Donors, advisory board members, and supporters of the Monmouth Community Fund had two things to celebrate at a gathering on the third floor of the Patton Block Building on July 20.
First, they celebrated reaching the fundraising goal of $70,000 for the fund, which was matched by a partnership of the Twomey Foundation, United Way of Greater Warren County, and Galesburg Community Foundation. The endowed fund now totals more than $153,000.
“We’re incredibly proud of what you’ve accomplished,” said Galesburg Community Foundation President & CEO Joshua Gibb at the gathering. “Monmouth residents care about their community and now have a place where, collectively, they can give in a way that creates an additional revenue stream for the nonprofits in their community.”
The second highlight of the evening was the announcement of seven community grants and six teacher mini grants–the first grants from the fund to be awarded to the Monmouth community.
Community grants were awarded to the following organizations:
- Buchanan Center for the Arts for their Art Presenter Program for local grade schools
- Court Appointment Special Advocates (CASA) for volunteer recruitment in Warren County
- Community Hygiene Pantry for supplies for Warren County distribution
- Make it Monmouth for banners on downtown light posts
- Warren Achievement Center for equipment that brings virtual reality experiences to those they serve
- Warren County Historical Society for the Great Nicola Magic Festival
The seventh grant was co-funded by a Galesburg Community Foundation Field of Interest Fund called the “Rapid Response Fund” and the Monmouth Community Fund to the Monmouth Fire Department to upgrade body armor and for tactical EMS bags and supplies.
In addition to the seven community grants, six teacher mini grants were awarded to teachers in the Monmouth-Roseville School District through the Monmouth and Roseville Community Funds. Read more about the teacher mini grants.
“These grants help make Monmouth a better place to live, to raise our families, and to keep people coming back here,” said Trevor Davies, Monmouth Community Fund Advisory Committee Chair. “We’ve reached our first milestone to unlock our grant, but we’re not going to stop there. We’re going to keep educating the community and letting everyone know about this fund and the great work that we’re doing with it.”
Over the next 10 years, $2.1 billion will be transferred from one generation to the next in Knox and Warren Counties. The Monmouth Community Fund is a way to ensure that local wealth remains local and creates a permanent source of financial support for local needs. The fund is guided by a local steering committee that is empowered to award grants to local nonprofits that positively impact the community and residents.
Under the umbrella of Galesburg Community Foundation, there are now five Community Funds in Knox and Warren Counties. Learn More about the Community Funds in Knoxville, Roseville, Williamsfield, Alexis, and Monmouth.
