October 5, 2020

Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation (GPCF) and the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation (CDAF) announce the launch of the joint annual fundraising campaign titled “We Give.”

Since 2011, October has been the focus of an annual giving campaign for the GPCF, historically called Big GIVE. “After a tumultuous year of a pandemic followed by the derecho, we feel our community has already been ‘giving big’ for over six months to address immediate needs such as food insecurity, housing, equity, and education. We are renaming our annual campaign ‘We Give’ to really focus on how we help donors turn gifts into action for our community through the resources at our foundations,” says Nicole Brua-Behrens, Executive Director of GPCF.

The two foundations have partnered since 2006 and now have a combined 58 years of experience serving Poweshiek County. “With our knowledge of community needs coupled with donors’ desire to support those needs locally, we were able to provide giving and granting infrastructure very early during the pandemic” says Julie Gosselink, President and CEO of the Ahrens Foundation.

‘We Give’ better reflects the cycle of donations being turned into action through the two Foundations. Community members can choose from over 100 funds to support and The Ahrens Foundation and GPCF, in turn, distribute those funds back to our communities through grants and other supports.

‘We Give’ is a compilation of all the funds donors can choose to support that are serving our community. For some, they may find a resource they didn’t already know was available that might help fill a need. The campaign is two-fold this year, to raise funds to support current and future needs and to educate donors and the community about resources available to serve those in need.

Gifts to any of the GPCF endowed funds qualify for Endow Iowa Tax Credits. This is a 25 percent Iowa state tax credit in addition to the standard federal income tax deduction for certain charitable gifts. While the 2020 tax credits have been issued, donors may carry credits forward into 2021. Donors may specify which fund or project they wish to support when sending contributions to GPCF, P.O. Box 344, Grinnell, IA, 50112, or to CDAF, P.O. Box 284, Grinnell, IA 50112, donating online at www.greaterpcf.org , www.ahrensfamilyfoundation.org or contacting the Foundation Offices at 641-236-5518. GPCF and the Claude W. and Dolly Ahrens Foundation partner through the Community Support Services program to provide back office services for programs and donors.