Community Foundation Awards Grants Totaling $310,000 to Local Nonprofits
Jan 6, 2025
The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has awarded Leadership Grants totaling $310,000 to two community projects: Anawim Housing’s Monarch Apartments and Ellipsis – A Place for Girls: Expanding Capacity for Group Foster Care. Leadership Grants are made possible through generous donors to the Better Together Fund.
“We are honored to facilitate two significant grant investments to nonprofit organizations focused on making Greater Des Moines a true home for our vulnerable neighbors,” said Kristi Knous, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines. “Anawim Housing and Ellipsis play pivotal roles that improve quality of life and strengthen our community – making Greater Des Moines a place we are all proud to call home.”
Leadership Grants are centered around equity and significantly influence community outcomes and opportunities, as well as strengthen an efficient and effective nonprofit sector in Greater Des Moines. Donor support of the Better Together Fund provides for 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.
Anawim Housing‘s Monarch Apartments
A $200,000 Leadership Grant will support the construction of Monarch Apartments, which will provide 40 permanent supportive housing units in the form of one-bedroom and efficiency apartments to house individuals and couples experiencing homelessness in Greater Des Moines. The project will utilize the community-wide Centralized Intake system to prioritize the most vulnerable for housing.
“Support for Monarch Apartments through the Community Foundation Leadership Grant creates a lasting legacy of sustainability for this transformational project,” said Cynthia Latcham, president of Anawim Housing. “By pairing safe, dignified housing with comprehensive supportive services, Monarch will provide stability, foster hope and empower individuals to overcome immense barriers to housing. Together, we are building a stronger, more compassionate future for all.”
Ellipsis – A Place for Girls: Expanding Capacity for Group Foster Care
A $110,000 Leadership Grant will address identified critical service gaps including Supervised Apartment Living (SAL), group foster care and equitable access for girls. The project results in a continuum of care for system-involved youth that will close 100% of the gap on services for girls in SAL and provide appropriate spaces that support healing and increased opportunities for real-world skill-building to improve well-being and long-term self-sufficiency.
“The Leadership grant provided by the Community Foundation will help us serve our kids in deserving spaces designed for what they need,” said Chris Koepplin, MSW, MBA, CEO of Ellipsis Iowa. “If kids are in spaces that inspire hope, they are more likely to feel hopeful and see that the community cares about them, which motivates them to care for themselves by working to reach their goals and becoming successful community members.”
To learn more about these projects and other 2024 Leadership Grant recipients, please join us for a Better Together Fund Spotlight on Friday, January 24 from 12-1 p.m. More information on this virtual event and registration is available on our website.