61 Local Nonprofits Receive Financial Boost Totaling $238,000

These grants will play an important role in assisting nonprofit organizations dedicated to arts and culture, community betterment, education, health, and human services in our region. The funds will support various programs, help with the purchase of essential equipment and supplies, and contribute to much-needed operational expenses.

"The need for support in our nonprofit community is greater than ever this year as demonstrated by the record number of 124 grant applications that we received for our community grant program,” said Community Foundation Program Officer Kent Embree. “For the past two years, we have been able to exceed more than $200,000 in grants annually to deserving organizations within our 12-county service area through this program. We recognize the profound impact these organizations make in our communities, and we are excited to witness the continued success in their endeavors this year."

Through the community grant program, the Community Foundation strives to strengthen nonprofit programs which ultimately enhances the quality of life throughout our region. The Community Foundation annually accepts applications for funding from nonprofit organizations in its 12-county region. A grant committee, comprised of board members and volunteers from throughout the region, evaluates each application to determine the awards.  

The funding for these community grants is made possible through earnings from endowment funds. Generous donors collaborate with the Community Foundation to establish permanent charitable funds that align with their philanthropic goals and the needs of the community. The Community Foundation diligently invests and grows these funds, and each year a portion of the fund's earnings are distributed as grants, while the principal remains intact.

“The donors who establish these funds have diverse goals and intentions, but what ties them together is their love for their community,” said Catherine Bocke Meckes, Community Foundation CEO. “We are grateful for our donors’ vision and commitment to West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri. The greatest impact of their generosity is yet to come. Through endowment, we are preparing our region for a vibrant and prosperous future.” 

The following funds supported the 2023 community grant program:

Unrestricted Endowment Funds, support grants for arts and culture, community betterment, education, health and human services in the Community Foundation’s 12-county service area:

• Anonymous Funds (2)

• Karl H. & Bobbi Bowles Family and Quincy Farm & Home Supply Company Fund

• Dr. & Mrs. Merle F. Crossland Family Fund

• Harry Channon Eaton Family Endowment Fund

• Angie (Fusselman) Mayes & Evelyn J. Fusselman Fund

• Harry J. & Bernice M. Wissman Heidbreder Fund

• Kirk Family Fund – Houston, Carolyn & Carson

• Carl and Gladys Koehser Family Fund

• Mrs. Arthur O. Lindsay Fund

• Robert A. & Anne M. Mays Fund

• Robert G. and Melva Campbell Riley Fund

• Charles A. & Nancy Scholz Charitable Fund

• Margaret J. Sinnock Fund

• Bette J. Starnes Endowment

• Jeffrey G. & Theresa L. Spear Fund 

• Grant L. and K. Georgann Sturhahn Fund

• Dorothy L. Swallow Fund

• Community Endowment Fund

• James R. and Katherine H. Williams Fund

• Carl, Althea & Cathy Wiskirchen Endowment

Field of Interest 

• Blessing Hospital Community Health Fund

• Jayne & Leroy Boeckelman Fund for Young Musicians

• Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts

• Noma Meyers Eaton Fund

• Paul H. & Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund

• Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund

• HOMEBANK Fund

• HOMEBANK of Quincy Fund

• Jane's Kids' Fund

• Jon’s Home Center Associates Fund

• G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund

• Irwin Family Fund

• Cory Didriksen Lovelace Fund

• William & Sheila Menke Endowment

• The Quincy Foundation Fund

• Quincy Recycle Fund

• James L. & Dorothy W. Rouner Fund

• Alan L. Stiegemeier and Mary Ellen Stiegemeier Charitable Fund

• The Wood Endowment

County Endowment Funds, support nonprofit organizations in a specific county:

• Adams County Endowment Fund (IL)

• Brown County Endowment Fund (IL)

• Hancock County Endowment Fund (IL)

• Lewis County Endowment Fund (MO)

• Marion County Endowment Fund (MO)

• Monroe County Endowment Fund (MO)

• Pike County Endowment Fund (IL)

Donor Advised Funds, allow a fund advisor to recommend grant recipients. Donor advisors may recommend grants at any time throughout the year, but are encouraged to consider grants in support of competitive grant requests:

• Betty Schmidt Endowment

• Green-Humphrey Family Fund for Music

• Joe and Denette Kuhlman Family Fund

• T. C. & Mary S. Oakley Descendants Fund

• Ralph Oakley Family Fund

• Optimist Club of Quincy Friend of Youth Fund

• The Zechariah Fund

These are among the 225+ funds at the Community Foundation that support arts and culture, community betterment, education, health or human services.   

This year’s grant recipients include:

Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund

Brown County Early Learning Center:  General operating support - Jon’s Home Center Associates Fund

Canton Public Library: Facility improvements - Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

Chaddock Children’s Foundation: STEM equipment, including robots and coding software, for students on campus - Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund, G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund

CHART Teen Task Force: Safer sexuality education in Northeast Missouri schools - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Coyote Hill: Support for monthly Community Groups for local foster families - Marion County Endowment Fund, Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

Unrestricted Endowment Funds

FACT: Families and Communities Together: General operating support - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Food for Thoughts Hancock County: Support for the week-end meal program - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois: Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE) in Adams, Brown, Hancock, and Pike Counties - Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund 

Golden Good Shepherd Home: Purchase of a new walk-in cooler/freezer unit - Betty Schmidt Endowment, Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund 

Hannibal Arts Council: General operating support - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Hannibal Clinic Health Services:  Ride Cool bicycle safety event - Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

Hannibal Free Clinic: Fireproof safe and cyber protection equipment - Marion County Endowment Fund , Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Hannibal-LaGrange University: Update lighting in Parker Theatre located on campus -  Marion County Endowment Fund, Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Heartland Resources, Inc.: Nutrition for seniors in Lewis County ages 60+ and disabled adults ages 18+ - Lewis County Endowment Fund 

Horizons Social Services of Adams County: Support for Addicts Victorious space, programs, and resources offered at Horizons - Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, James L. and Dorothy W. Rouner Fund

Horizons Social Services of Adams County: Food rescue and redistribution - Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund

Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

Quincy Art Center: General operating support - Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund, Noma Meyers Eaton Fund

Quincy Museum, Inc.: General operating support - The Quincy Foundation Fund

Quincy Public Schools Foundation:  Quincy Children’s Museum visits to schools within Quincy Public School District - Joe and Denette Kuhlman Family Fund, Alan L. Stiegemeier and Mary Ellen Stiegemeier Charitable Fund

Quincy University: Collection development and expanded access to digital materials in Brenner Library for the new Electrical and Mechanical Engineering programs -  Mercantile Endowment Fund, T.C. and Mary S. Oakley Descendants Fund 

Jon’s Home Center Associates Fund

The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri: Child abuse prevention education programs for school-aged children and youth living in Northeast Missouri -  Marion County Endowment Fund, Unrestricted Endowment Funds, 

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri: Buddy Pack Program support to ensure students facing hunger have supplemental nutrition on weekends during the school year - Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri: Lewis County Mobile Food Pantry - Lewis County Endowment Fund 

The Legacy Theater Foundation: General operating support - Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

Transitions of Western Illinois: Enhancing services for persons with intellectual/developmental disabilities - Alan L. Stiegemeier and Mary Ellen Stiegemeier Charitable Fund 

Tri-Township Fire Protection District:  Thermal imaging camera - Adams County Endowment Fund, Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, The Wood Endowment 

Two Rivers Regional Council of Public Officials:  SNAP to Success matching vocational training funds - Pike County Endowment Fund, 

Communityworks Endowment Fund 

Two Rivers Resource Conservation and Development: Access Food Feed the Hungry Program for Pike County - Pike County Endowment Fund, Unrestricted Endowment Funds 

United Way of the Mark Twain Area: Strengthening Missouri nonprofits with leadership training - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

United Way of the Mark Twain Area: Problem Solving Collaboration Day for area nonprofits  - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

Versailles Township: Renovation to Versailles Community Building - Unrestricted Endowment Funds

West Central Child Care Connection: Purchase books for babies for the "Born Learning" project- Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund, Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund 

YMCA of West Central Illinois – Quincy Family YMCA: General operating support - Mercantile Endowment Fund, Paul H. and Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund 

YWCA of Quincy: Permanent supportive housing program - Ralph Oakley Family Fund 

In addition to today’s presentation, County Fund Councils will present grants from County Endowment Funds. Fund councils in Brown, Hancock and Pike County, IL and Lewis, Marion and Monroe County, MO reviewed applications from local, eligible organizations and made recommendations on grants to be awarded to best serve each county’s needs and opportunities. Grants from the Marion County Endowment Fund were presented as part of Tuesday’s presentation in Hannibal. Grants from the remaining County Endowment Funds will be presented at County Endowment awards presentations in each county.