Endow Iowa Tax Credit Program Wait List Cleared

Published: July 26, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

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Small Business Loan Program, MICRO, Moves to ECICOG

Published: July 26, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

Published: July 26, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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.

A photo of students on stage while one of them receives a scholarship.

Multiply Your Giving to Linn County Public School Classrooms

Published: July 26, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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


Grant Supports the Future of Catherine McAuley Center

Published: July 5, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

Photo of a Catherine McAuley office with three people talking.

New Website Helps Connect Donors to Community Needs

Published: July 5, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

Published: July 5, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

Photo of Bill Severa

New President & CEO: Karla Twedt-Ball, Poised to Lead into the Future

Published: July 5, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

Published: June 30, 2023 | By: Drew Morton | Category:

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

Photo of Elizabeth Cwik standing outside on a sidewalk in the summer sunshine.