$305,881.67 distributed to advance quality of life in West Central Illinois and Northeast Missouri
Quincy At an awards ceremony held today at The Salvation Army Kroc Center in Quincy, the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri awarded a total of $305,881.67 in grant funds to local nonprofits.
These contributions, which are backed by 70 permanent endowment funds, will have a long-lasting impact on nonprofits that serve our region in the fields of human services, education, health, community development, and the arts and culture. Funding will support the delivery of programs, the acquisition of essential materials and equipment, and the daily operations that keep these organizations functioning well.
“Thanks to the generosity of our donors, we are really happy to be able to offer additional funding to the Community Grant Program this year,” stated Program Officer Kent Embree. We have been able to provide organizations with over $300,000 because to this generosity, and every dollar will be used to better our communities. Our Community Grant program is our oldest, and with the assistance of our committed volunteers, we keep improving it to better serve the needs of our applicants. In addition to providing financial support, we hope the program will provide our nonprofit community with the information and tools they need to apply for grants from other funding sources.
The goal of the Community Foundation’s Community Grant program is to bolster and assist nonprofit initiatives that enhance the standard of living in our 12-county area. Nonprofit organizations are invited to apply for financing by the Community Foundation each year. A committed committee of regional volunteers evaluates the applications and decides which grants to distribute depending on the available funds.
The power of endowment makes these donations possible. In order to address local needs and represent their philanthropic objectives, generous contributors collaborate with the Community Foundation to establish long-term charity funds. While some funds are for a particular purpose or community, others are unrestricted. These assets are invested and managed by the Community Foundation, and each year, a portion of the fund’s profits are given out as grants, with the capital staying the same.
According to Catherine Bocke Meckes, CEO of the Community Foundation, nonprofit organizations help our communities’ actual needs and ideas come to life. The chance to link resources with these chances humbles us. We are able to invest in that vital work not only today but also each year after that thanks to our kind endowment contributors. The long-term effects of that kind are boundless.
The 2025 community grant program was funded by the following sources:
In the 12-county service region served by the Community Foundation, Community Endowment Funds provide grants for human services, education, health, and the arts and culture.
- Anonymous Funds (2)
- Angie (Fusselman) Mayes & Evelyn J. Fusselman Fund
- Bette J. Starnes Endowment
- B nai Sholom Endowment
- Carl, Althea & Cathy Wiskirchen Endowment
- Carl & Gladys Koehser Family Fund
- Charles A. & Nancy Scholz Charitable Fund
- Dorothy L. Swallow Fund
- Dr. & Mrs. Merle F. Crossland Family Fund
- Earl & Irene Oliver Family Fund
- Grant L. and K. Georgann Sturhahn Fund
- Hansen-Spear Funeral Home Endowment
- Harry Channon Eaton Family Endowment Fund
- Harry J. & Bernice M. Wissman Heidbreder Fund
- James R. and Katherine H. Williams Fund
- Jeffrey G. & Theresa L. Spear Fund
- Karl H. & Bobbi Bowles Family and Quincy Farm & Home Supply Company Fund
- Kirk Family Fund-Houston, Carolyn & Carson
- Margaret J. Sinnock Fund
- Mrs. Arthur O. Lindsay Fund
- Robert A. & Anne M. Mays Fund
- Robert G. and Melva Campbell Riley Fund
- Russell and Annette Goehl Endowment
- William E. and Margaret E. Durall Family Endowment
Funds for Adams County, Illinois, to assist any opportunity or need for philanthropic giving in Adams County:
- Paul H. & Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund
- HOMEBANK of Quincy Fund
- William & Sheila Menke Endowment
- Alan L. Stiegemeier and Mary Ellen Stiegemeier
Field of Interest Funds help a particular community or cause that the donor chooses:
- Ben & Helen Bumbry Educational Assistance Endowment
- Bill and Lynda Keller Fund
- Blessing Hospital Community Health Fund
- City of Refuge Fund
- CommunityWorks Endowment
- Cory Didriksen Lovelace Fund
- Dr. Robert & Shirley Murphy Endowment for Music Education
- G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund
- Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund
- Heart of the Community Fund
- Holzgrafe Family Fund
- HOMEBANK Fund
- Irwin Family Fund
- James L. & Dorothy W. Rouner Fund
- Jane s Kids Fund
- Jayne & Leroy Boeckelman Fund for Young Musicians
- Jerry and Linley Bartell Endowment
- Jon s Home Center Associates Fund
- Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts
- Kaye & Norman Kemner Education Fund
- Quincy Recycle Fund
- The Quincy Foundation Fund
- The Wood Endowment
- United States Founding Fathers Fund
County Endowment Funds provide financial support to charitable groups within a particular county.
- Brown County Endowment Fund (IL)
- Hancock County Endowment Fund (IL)
- Lewis County Endowment Fund (MO)
- Marion County Endowment Fund (MO)
- Monroe County Endowment Fund (MO)
- Pike County Endowment Fund (IL)
- Ralls County Endowment Fund (MO)
- Shelby County Endowment Fund (MO)
Fund advisors can suggest grant recipients through donor-advised funds. Although donor advisors are free to suggest grants at any point during the year, they are urged to do so in order to assist Community Grant applications:
- Ralph Oakley Family Fund
- Jim Drozdz Memorial Fund
- Palmyra Chamber of Commerce Prosperity Fund
- Joe & Denette Kuhlman Family Fund
- Betty Schmidt Endowment
These are some of the more than 230 funds at the Community Foundation that support human services, education, health, and the arts and culture. There are also eight new funds that are donating grant cash for the 2025 program.
The grantees for this year are:
|
Grantee |
Purpose |
Funded By |
| Adams County Bicentennial Commission | Adams County Bicentennial Legacy Project-Adams County Courthouse Timeline | Funds for Adams County, United States Founding Fathers Fund, Betty Schmidt Endowment |
| Adams County Sheriff s Office | Sheriff s Work Alternative Program Trailer Project | Funds for Adams County, Jim Drozdz Memorial Fund |
| Barry Food Pantry | General Support of the Barry Food Pantry | Community Endowment Funds, Pike County Endowment Fund |
| Bella Ease | Outdoor Storage for Community Activities | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Birthday Blessings | Healthy Sleep for Kids Experiencing Foster Care | Lewis County Endowment Fund |
| Bluff City Theater | Building Creative Culture One Seat at a Time | Community Endowment Funds |
| Bright Futures Bowling Green | General Support of Bright Futures Bowling Green | Community Endowment Funds |
| Bright Futures Knox County | General Support of BFKC Prosocial Bonding Events/Mitigate Risk Factors | Community Endowment Funds |
| Brown County Early Learning Center NFP | General Operating Support | Community Endowment Funds |
| Canton Public Library | A Mighty Girl Book Club | Community Endowment Funds |
| Carl Sandburg College | Nursing Skills & Simulation lab update | Community Endowment Funds |
| Chaddock Children s Foundation | Chaddock Puppet Troupe Expansion | Jerry and Linley Bartell Endowment, Holzgrafe Family Fund |
| CHADS Coalition for Mental Health | Signs of Suicide | Community Endowment Funds |
| CHART Teen Task Force | Sexuality Education in Northeast Missouri Schools | Community Endowment Funds, Marion County Endowment Fund |
| City of Louisiana | City of Louisiana Pickleball and Trash Cans | Community Endowment Funds |
| City of Palmyra, Missouri | Green Space Concept Planning | Heart of the Community Fund, Palmyra Chamber of Commerce Prosperity Fund |
| Clark County Council on Aging | Fiscal Year 2026 Operating Funds | Community Endowment Funds |
| Community for Christ Assistance Center | Families in Need (Food Pantry) | Funds for Adams County |
| Connect Child and Family Solutions | General support of Connect Child and Family Solutions | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Cornerstone Foundations for Families | Adoption Support and Preservation Groups | Jane s Kids Fund, Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Funds for Adams County, Joe & Denette Kuhlman Family Fund |
| Covered Bottoms Diaper Bank, Inc. | Bridging the Diaper Gap in West Central Illinois | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Culver-Stockton College | Supplies for Student STEAM Days | Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| Douglass Community Services, Inc. | Kids in Motion 2026 Program | Jon s Home Center Associates Fund, Marion County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| DOWNTOWN MONROE CITY REVITALIZATION | Monroe City | Community Endowment Funds, Monroe County Endowment Fund |
| Embrace Children and Families | General Support of Embrace Children & Families | Marion County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| Food For Thoughts Hancock County | Week-End Meal Program | Community Endowment Funds |
| Friends of the Castle | General Support for Friends of the Castle | The Quincy Foundation Fund |
| Friends of the Trails | Bill Klingner Trail Phase 5 Construction | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Great Commission Broadcasting Corporation WGCA-FM | Area Betterment Through Promoting Local Nonprofits | Funds for Adams County |
| Hancock County Senior and Childcare Services | The Maple Grove Project | Community Endowment Funds |
| Hannibal Arts Council | General support of Hannibal Arts Council | Community Endowment Funds, Marion County Endowment Fund |
| Harvest Outreach Ministries | General Support of Harvest Outreach Ministries | Marion County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| Heartland Resources, Inc. | Meals for Seniors | Community Endowment Funds, Lewis County Endowment Fund |
| Hearts of Hancock Humane Society | Outdoor Cat Shelter Improvement | Community Endowment Funds |
| Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County | Origin History Wall and Student Interaction | County Community Endowment Funds, The Quincy Foundation Fund |
| Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc. | Horizons Box Truck | Funds for Adams County |
| Ilasco Area Historical Preservation Society | General support of IAHPS | Community Endowment Funds |
| Jackson-Lincoln Swimming Complex, Inc. | General Support of Jackson-Lincoln Swimming Complex | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Jensen Camp Foundation | 2026 Summer Camp Scholarships | Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds |
| Junior Achievement of Greater St. Louis | Junior Achievement 2025 Expenses | Community Endowment Funds, Funds for Adams County |
| Kairos Hope Inc. | General Support Of Kairos Hope | Community Endowment Funds |
| Learning Opportunities Quality Works Inc | Leadership Influencers Group | Community Endowment Funds |
| Lewis County Food Pantry Inc. | Hunger in Lewis County | Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| Lewis County Health Department | Advance The Preventative Health of Lewis County, MO Residents | Lewis County Endowment Fund |
| Liberty CUSD #2 | 2025 Math Manipulatives and Student Engagement | Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Betty Schmidt Endowment |
| Marion County Health Department | Immunization Assistance | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Memorial Hospital | Bringing Lead Testing Home: Enhancing Rural Pediatric Care | The Wood Endowment, Community Endowment Funds, Blessing Hospital Community Health Fund |
| Muddy River Opera Company | Premiere Program 2025 | Jayne & Leroy Boeckelman Fund for Young Musicians, Dr. Robert & Shirley Murphy Endowment for Music Education, Irwin Family Fund, Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds, The Quincy Foundation Fund, Cory Didriksen Lovelace Fund |
| Parent & Child Together (PACT) for West Central Illinois | Classroom Materials | Communityworks Endowment Fund |
| Pike County Senior Citizens Council | General support of the Pike County Senior Citizens Center | Pike County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| Pike County Unmet Needs Incorporated | General Support of Pike County Unmet Needs FY 2025 2026 | Community Endowment Funds, Pike County Endowment Fund |
| Pleasant Hill Senior Citizens Council | General Support of Pleasant Hill Senior Citizen s Center | Community Endowment Funds, Pike County Endowment Fund |
| Quincy Art Center | Artist in Residence FY26 | Irwin Family Fund |
| Quincy Catholic Charities | Mobile Food Pantry 2025 | Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Funds for Adams County |
| Quincy Children s Museum | General Support of Quincy Children s Museum | Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds |
| Quincy Civic Music Association | Supporting music education with the Canadian Brass | Community Endowment Funds, The Quincy Foundation Fund, Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts |
| Quincy Community Theatre | General Operating Support | Community Endowment Funds, The Quincy Foundation Fund, Ben & Helen Bumbry Educational Assistance Endowment |
| Quincy Concert Band | General Support of Quincy Concert Band | Community Endowment Funds |
| Quincy Juneteenth Organization | Quincy Youth Initiative Program | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Quincy Public Library | LEGO Learners: STEM in Action | Bill and Lynda Keller Fund, Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Joe & Denette Kuhlman Family Fund |
| Quincy Public Schools Foundation | Quincy Public Schools Foundation General Operating Support | Community Endowment Funds, Funds for Adams County |
| Quincy Society of Fine Arts | Instant Arts Classroom Program | Noma Meyers Eaton Fund, Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds |
| Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association | General Support of the Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association | Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts, Funds for Adams County |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois | General Support of Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Illinois | Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds |
| Salem Evangelical United Church of Christ | Loads of Love Ministry | Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, City of Refuge Fund |
| Salvation Army of Quincy | Hannibal Salvation Army LEAP | Community Endowment Funds |
| Saving KidSight | KidSight Vision Screenings | Community Endowment Funds |
| Science Coach | STEM Teacher Professional Development | Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund |
| Scouting America Great Rivers Council | Youth Membership Support | Jon s Home Center Associates Fund |
| Shelby County Cares | Feed the Farmer Initiative | Community Endowment Funds, Shelby County Endowment Fund |
| Sleep in Heavenly Peace | Community Bed Build IL-Liberty 2025 | Ralph Oakley Family Fund |
| Special Olympics Illinois Region H | Expanding Athlete Opportunities in Adams, Pike and Brown Counties | Community Endowment Funds, Funds for Adams County |
| Special Olympics Missouri | General Support of Special Olympics Missouri | Community Endowment Funds |
| The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri, Inc. | Child Sexual Abuse Prevention Education in Rural Schools | HOMEBANK Fund, Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri | General Support for Food Assistance in Monroe County, Missouri | Community Endowment Funds |
| The Pittsfield Community Center, Inc | Pittsfield Community Center Rehabilitation Project-Interior | Pike County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds |
| Transitions of Western Illinois | SMART Boards for Transitions School | Bill and Lynda Keller Fund, Community Endowment Funds, G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund, Jerry and Linley Bartell |
