Iowa West Foundation

08/13/2026

Belonging Grant Spotlight 🌟 Treynor Green Space Jam

The City of Treynor has been bringing neighbors together all summer long and the final Green Space Jam is almost here!

Join them tonight (August 13th) for a closing concert featuring Western Sky. 🎶

08/12/2026

Grantee Spotlight ⭐️ Firefly Early Head Start

With a $210,000 grant, Firefly Kids is expanding Early Head Start programming.

What is Early Head Start?
It's a federally funded program that provides early childhood education, health, and family support services to families facing financial barriers: infants, toddlers, and pregnant women.

Here's the thing: to receive federal funding, Early Head Start programs are required to maintain a waitlist.

This grant ensures that while families wait, their children receive quality programming — so no child misses out on those critical early learning years.

08/07/2026

Belonging Grant Spotlight 🌟 Treynor Green Space Jam

The City of Treynor has been bringing neighbors together all summer long and the final Green Space Jam is almost here!

Join them August 13th for a closing concert featuring Western Sky. 🎶

08/05/2026

08/05/2026

Belonging Grant Spotlight ✨ City of Neola, Iowa

HooDoo Days dates back to 1946, when Neola came together to welcome home WWII veterans. It's been an annual Labor Day weekend event since.

The multi-day, end-of-summer event takes over downtown Neola with carnival rides, a community parade, live music, vendor markets, a fireman's dinner, and a street dance.

This is exactly what the Belonging Grants for Pottawattamie County communities are all about - honoring tradition, bringing neighbors together, and celebrating what makes each community one-of-a-kind.

📅 Mark your calendars for Labor Day weekend in Neola!
www.facebook.com/groups/hoodoodays

08/04/2026

🌟 Board Spotlight: Brody Swanson 🌟

Brody is a partner at Peters Law Firm in Council Bluffs, bringing years of experience representing members of the community across a wide range of complex legal proceedings.

Since establishing his family in Council Bluffs, Brody has been deeply committed to giving back, serving on the board for Habitat for Humanity Council Bluffs, volunteering for Iowa Legal Aid, and dedicating much of his time outside of work to coaching youth sports.

When he's not in the courtroom or on the sidelines, you'll find him soaking up time with his wife and kids.

We're grateful for Brody's passion for this community and the dedication he brings to the Iowa West Foundation board! 🌟

08/03/2026

What a positive story on the development in

Historic downtown Council Bluffs is seeing fresh investment and family-friendly additions along a key commercial corridor.

John Chapman reports: https://on.wowt6.com/4bWBt9P

08/03/2026

REMINDER: Letters of Inquiry (LOIs) for the next grant cycle are due September 2nd!

If your organization is planning to apply for funding this cycle, now's the time to get your LOI ready.

Don't wait until the deadline sneaks up on you!
📅 Key Dates – Cycle 3:
🔹 LOI Due: September 2
🔹 Completed Application Due: September 15
🔹 Notification of Awards: 3rd week in November

Questions about eligibility or the process? Reach out to our team: https://www.iowawestfoundation.org/about-us/who-we-are/

07/31/2026

Grantee Spotlight ⭐️ American Midwest Ballet

American Midwest Ballet recently received a $100,000 operating grant, and the impact goes far beyond the studio. Through partnerships with 100+ schools and 30 community organizations, AMB brings world-class dance to people of all backgrounds right here to Council Bluffs. 🩰

ICYMI: You can subscribe to Season 17! A subscription means you pick the shows and number of tickets that work for you, get the best seats at your selected level, and have tickets delivered straight to your email.

🎟️ https://amballet.org/subscribe/