Grants Awarded

24/7 BLAC strengthens the community by promoting economic empowerment and supporting families in achieving long-term stability. Their business accelerator program offers training in financial literacy, business practices, and growth strategies to help participants launch and scale their businesses. Their homeownership programs increase access to housing and down payment assistance, supporting long-term stability and wealth-building. With grant support, 24/7 BLAC will continue to help participants grow businesses, secure homes, and strengthen their families and community.

319 Empowerment focuses on youth development and community advocacy. Its Youth Leadership program offers mentorship, life skills, job-readiness training, and civic engagement to build confidence and purpose. The Community Advocacy program mobilizes residents on issues like housing and food access, amplifying local voices. Funding from the Foundation will help 319 Empowerment prepare youth for leadership while promoting lasting empowerment for historically marginalized communities in Waterloo.

The African American Historical and Culture Museum preserves and celebrates African American history, culture, and contributions in Waterloo while fostering education, dialogue, and community pride. Housed in the historic boxcar on 4th Street, the museum serves as a hub for school tours, cultural events, and partnerships with local organizations. Funding from the Foundation will support capital improvements to enhance accessibility, visitor experience, and sustainability, enabling the museum to better serve and inspire the Waterloo community.

The Boys & Girls Club of the Cedar Valley annually serves about 1,000 youth ages 6 to 18 across four sites in Waterloo and Elk Run Heights. In addition to academic support, the Club provides a safe, welcoming space where members receive warm meals, engage in sports and cultural activities, access free technology, and participate in field trips and career-readiness opportunities. With grant funding, the Boys & Girls Club will continue to offer essential resources and enrichment to our community’s youth.

Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque provides affordable immigration legal services in Black Hawk County, helping families reunite and access work opportunities. Through free consultations, representation, workshops, and clinics, the organization guides clients through complex immigration laws. Grant funding will sustain these vital services for immigrant families.

Cedar Valley Gearheads Ministry is a volunteer-driven nonprofit providing safe, reliable vehicles at no cost to families facing transportation insecurity in the Cedar Valley. Since 2018, Gearheads has donated 87 vehicles, providing reliable transportation to access to employment, education, and essential services. Grant funding will support vehicle repairs, enabling the organization to continue promoting long-term stability and self-sufficiency for local families.

Family Crisis Centers, Inc. operates the Iowa Victim Service Call Center, offering free, confidential 24/7 phone and text support for victims and survivors of crime. In 2024, the Center handled 3,520 calls from Black Hawk County and connected callers to 2,820 local resources. By partnering with local agencies for after-hours coverage, the Call Center provides safety planning, emotional support, and referrals. Funding will sustain this around-the-clock model, ensuring every call for help is answered.

Friends of the Family is dedicated to ensuring that everyone has a safe, stable place to call home, focusing on those facing significant barriers to securing safe housing. The organization connects people to support through street outreach, community engagement, and crisis hotlines, addressing immediate housing needs and providing case management that helps individuals work toward stable, sustainable housing. With support of grant funding, Friends of the Family works to create a community where every person has the foundation they need to move forward.

GO! Transportation provides safe, reliable rides for youth-serving nonprofits, ensuring young people can access programs, jobs, and essential services. Since launching in 2023, GO! has completed over 800 door-to-door rides across nearly 200 routes for partners like Try Pie, Youth Art Team, and SHIPHT. By removing transportation barriers, GO! boosts program participation and connects youth to a coordinated community network. Foundation funding will support ongoing services and expansion to additional partners.

iJAG equips youth with the skills, purpose, and opportunities to succeed, bridging education and employment. In Waterloo Schools, iJAG offers for-credit classes in career exploration, leadership, and work-based learning. Through employer partnerships and personalized career planning, students gain essential soft skills and hands-on experience in local, in-demand fields. With grant support, iJAG will continue preparing youth to be future-ready, confident, and connected to meaningful post-secondary opportunities.

Jesse Cosby Center is dedicated to keeping and enhancing the quality of life for its neighborhood families in Waterloo. Programs include a Senior Center offering activities and social engagement; emergency assistance for low-income families; and food assistance through communal meals, food delivery, and a community garden. With grant funding, Jesse Cosby Center will continue offering these essential services, helping residents meet basic needs, build stability, and access resources that promote health, well-being, and self-sufficiency.

Leader Valley Foundation works to change lives by strengthening leadership and employability skills for K–12 students across the Cedar Valley. Foundation funding will sustain Leader in Me in 12 Waterloo public schools while enhancing support for at-risk schools and building cultures of belonging. These efforts will advance a comprehensive effort that equips Waterloo students with the mindsets and skills needed to succeed in school, work, and life.

Love INC of the Cedar Valley mobilizes local churches and volunteers to support neighbors facing housing, financial, and wellness challenges. Through coordinated care and strong community partnerships, Love INC provides practical assistance grounded in dignity and compassion. Otto Schoitz Foundation funding helps sustain essential services such as utility support, housing assistance, transportation, medical supplies, and access to affordable dental care. These combined efforts create greater stability and improved wellbeing for families throughout the Cedar Valley.

The Northeast Iowa Food Bank provides food, grocery products, and hunger education across 16 counties, including Black Hawk County. Rising food insecurity, economic strain, and gaps in government support have heightened the need for services. To meet this demand, the Food Bank is expanding meal distribution, adding school markets and healthcare partnerships, and strengthening staff, volunteers, and partner agencies. Foundation funding will help NEIFB reach its 2026 goal of distributing 8.8 million meals.

Peoples Community Health Clinic, in partnership with local agencies, provides one-to-three-night emergency motel accommodations and connections to ongoing case management for individuals and families with no other housing options. The emergency accommodation program offers a safe respite that supports clients’ physical and emotional well-being. Grant funding supports this vital initiative to meet immediate housing needs.

Reach Out and Read, Inc. strengthens families with young children by partnering with pediatric clinicians to promote daily shared reading, supporting early language, emotional development, and school readiness. During wellness visits, clinicians guide caregivers in creating literacy-rich home environments and building children’s home libraries. With a grant from the Foundation, Reach Out and Read will provide books to be distributed at 2,500 well-child visits in high-opportunity clinics throughout Black Hawk County, ensuring families receive the guidance and resources needed to support children’s early development and success.

Riverview Center provides free, confidential, age-appropriate services for individuals affected by sexual and domestic violence in Black Hawk County. With support from the Otto Schoitz Foundation, the center will add an on-call responder in Waterloo to provide overnight, trauma-informed hospital support. The responder guides survivors through reporting, evidence collection, and available services, and assists with temporary housing, food, and other resources, ensuring comprehensive care with dignity and confidentiality.

RIYO supports refugee and immigrant youth in Waterloo through after-school and summer programs, 1:1 coaching, leadership development, service learning, and literacy and academic support. Using a youth-led, community-driven model, RIYO fosters belonging, leadership, and holistic well-being. With grant support, RIYO will continue empowering youth to navigate their communities, succeed academically, and become agents of positive change for themselves, their families, and the broader community.

Vision to Learn provides students with free vision screenings, comprehensive eye exams, and prescription glasses, delivered directly at schools and community sites to remove barriers such as transportation and cost. In the 2025–26 school year, the program will provide 1,034 eye exams and two pairs of glasses for 878 students across Waterloo schools. With grant funding, Vision to Learn will continue ensuring students can see clearly and succeed academically and in life.

The Waterloo Homelessness Task Force is a collaborative effort that brings multiple agencies and organizations together to address the root causes of homelessness in Waterloo. By uniting stakeholders, the Task Force is working to strengthen the entire system of support—from eviction prevention to improved housing conditions and coordinated services. Foundation funding will support these efforts to further enhance community-wide response to homelessness.

Waypoint empowers domestic violence victims and survivors in Black Hawk County through advocacy, safety planning, and individualized support. Services include goal-setting, financial literacy, and navigation of housing, childcare, and employment barriers. Grant funding supports the work of Black Hawk County Victim Advocates, ensuring continued guidance, resources, and support for victims and their children to achieve safety and stability.

YWCA of Black Hawk County has continued to advance its mission of eliminating racism, empowering women, and promoting peace, justice, freedom, and dignity for all. The organization offers a strong continuum of accessible services, ranging from childcare and youth enrichment to dedicated support for young parents. It also promotes community well-being through health and wellness classes and provides English language instruction for newcomers. Supported by Foundation funding, these programs help foster opportunity and belonging throughout the Cedar Valley.

The Waterloo Urban Farmers Market creates a marketplace in the Waterloo city center and North End supporting local producers, artisans, and small businesses, connecting the community with fresh, sustainably-sourced food and addressing access barriers. This award supports WUFM's operations, partnerships and programs, including 26 annual market events serving 1,000 people per week during the growing season.