BOONE, Iowa—The Boone County Community Foundation Board has awarded $169,388 to 30 local organizations. These grant funds are anticipated to leverage another $6,111,283 in total project spending. Nearly 50 people attended the event at the Grand Community Center in Boxholm.
The 30 grant recipients were announced on April 10. “We received 39 grant applications requesting $288,885. Our wishes are to grow the endowment resources as there are so many needy and worthwhile projects throughout the county,” said Nick Lentz, Chair of the Community Foundation Board (BCCF).
This was the twentieth year that the Boone County Community Foundation has engaged in grantmaking. The first awards were made in 2006 where 10 grants were awarded totaling $42,883. To date, $2,103,997 has been distributed in Boone County from the BCCF utilizing our granting process. The Endowment receives funds annually from the County Endowment Fund legislation. Starting in 2016, Boone County is also the recipient of funds from Grow Greene County, a philanthropic associate of the Wild Rose Casino in Jefferson. In 2025 this amounted to $51,500.
The Boone County Community Foundation Board was organized by representatives from throughout Boone County. “Our mission involves helping the communities and non-profit organizations of the county,” said Lentz. “We want to partner with communities and non-profit organizations to help them with programs and projects that might otherwise not be available to the individuals, families and visitors to our county.”
As an affiliate Foundation, the Boone County Community Foundation can assist donors who wish to make outright and testamentary gifts of support to our Foundation or other charitable organizations in the county. “It is possible for local charitable organizations to establish their own funds and benefit from special tax credits and the professional expertise and investment management we help provide,” said Lentz. There are currently 40 funds established.
Boone County Community Endowment Fund Grants 2025
| Applicant | Project | Awarded | |
| Arboretum | accessible walkway | $ 15,000 | |
| Arch Project- Boone Main Street | Arch | $ 5,421 | |
| Boone Area Humane Society | QR tags, Equip | $ 4,000 | |
| Boone Area Veterans | Veterans Center | $ 10,000 | |
| Boone Baseball | Storage shed | $ 10,000 | |
| Boone Swim Team | Tech & Safety upgrades | $ 2,800 | |
| Boone Scenic Valley RR | Depot ADA updates | $ 10,000 | |
| Boone National Little League | AED | $ 1,354 | |
| Boone City Parks | Pool chairs | $ 3,000 | |
| Boone Community Theatre | Kitchen updates | $ 3,000 | |
| BHS Booster Club | Ath Train Equip | $ 2,700 | |
| BC Search and Rescue | Ice Rescue Equip | $ 2,574 | |
| BC Emergency Management | Trailer | $ 5,741 | |
| BC Hospital Foundation | Food for kids | $ 5,000 | |
| BC Ag Assoc- Fair Board | Wash Rack renovation | $ 20,000 | |
| Children’s Cancer Center | Camp Heart Connection | $ 1,800 | |
| Friends of the Ledges | Campground Kiosk | $ 3,600 | |
| Grand Heritage Foundation | Community room & Office Project | $ 8,000 | |
| Habitat for Humanity | Helping Hands | $ 6,000 | |
| Mt Olive Lodge | Flagpole Replacement | $ 1,800 | |
| Mid Iowa Scouts | Reservation system, gravel | $ 6,000 | |
| IMPACT | Pantry Modernization | $ 12,500 | |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Family Stabilization | $ 3,000 | |
| Ogden Food Pantry | Food Items | $ 10,000 | |
| Madrid Fire Dept | Stair Chair | $ 2,548 | |
| Madrid Performing Arts Council | Block Risers | $ 5,000 | |
| Madrid Public Library | Audio Book Experience | $ 4,000 | |
| Madrid City Parks equip | Equipment Rental Program | $ 300 | |
| Madrid City | Coal Entrance to trestle | $ 1,750 | |
| St. Paul’s Kids Food, Madrid | Feed Kids | $ 2,500 | |
| Grow Greene County Funded | Total | $ 169,388 |
