The Iowa West Foundation in Council Bluffs, Iowa, has announced $3.2 million in grants and initiatives, boosting the total funding it awarded in 2021 to approximately $16 million.

The foundation awarded grants for efforts ranging from bolstering entrepreneurs and workforce development to providing more accessibility to mental health services and quality housing. Recipients include Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs, which was awarded $40,000 to protect and renovate the existing housing stock, which in turn will improve the health and safety of the occupants, maintain property values, and increase overall neighborhood appeal; the Council Bluffs Chamber of Commerce, which will receive $130,000 in support of its workforce development efforts; and the City of Council Bluffs, which was awarded $1 million to continue expanding the FIRST AVE (Furthering Interconnections, Revitalization, Streetscapes, Transportation, and Aesthetics for a Vibrant Economy) trail from Twenty-Fifth Street to Sixteenth Street.

“The Iowa West Foundation’s goal is to help address the needs of communities while also supporting their dreams,” said Iowa West Foundation president and CEO Brenda Mainwaring. “We see ourselves as a partner with the nonprofits that we support. Only together can we continue to improve lives in our region.”

(Image credit: FIRST AVE Project)