundraising methods and community leadership tools and methods during her time working with the LincolnWay Community Foundation.
“She brings excitement now to a new role where that learning and experience will grow as she directly accompanies our host foundation staff and begins to lead regional initiatives including Small-town Dreams,” says Nancy Van Milligen, president and CEO of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque.
Through her work as executive director of one of the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s affiliates, Willimack has become familiar with both the team and the impactful initiatives they lead throughout the seven-county service region.
“Seeing the meaningful work being done by such positive, caring, intelligent and compassionate individuals inspired me to want to become more closely involved. I knew I wanted to be part of a team so deeply committed to making a difference,” says Willimack.
Willimack started working with LincolnWay in early 2023, and one of the highlights has been witnessing the incredible generosity of local donors. “In our small communities, financial support can be especially challenging to secure, so seeing how deeply our donors care about sustaining local organizations and their missions has been truly inspiring,” she says.
Over the past three years, Willimack has helped Lincolnway’s family of funds grow and with that, its community impact. “I can see the lasting impact of 40 years of work by the current and past board members— who have guided us to where we are today,” she says. “Each year, our reach and impact continue to grow, and I’m truly excited to be part of the journey and to see where the road ahead takes us.”
Willimack added “Assistant Affiliate Advisor” to her title this January and meets with the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque’s affiliate team weekly in the Dubuque office. She’s especially passionate about supporting the Small-town Dreams Initiative. Over the past three years, she has supported LincolnWay leaders working through the program to capture a $100,000 challenge grant and building an endowment for their community.
As the program enters its sixth year, it has already generated $1.5 million in matching grant dollars for small towns, with even greater impact still to come. This initiative is a powerful example of what’s possible when communities come togethe.rit inspires local pride, develops strong leadership, and re-energizes small towns not just for today, but for generations to come.
“I’m honored to be part of this work and eager to contribute to its continued success,” says Willimack.
“Opportunities for community wins like this are possible thanks to shared commitment, strong partnership and enduring trust have built over a decade of creating good in DeWitt and beyond, together,” says Van Milligen.
The LincolnWay Community Foundation offers many opportunities to improve quality of life by addressing an array of local issues. To learn more about how you can establish a fund or make a gift that impacts your community, contact Willimack at 563-212-2812.