Community Foundation Approves $4.6 Million in Grants
The Board of Directors of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation recently approved $4.6 million in grants to 279 nonprofit organizations. The awards include competitive Organization Support Grants, Program Support Grants, Linn County Grants, and Endowment Challenge Grants from the grant cycle in the fall of 2025; as well as Rapid Response Grants and distributions from donor-advised, designated, scholarship and nonprofit funds.
The Community Foundation brings together private philanthropy with impactful nonprofits to support a healthy and vibrant Linn County. In 2025, the Community Foundation distributed over $12 million in grants.
The Community Foundation’s competitive grant programs are supported by the Greater Good Fund. Donors who make gifts to the Greater Good Fund have entrusted the Community Foundation to make grants that address ever-changing community needs and opportunities. These grant programs support efforts related to innovation, maintaining success, and building capacity through a competitive grantmaking process. During this grant cycle, the Community Foundation received over $2.3 million in requests for competitive grants and was able to fund $1,107,670 (or 48% of the requested amount).
A complete list of the nonprofit organizations who received grant awards is included below. More information about these awards, including the project, purpose and amount of funding, can be found here.
Linn County Grants
Anna Purna Ghosh Foundation
Area Substance Abuse Council
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids & East Central Iowa
City of Alburnett
City of Walker
Friends of the Lisbon Public Library
His Hands Free Clinic
Horizons – A Family Service Alliance
Kids First Law Center
Lavender Legal Center
Linn County 3Rd Fire District Foundation Inc
NewBo City Market
Red Cedar Chamber Music
Riverview Center Inc.
Southeast Linn Community Center Corporation
The History Center
Trees Forever
Organization Support Grants
African American Museum of Iowa
Anna Purna Ghosh Foundation
Catherine McAuley Center
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Chain Reaction Bike Hub
CSPS
Feed Iowa First
Foundation 2 Crisis Services
Growing Real Opportunities for Work at Kazimour Farm & Orchard
Indian Creek Nature Center
Iowa Legal Aid
Kids First Law Center
NewBo City Market
Orchestra Iowa
Safe Place Foundation
Southeast Linn Community Center Corporation
The Freedom Foundation
Theatre Cedar Rapids
Wheelchair Ramp Accessibility Program Coalition
Willis Dady Emergency Shelter
Program Support Grants
African American Museum of Iowa
Anna Purna Ghosh Foundation
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids & East Central Iowa
Bridgehaven Pregnancy Support Center
Cedar Rapids Museum of Art
Cedar Rapids Opera Theatre
Central Furniture Rescue
Chain Reaction Bike Hub
CR Independent Film Festival
Feed Iowa First
Foundation 2 Crisis Services
Growing Real Opportunities for Work at Kazimour Farm & Orchard
Hawkeye Area Community Action Program
His Hands Free Clinic
Hope Community Development Association
If I Don’t Do It Institute
Kirkwood Community College Foundation
Lavender Legal Center
Marion Public Library Foundation
NewBo City Market
Endowment Challenge Grants
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids & East Central Iowa
Hawkeye Area Council, Scouting America
YPN
Girls with Goals Fund
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Cedar Rapids & East Central Iowa
Cedar Amateur Astronomers Inc.
Eastern Iowa Arts Academy
FC United Soccer Club Inc
Hawkeye Area Council, Boy Scouts of America
Junior League of Cedar Rapids
NewBoCo
Young Women’s Resource Center
Rapid Response Grants
Friends of the Family
Safe Place Foundation
Tanager
The Academy for Scholastic and Personal Success for Black Women Walking
McGrath Automotive Group Corporate Donor-Advised Fund
Area Substance Abuse Council
Community Health Free Clinic
CR Independent Film Festival
Eastern Iowa Arts Academy
Feed Iowa First
Foundation 2 Crisis Services
Hawkeye Area Community Action Program
Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa
Kids First Law Center
Matthew 25
Orchestra Iowa
Patrons of the Performing Arts at Washington High School
Sleep in Heavenly Peace
The Freedom Foundation
Together We Achieve
Waypoint Services for Women, Children and Families
YMCA of the Cedar Rapids Metropolitan Area