Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program Wait List Cleared
The Endow Iowa tax credit program – a program that allows taxpayers to receive an Iowa state income tax credit equal to 25 percent of the value of a gift to an endowed charitable held at a qualified community foundation – has inspired gifts to endowed funds held at community foundations across the state since 2003. The program is administered…Continue Reading
Small Business Loan Program, MICRO, Moves to ECICOG
In 2015, a local couple came to the Community Foundation with an idea. Entrepreneurs themselves, they wanted to support new and growing businesses in the area through accessible loans. The idea was a seed that grew into MICRO, an award-winning program that provides low-interest loans and other resources to entrepreneurs in Cedar Rapids. MICRO was made possible by the many…Continue Reading
Scholarships Support Linn County Students
This spring, the Community Foundation awarded more than $155,000 in scholarships to 95 Linn County students entering a wide range of professional fields. Awardees include graduates from 22 area high schools. These scholarships are made possible by the generosity of donors who support education through the Community Foundation. To view the 2023 scholarship recipients, click here.
Multiply Your Giving to Linn County Public School Classrooms
The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is once again partnering with DonorsChoose to match donations to classroom projects of teachers in Linn County public schools. The one-to-one match begins on August 1, 2023. DonorsChoose is a national nonprofit, founded in 2000, that allows teachers to crowdsource funding for supplies, projects and equipment. Donors can give to schools in their area,…Continue Reading
Annual Report 2022
To download a screen reader compatible version, click here.
Grant Supports the Future of Catherine McAuley Center
You might say the past few years have been a whirlwind for the Catherine McAuley Center. Besides the pandemic and derecho, the organization also wrapped up a capital campaign, moved into a new building, and experienced exponential demand for services when hundreds of Afghan refugees arrived in Iowa. Still, while the organization responded to each new challenge, they managed to…Continue Reading
New Website Helps Connect Donors to Community Needs
The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation recently unveiled a new website. The new site, still at gcrcf.org, offers many new features and resources. “A few of our goals were to streamline information for users, strengthen our identity, help donors easily connect to community needs, and to make it inclusive with accessibility options,” said Corinne Ramler, Vice President of Marketing and…Continue Reading
Honoring the Past by Planning for the Future
Bill Severa inherited a lot of things, though not necessarily tangible things. He inherited an appreciation of history, a passion for giving back, and a love for the Cedar Rapids community. For those that knew Bill, it was no surprise to learn that he combined those ideals to create an impactful philanthropic legacy when he passed away at age 96…Continue Reading
New President & CEO: Karla Twedt-Ball, Poised to Lead into the Future
Karla Twedt-Ball’s tenure as the President & CEO of the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation began on June 1, 2023, but this was by no means the beginning of her service to Linn County. With a wealth of experience and a commitment to our community, Karla is poised to lead the Community Foundation into the next chapter. Karla grew up…Continue Reading
Rooted in Service: Elizabeth Cwik Retires
After more than 15 years with the Community Foundation, Elizabeth Cwik began her retirement on May 25, 2023. Elizabeth joined the Community Foundation as a Program Assistant in March of 2008, just a few months before the 2008 Flood. She jumped right in to help support nonprofits through grantmaking in response to the disaster. Prior to this, she served for…Continue Reading
