Community Foundation Grants $250,000 to Local Nonprofits
Jan. 23, 2024
The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has awarded Leadership Grants totaling $250,000 to support two community projects: the Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity (GDM Habitat) Framing our Future Campaign and the Primary Health Care (PHC) University Medical Clinic Expansion. Leadership Grants are made possible by the Better Together Fund.
Leadership Grants are centered around equity and support projects with the potential to create significant impact on community issues and opportunities. Donors to the Better Together Fund give to support community needs now and into the future as identified through the Community Foundation’s grantmaking process facilitated by the organization’s expert staff, Grantmaking Committee and board of directors.
GDM Habitat: Framing Our Future Campaign
A $100,000 Leadership Grant will support the acquisition of land as part of the $10.5 million capital campaign, Framing our Future, that will serve 915 households over three years. GDM Habitat will purchase 55 lots in areas of opportunity and 55 in the urban core and target neighborhoods over the next three years. Those lots will then be used to increase the supply of housing near jobs through two workforce housing developments, create new homeownership opportunities in response to a shortage of affordable units, set the stage for collaborative mixed-income development and innovative multi-family housing products and move households to homeownership through Habitat Direct.
“Every parcel of land that GDM Habitat for Humanity acquires means another family will have an opportunity for affordable homeownership, choice in where they live and a more stable and promising future,” said Lance Henning, CEO of Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity. “This leadership grant provided by the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines will help us create a Central Iowa where every ZIP code sees the benefit of equitable access to affordable homeownership. We're grateful for this vote of confidence in our mission and the Framing our Future campaign."
PHC: University Medical Clinic Expansion
A $150,000 Leadership Grant will support the expansion of the University Medical Clinic located at 1200 University Avenue in Des Moines. This project centers around addressing health disparities that exist in our community and expanding access to medical and mental health care to marginalized populations. The site provides various services including a full-time dental clinic, pharmacy, homeless support services program, Polk County Centralized Intake and an HIV care and treatment clinic. Having all the services available in the same location is critical as it helps eliminate barriers created by follow-up visits. The expansion will add 16 exam/flex rooms that will provide the necessary space to accommodate services for over 7,200 patients annually.
"We are delighted to be named a Community Foundation 2023 Leadership Grant recipient,” said Kelly Huntsman, CEO of PHC. “This award augments PHC's efforts to expand access to medical and behavioral health care, address health inequities and positively impact the lives of our patients. We're grateful for the Community Foundation's dedication to transforming lives and strengthening our community!"