Parks & Public Space Initiative/Margaret Annis Boys Trust Fund

The Community Impact Grants program, offered by the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, is designed to award grants from unrestricted funds to improve policies and practices within the Greater Dubuque community. The core mission of this program is to achieve the greatest possible impact through strategic investments. This aligns with the Foundation's broader goal of fostering positive change and strengthening the region by supporting initiatives that address critical community needs and enhance overall well-being. The program primarily targets nonprofit 501(c)3 organizations, churches, schools, or government organizations that provide services in Clayton, Clinton, and Dubuque counties. Organizations without 501(c)3 status are encouraged to find a qualifying fiscal sponsor. The overarching impact goal is to support capacity-building efforts among these nonprofits, thereby empowering them to deliver more effective and sustainable services to the community. This focus on capacity building aims to create a stronger, more resilient network of organizations serving the region. Project proposals for Community Impact Grants can focus on a variety of areas, demonstrating the program's broad priorities. These include community programming, individual and team leadership development, organization-wide planning and development, equity, diversity and inclusion initiatives, network development, communications, evaluation and learning planning, and digital and physical security. These diverse focus areas reflect the Foundation's strategic commitment to addressing a wide range of needs that contribute to a healthy and thriving community. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed, the emphasis on capacity-building efforts and the various project focus areas imply expected outcomes such as enhanced organizational effectiveness, improved leadership capabilities, more inclusive practices, stronger community networks, better communication strategies, and increased ability to assess and learn from program impacts. By supporting these areas, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque operates on a theory of change that by strengthening the infrastructure and capabilities of local nonprofits, it will ultimately lead to a more impactful and sustainable benefit for the residents of Clayton, Clinton, and Dubuque counties.