The Ahrens Park Foundation (APF) and Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation (CDAF) have announced plans to merge the two organizations, creating one unified foundation designed to strengthen long-term sustainability, simplify operations and maximize resources dedicated to serving the community.
The merger is expected to take effect January 1, 2027, following completion of the necessary legal, financial and organizational requirements. The combined organization will operate publicly as the Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation, with Ahrens Park continuing as a permanent and prominent program of the Foundation.
The decision follows several years of evaluating the financial and operational structure of the two closely connected organizations. Since 2020, APF and CDAF have implemented significant cost reductions, staffing efficiencies, revenue strategies and fundraising efforts intended to strengthen the long-term sustainability of Ahrens Park.
More recently, the transfer of land and buildings at Ahrens Park to the Grinnell-Newburg Community School District, along with the transition of certain maintenance and staffing responsibilities, created a natural opportunity to evaluate how Ahrens Park should be structured and supported for the future.
“This merger is about building the strongest possible structure to serve our community for generations to come,” said Julie Gosselink, President & CEO of the Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation. “Ahrens Park is not going away, its mission is not changing, and its importance to our community is not being diminished. By bringing these two closely connected organizations together, we can spend less time and resources maintaining separate organizational structures and focus more of our energy on our programs, the park and community impact.”
One Organization. Greater Efficiency. Continued Community Impact.
The merger will bring together the strengths and resources of APF and CDAF under a single organizational structure. Rather than maintaining two boards, two budgets, separate financial reporting and policies, and overlapping administrative and management responsibilities, the combined Foundation will operate with one board, one staffing structure, one budget, one strategic plan and one system of accountability.
The consolidation is also expected to reduce administrative duplication associated with accounting, audit preparation, legal services, banking, insurance, tax reporting, budgeting and financial reporting allowing more financial and human resources to be directed toward mission-driven programs and community impact.
The merger builds upon the organizations’ longstanding relationship. Over the past 30-plus years, CDAF, Ahrens Foundation Corporation and Ahrens Land Company have provided more than $25 million in financial support to Ahrens Park, demonstrating the deep connection between the organizations and their shared commitment to the park’s success.
Ahrens Park Remains at the Heart of the Mission
While the corporate structure will change, the commitment to Ahrens Park will not.
The park will continue to serve as a significant community asset and signature program of the Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation. Dedicated Park funds can continue to support park operations, capital improvements and long-term needs, while the unified Foundation provides centralized financial oversight, capital planning, fundraising and organizational leadership.
For donors and community members, the merger will also provide greater clarity. Supporters will be able to give through one Foundation while continuing to designate gifts specifically for Ahrens Park or other programs they care about.
“Our responsibility is to be thoughtful stewards of the resources entrusted to us and continually ask how we can create the greatest long-term benefit for the community,” Gosselink said. “This merger allows us to preserve everything that makes Ahrens Park special while creating a simpler, stronger and more sustainable organization to support it.”
Recognizing Chad Nath’s Leadership and Service
As the two organizations come together under a unified structure, the separate APF CEO position will no longer be needed. The transition reflects the move from two organizations with separate leadership structures to one integrated Foundation and is in no way a reflection of Chad Nath’s performance or leadership. His contributions have been instrumental in strengthening APF and positioning Ahrens Park for its next chapter.
Nath has served Ahrens Park in multiple leadership capacities, first as an APF board member, then as Managing Consultant beginning in 2019 and as CEO since January 2021. During that time, he helped guide APF through significant financial and operational challenges while remaining focused on the park’s long-term sustainability.
“We are incredibly grateful to Chad for his leadership, dedication and commitment to Ahrens Park,” Gosselink said. “He has brought tremendous value to APF and has helped lead the organization through some exceptionally challenging years. Most importantly, throughout the merger discussions, Chad has demonstrated extraordinary professionalism and selflessness. Even knowing that a unified structure would ultimately eliminate his own position, he has remained focused on what is best for Ahrens Park and its future. That speaks volumes about Chad’s character and his dedication to this community.”
Nath states “the progress at Ahrens Park didn’t happen overnight. It reflects years of dedication, adding new amenities across the grounds, upgrading facilities, and investing the tireless work needed to make it a place people want to visit and return to. The Foundation’s pivotal donation of land to support the construction of a new school is just one example of how deeply Ahrens Park Foundation believes in strengthening the community. Every improvement, every hour of effort, reflects my commitment to a simple guiding principle: leave it better than you found it. This merger allows Ahrens Park to build on that legacy and ensures it remains a treasured community resource for generations to come.”
Building for the Next Generation
The merger represents the next stage in a multi-year effort to create a sustainable operating model for Ahrens Park and the Foundation rather than a response to any single financial challenge or organizational decision.
Ultimately, the goal is straightforward: one stronger Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation focused on responsible stewardship, organizational sustainability and lasting community impact with Ahrens Park remaining a permanent and prominent part of its future.
About the Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation
The Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation is dedicated to enhancing the quality of life in Grinnell and the surrounding community through programs, partnerships and resources that create lasting impact. Following the merger, Ahrens Park will continue as one of the Foundation’s signature programs and community assets.
Media Contact:
Julie Gosselink, President & CEO
Claude W. & Dolly Ahrens Foundation
1510 Penrose Street | P.O. Box 284
Grinnell, IA 50112
641-236-5518
ahrensfamilyfoundation.org
