2016 Spring Community Newsletter

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community SPRING 2016

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COUPLE USES INHERITANCE TO HONOR PARENTS Terry and Linda Heller both grew up on small farms in western Illinois, graduating from a high school class of about 50 students. After living in Chicago while working towards his PhD, Terry received a teaching opportunity in the English Department at Coe College, and the couple settled in Cedar Rapids, Iowa.

It has been a good fit for Terry and Linda – they appreciate the opportunities the larger community provides, but enjoy the accessible, small-town feel. They raised a son in Cedar Rapids, and regularly gave modest, charitable contributions to area nonprofits.

After the passing of Terry’s parents, Rollin and Betty, in 2010 and 2014 respectively, Terry and Linda were surprised to learn that they would receive a significantly larger inheritance than they had expected. Rollin and Betty retired from farming in 1972. They sold their machinery but never discussed the value of their farm.

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A kind and somewhat eccentric couple, Rollin and Betty devoted their post-farming life to volunteerism and serving others. They joined the Peace Corps and served for five years in the Philippine Islands. They traveled around the world, even staying and working for a time on a kibbutz in Israel. After returning home, they moved to a quaint residence in their hometown, but regularly traveled to the Gulf Coast and Southwest to do service work with the United Methodist Church. “My parents taught me that if you want to live in a good-hearted community, it makes sense to be good-hearted yourself,” says Terry.

After a discussion with a friend and their financial advisor, Terry and Linda began thinking about using their inheritance to give back. “We’ve always felt an obligation to serve our community,” reflects Terry. “However, we’ve always had only a modest income and lived frugally. Our lives seemed so full of work and family obligations that we never had time to volunteer as much as we would have liked.”

The Community Foundation felt like a good vehicle for the Hellers’ charitable giving. They could give now and give more because of the benefit of the Endow Iowa tax credits. Terry and Linda established a fund as a memorial to Rollin and Betty.

“Mom and Dad labored hard to make their farm successful,” Terry insists, “and so we felt some of what they built should be given away to nonprofits that they would have supported themselves. It’s very satisfying to feel you’re following in their footsteps.”

“My parents taught me that if you want to live in a good-hearted community, it makes sense to be good-hearted yourself.”

Terry and Linda look forward to growing the fund so that, through it, they can give substantial amounts forever to the local organizations that have enriched their lives.

They believe that the Rollin and Betty Heller Memorial Fund will continue to do good for years to come.

Terry Heller’s parents, Rollin and Betty Heller, in 1993.Terry and his wife Linda established the Rollin and Betty Heller Memorial Fund in 2015 in their honor.

2015 YEAR-IN-REVIEW The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is proud to help donors and nonprofit organizations improve the quality of life in Linn County. Together, we are creating a vibrant community. Here is a summary of 2015:

Total assets Total grants awarded Number of nonprofits funded Total contributions Number of gifts Number of new funds Total number of funds Number of scholarships funded

$140 million $8 million 378 $13.1 million 2,092 61 803 83

Grant requests from the Funds for the Community $1.6 MILLION $2.8 MILLION $1.2 MILLION requested

funded

unfunded

ECONOMIC REVITALIZATION STUDY GROUP VISITS CEDAR RAPIDS

A study group focused on the economic revitalization of small cities visited Cedar Rapids on February 29 – March 2. The 16-member group, which included representatives from national and regional foundations and the Federal Reserve Bank System is studying cities that have rebounded from the economic decline associated with the “rust belt” phenomenon. The group’s goal is to identify factors that contribute to renewed economic vitality in the face of economic challenges. The Community Foundation was contacted by the Funders Network to assist in coordinating the visit. Eleven other community organizations participated in the tour and presentations.

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GRANTMAKING

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A Program Fund grant supported Linn-Mar Foundation’s Music Connects program.This effort provides financial support for low-income students who wish to pursue band or orchestra.

Linn-Mar Associate Orchestra Director, Kelly Vieth, notes that the Music Connects program has increased student interest in orchestra or band in elementary and middle school, because parents feel that it’s affordable. She notes that it has a big impact on students because, “they feel like they’re equal to their peers and that there’s no distinction based on socioeconomic status.They feel like they belong.”

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Music is everywhere and band is a fun way to learn more about it. I hope to play trumpet in high school, and it’s important to learn the basics now.

– Makayla Clark 7th grader at Linn-Mar’s Excelsior Middle School

Coming to CompuPlace is a point of pride for Debbra. Her self-esteem has skyrocketed, because when she comes here she can feel normal. She gets to use a computer to learn like other people do.

– Barbara Christensen Mother of Debbra Burkey, CompuPlace participant

The Ecumenical Community Center’s CompuPlace is a unique computer learning lab for people with intellectual and other disabilities. A grant from the Program Fund supported the program which improves reading, math, problem-solving, communication, and typical computer and Internet skills in ways that augment quality of life, self-esteem, and independence for participants.

People need to know that somebody cares. They need to be encouraged to take pride in their neighborhood.

The Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association received support from a Program Fund grant to organize resources and community building efforts through a part-time resource coordinator.

– Brenda Runyan Resource Coordinator, Wellington Heights Neighborhood Association

For a complete list of grant awards, visit www.gcrcf.org/grants.

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CEDAR RAPIDS JOINS NATIONWIDE CAMPAIGN FOR GRADE-LEVEL READING For 16 months, more than 20 organizations and four school districts have been collaborating on an initiative to increase the number of children reading proficiently by third grade. Our community, whose local initiative is called Reading into Success, was recently notified of its acceptance as a National Campaign for Grade Level Reading community.

“This is an important milestone,” says Karla Twedt-Ball, Senior Vice President, Programs and Community Investment at the Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation. “This membership gives our community access to experts and policymakers focused on early literacy, as well as opportunities to share and learn best practices from more than 240 participating communities across the country.”

Locally, one in four third graders do not read proficiently, a number that increases to one in three for low-income students. Reading proficiency by the end of third grade is a critical step toward high school graduation and success later in life because it marks the transition from “learning to read” to “reading to learn.”

“We know that the ability of a child to read at grade-level by age nine is critical to the child’s future,” says Les Garner, President & CEO of the Community Foundation. “We are proud to be part of a community-wide solution. Reading into Success is about our community coming together to understand the importance of grade level reading, and to provide support to impact academic outcomes for children.”

A one-year anniversary event will be held on Tuesday, March 29, 2016 at 6 p.m. at the Cedar Rapids Public Library to celebrate the accomplishments of the past year and plan for the coming year. The event is open to the public. To register, visit www.readingintosuccess.org.

Reading into Success recently launched a new website. The site shares the focus areas of the initiative and how the community can get involved. To view the site, visit www.readingintosuccess.org.

NEW BOARD MEMBERS

KATE MINETTE Community Volunteer 6 COMMUNITY

SUE OLSON Community Volunteer

CHARLIE SCHIMBERG President, Schimberg Co.

OPPORTUNITIES OFFERED BY NONPROFIT NETWORK The Nonprofit Network continues to provide a point of connection and resources for local nonprofit professionals.

Learning Nonprofit Know-How: Storytelling

The Nonprofit Know-How series provides learning opportunities on a variety of topics. This quarter, attendees will learn how to share the work of their nonprofit organization through storytelling. The program will be presented by Rob Cline, freelance arts and entertainment writer and Director of Marketing and Communications for the University of Iowa Hancher Auditorium.

Wednesday, April 13, 2016 10 a.m. — 12 p.m.

Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation Registration required.

Peer Engagement Nonprofit Peer Groups

Peer group meetings provide an informal setting for nonprofit professionals and volunteers in similar positions to share ideas and learn from one another. The meeting days and times for 2016 are:

Information E-newsletter

The Nonprofit Network’s Making the Connection monthly e-newsletter promotes upcoming learning opportunities and provides important information for area nonprofits.

Executive Directors of Small Nonprofits First Tuesday of the month 12 - 1 p.m.

Chief Financial Officers Third Thursday of the month 12 - 1 p.m.

Marketing Professionals Fourth Tuesday of the month 12 - 1 p.m.

Development Professionals Third Tuesday of every other month 12 - 1 p.m.

Lunch is provided with registration and there is no cost to participate.

To participate in any of the opportunities above, contact Carrie Walker, Nonprofit Network Coordinator at 319.774.2375 or carrie.walker@gcrcf.org. For more information about the Nonprofit Network, visit www.gcrcf.org.

MICROLOAN PROGRAM The collaborative MICROLoan Program was launched in September 2015 to assist Cedar Rapids residents with business expenses related to start-ups or expansions. So far over 20 conversations with potential borrowers have occurred and two loans have been made. To learn more about MICRO, visit www.ecicog.org/micro. To make a contribution to MICRO, call the Community Foundation at 319.366.2862.

REGIONAL VISION PLANNING The Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation is providing support for the Iowa Creative Corridor Regional Vision Rising planning. The goal of the process is to build regional consensus for the future of the Creative Corridor. After eight months of work by several regional partner organizations, the initiative launched on February 10, 2016. A public input survey was collected on February 26. The planning process is expected to take approximately seven months. At the end of the effort, the Creative Corridor will have a consensus-based, achievable strategy to guide the region’s path to short and long-term economic growth. For more information about the regional planning effort, visit www.creativecorridor.co/vision.

GRANT APPLICATION BRIEFING On January 14 and 15, 2016, over 30 nonprofit representatives and two service dogs in training attended the Grant PreApplication Briefing offered by the Community Foundation to review funding opportunities for 2016 and to provide an overview of the application process.

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324 3rd St. SE, Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401-1841 319.366.2862 / gcrcf.org

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UPCOMING EVENTS READING INTO SUCCESS: CHAPTER 2 EVENT

JUNE GRANT DEADLINE

Tuesday, March 29, 6 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Public Library To register, visit www.readingintosuccess.org.

Wednesday, June 15, 2016, 4:30 p.m.

Visit www.gcrcf.org/grants for more information.

NONPROFIT KNOW-HOW: STORYTELLING

WILLIAM QUARTON HERITAGE SOCIETY LUNCHEON

Wednesday, April 13, 2016, 10 a.m. – 12 p.m.

Community Foundation To register, contact Carrie Walker at 319.774.2375 or carrie.walker@gcrcf.org.

Tuesday, June 21, 2016, 11:30 a.m. – 1 p.m.

Cedar Rapids Country Club Save the date! Invitations will be mailed in May.

QUARTERLY INVESTMENT UPDATE Wednesday, April 27, 2016, 2-3 p.m.

Community Foundation To RSVP, call 319.366.2862 or e-mail info@gcrcf.org.

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