Kari McCann Boutell, President
Iowa Council of Foundations
In this uncertain and unprecedented time, I am working hard to find the silver linings of this moment. When challenging circumstances seem overwhelming, I turn my mind toward the powerful and positive response efforts happening throughout Iowa. Since mid-March, we have been tracking the COVID-19 response funds opened by our member organizations and to-date, there are over 20 funds that have been established, by host, standalone and affiliate community foundations. Whats more, is many of these funds have launched in partnership with other funders – private and corporate foundations, United Ways, and in some cases, even local governments. It is truly inspiring to see the innovative and swift response from our Iowa Community Foundations network.
At the Iowa Council of Foundations, we are utilizing our network strengths to provide ongoing supports.
- We are pulling together regular webinars/check-in calls so funders can share their response efforts and learn from others. You can join an upcoming call by registering here.
- We are working with partners to provide learning opportunities, such as the webinar we hosted last week in partnership with the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines titled, Understanding State and Federal Assistance Programs for Nonprofits. You can access the recording here.
- We are providing resources, templates and tools on our COVID-19 Resources Page.
- We are fielding questions and connecting network members with their peers across the state to lift up best practices and help facilitate peer-learning.
Please let us know if there are ways we can be helpful to you and your organization. We are here to support you.
