92 local nonprofits received a total of $370,286.28 in grant funding from the Community Foundation Serving West Central Illinois & Northeast Missouri at an awards reception held at Quincy University’s Connie Niemann Center for Music.

 

Supported by 72 permanent endowment funds, these grants will make a lasting difference for nonprofit organizations serving our region in the areas of arts and culture, community improvement, education, health, and human services. Funding will assist with program delivery, the purchase of vital equipment and supplies, and the everyday operational needs that keep these organizations running strong.

 

“We are really pleased to be able to offer even more support through the Community Grant Program this year thanks to the generosity of our donors,” said Kent Embree, Program Officer. “This generosity has enabled us to exceed $370,000 in grants to nonprofits, every dollar of which will be put to work to improve our communities. The Community Grant program is our longest-running program and we continue to advance it with the help of our dedicated volunteers to do our best to meet the needs of our applicants. Our goal is that the program not only helps our nonprofit community financially, but also provides them knowledge and resources to pursue grants from other funding sources.”

 

The Community Foundation’s Community Grant program is designed to support and strengthen nonprofit efforts that improve quality of life across our 12-county region. Each year, the Community Foundation invites nonprofit organizations to apply for funding, and a dedicated committee of regional volunteers reviews the applications to determine grant awards based on funds available.

 

These grants are made possible by the power of endowment. Generous donors partner with the Community Foundation to create permanent charitable funds that reflect their philanthropic goals and respond to local needs. Some funds are unrestricted while others are for a specific cause or community. The Community Foundation invests and grows these funds, and each year a portion of the fund's earnings are distributed as grants, while the principal remains intact.

 

"Endowment funds are built to give back year after year, and today's grants are proof of that promise in action,” said Catherine Bocke Meckes, Chief Executive Officer of the Community Foundation. “We're deeply thankful to the donors who established and continue to grow these funds, and to the nonprofit partners whose work on the ground is how our donors' charitable goals actually reach the people and places that need them most."

 

The following funds supported the 2026 community grant program:

 

Community Endowment Funds, support grants for arts and culture, community betterment, education, health and human services in the Community Foundation’s 12-county service area:

• 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
• Russell and Annette Goehl Endowment
• Robert G. and Melva Campbell Riley Fund
• William E. and Margaret E. Durall Family Endowment

 

Funds for Adams County, support any charitable need or opportunity in Adams County, Illinois:

• Adams County Endowment Fund
• Alan L. Stiegemeier and Mary Ellen Stiegemeier
• HOMEBANK of Quincy Fund
• Paul H. & Anne B. Gardner Memorial Fund
• William & Sheila Menke Endowment

Field of Interest Funds, support a specific cause or community as determined by the donor:

• Ben & Helen Bumbry Educational Assistance Endowment
• Bill and Lynda Keller Fund
• Blessing Hospital Community Health Fund
• City of Refuge Fund
• Cory Didriksen Lovelace Fund
• Dr. Robert & Shirley Murphy Endowment for Music Education
• G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund
• Golden K. Kiwanis Local Children’s 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
• Noma Meyers Eaton Fund
• Richard B. & Mary Jane Neu Family Endowment
• Quincy Recycle Fund
• The Quincy Foundation Fund
• The Wood Endowment
• United States Founding Fathers Fund

County Endowment Funds, support nonprofit organizations in a specific 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)

Donor Advised Funds, allow a fund advisor to recommend grant recipients. Donor advisors may recommend grants at any time throughout the year, but are encouraged to consider grants in support of Community Grant requests:

• Arthur O. & Lela B. Lindsay Fund
• Betty Schmidt Endowment
• Jim Drozdz Memorial Fund
• Joe & Denette Kuhlman Family Fund
• Optimist Club of Quincy Friend of Youth Fund
• Ralph Oakley Family Fund

 

These are among the 250+ funds at the Community Foundation that support arts and culture, community betterment, education, health or human services, include eight new funds contributing grant dollars for the 2026 program. 

 

This year’s grant recipients include:

Adams County Farm Bureau Foundation

Project: Food Security Donations

Funded by Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund

Advocacy Network for Children

Project: Advocacy Network for Children Website Improvement

Funded by Jerry and Linley Bartell Endowment, Community Endowment Funds

Bella Ease

               Project: Support for CARES

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Blessing Foundation Inc.

Project: Ride Cool

Funded by James L. & Dorothy W. Rouner Fund, Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds

Bluff City Theater

               Project: Supporting Free Professional Theater in the Greater Hannibal/Quincy Area

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Bright Futures Bowling Green

               Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Bright Futures Knox County

               Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Brown County Early Learning Center NFP

               Project: General Support

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Canton Public Library

Project: Safe Spaces - Upgrading Library Spaces for Children and Teens

Funded by Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Canton R-V School District

Project: Belonging by Design: The Canton Student Art & Enterprise Project

Funded by G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Carthage Park District

Project: Functional and Artistic Accessible Sidewalks for Carthage Ball Diamonds - Phase 1

Funded by Hancock County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Chaddock Children's Foundation

Project: Chaddock Family Visit Enhancement Initiative

Funded by Arthur O. & Lela B. Lindsay Fund

CHADS Coalition for Mental Health

Project: Youth Suicide Prevention Education - Signs of Suicide®

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

CHART Teen Task Force

Project: Sexuality Education in Northeast Missouri Schools

Funded by Marion County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Clark County Council on Aging, Inc.

Project: Fiscal Year 2027 Operating Funds

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Community for Christ Assistance Center

Project: Community Hunger

Funded by Brown County Endowment Fund, Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds

Connect Child and Family Solutions

Project: Multipurpose Visitation Space Renovation Project

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Covered Bottoms Diaper Bank, Inc.

Project: General Support

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Coyote Hill

Project: Furniture Request

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Culbertson Memorial Hospital Foundation

Project: Small Steps, Strong Foundations: Pediatric Therapy Equipment Project

Funded by Brown County Endowment Fund

Douglass Community Services, Inc.

Project: General Support

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Embrace Children and Families

Project: General Support

Funded by Marion County Endowment Fund, Ralph Oakley Family Fund

First Christian Church Hannibal

Project: Updated Curriculum for WEeCare Preschool

Funded by G. Arthur (Art) Keller, Jr. Fund, Jon's Home Center Associates Fund

Foster Adopt Connect, Inc.

Project: Household Items for Sammy's Window Mobile

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Friends of the Castle

Project: General Support

Funded by The Quincy Foundation Fund

Friends of Unit 4

Project: Mendon Field Restrooms and Concession Stand

Funded by Funds for Adams County

Girl Scouts of Central Illinois

Project: Girl Scout Leadership Experience (GSLE)

Funded by Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Jon's Home Center Associates Fund, Optimist Club of Quincy Friend of Youth Fund, Funds for Adams County

Great Commission Broadcasting Corporation - WGCA-FM

Project: In-kind support for local non-profits

Funded by Funds for Adams County

Great River Development Foundation

Project: General Support

Funded by Heart of the Community Fund, Funds for Adams County

Hadlee's Hope

Project: General Support

Funded by Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Hancock County Senior and Childcare Services

Project: A Place to Grow: Supporting Willow Grove Childcare Center

Hancock County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Hannibal Arts Council

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Hannibal Free Clinic

Project: General Support

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Harvest Outreach Ministries, Inc.

Project: General Support

Funded by Marion County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Heartland Resources, Inc.

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Historical Society of Quincy and Adams County

Project: Access, Preservation and Education

Funded by Betty Schmidt Endowment

Horizons Social Services of Adams County, Inc.

Project: Fueling Food Rescue - funds to keep our new food rescue truck on the road.

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Jackson-Lincoln Swimming Complex, Inc.

Project: Community Access & Sustainability Initiative

Funded by Community Endowment Funds, Funds for Adams County

Jensen Camp Foundation

Project: Camp Improvements

Funded by Brown County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

John Wood Community College Foundation

Project: Caring Campus Program Development

Funded by Funds for Adams County

Kairos Hope Inc.

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Learning Opportunities Quality Works Inc

Project: Empowering Management, Enhancing Services

Funded by Monroe County Endowment Fund

Lewis County Food Pantry Inc.

Project: Hunger in Lewis County

Funded by Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Lewis County Health Department

Project: Combination Carbon monoxide and smoke detectors and first aid kits

Funded by Lewis County Endowment Fund

Louisiana R-II School District

Project: Character Strong for Social Emotional Curriculum for our Bullpups

Funded by Quincy Recycle Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Lutheran Church of St. John

Project: Freezer Replacement for Open Hands Food Pantry

Funded by Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds

Main Street Palmyra

Project: Patio @ Flower City Project Support

Funded by Marion County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Marion County Health Department

Project: Hannibal's Hygiene

Funded by HOMEBANK Fund, Community Endowment Funds

MC Rec Center Inc

Project: General Support

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Muddy River Opera Company

Project: Premiere Program 2026

Funded by Irwin Family Fund, Dr. Robert & Shirley Murphy Endowment for Music Education, Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts

Nauvoo Arts Council

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

North East Community Action Corporation

Project: Zero Balance Brigade

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Northeast Missouri Humane Society

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Palmyra Area Food Pantry

Project: ADA compliant Bathroom

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Payson Fall-Creek Fire Protection District

Project: Hose and Nozzles

Funded by Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds

Pike County Senior Citizens Council

Project: General Support

Funded by Pike County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Pleasant Hill Senior Citizens Council

Project: General Support

Funded by Pike County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Quincy Art Center

Project: Starting with Art (stART) Program Support FY27

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Quincy Catholic Charities

Project: Mobile Food Pantry 2026

Funded by Pike County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Quincy Children's Museum

Project: General Support

Funded by Joe & Denette Kuhlman Family Fund, Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Holzgrafe Family Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Quincy Community Theatre

Project: General Support

Funded by Ben & Helen Bumbry Educational Assistance Endowment, Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts

Quincy Concert Band

Project: General Support

Funded by Katherine Broemmel Endowment for the Arts

Quincy Juneteenth Organization

Project: Quincy Youth Initiative Program-Phase 2

Funded by Golden K Kiwanis Local Children's Fund, Bill and Lynda Keller Fund

Quincy Park Band, Inc.

Project: Bandstand Chairs and Chair Dollies for the Quincy Park Band

Funded by Cory Didriksen Lovelace Fund, The Quincy Foundation Fund

Quincy Public Schools Foundation

Project: General Support

Funded by Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Richard B. & Mary Jane Neu Family Endowment

Quincy Service Club Foundation

Project: Quincy Veterans Memorial

Funded by United States Founding Fathers Fund, Funds for Adams County

Quincy Society of Fine Arts

Project: Instant Arts Classrooms 2026/2027

Funded by Noma Meyers Eaton Fund, Richard B. & Mary Jane Neu Family Endowment, The Quincy Foundation Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Quincy Symphony Orchestra Association

Project: General Support

Funded by Arthur O. & Lela B. Lindsay Fund

Ralls County Health Department

Project: Purchase gravel for parking/driveway @ multi-purpose building

Funded by Ralls County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Salvation Army of Quincy

Project: Aquatics Safety

Funded by Funds for Adams County

Saving KidSight

Project: KidSight Vision Screenings and Care Coordination

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Science Coach

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Scouting America - Mississippi Valley Council #141

Project: General Support

Funded by Grace United Methodist Church of Quincy Fund, Community Endowment Funds, Funds for Adams County

Shelby County Cares

Project: Feed the Farmer Expansion Initiative

Funded by Shelby County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Sleep in Heavenly Peace

Project: No Kid Sleeps on the Floor in Our Town! IL-Liberty

Funded by Optimist Club of Quincy Friend of Youth Fund, Ralph Oakley Family Fund

Splash Station

Project: General Support

Funded by Lewis County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

The Child Advocacy Center of Northeast Missouri, Inc.

Project: Child Abuse Prevention Education in Clark, Knox, and Pike Counties

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

The Food Bank for Central and Northeast Missouri

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

The Legacy Theater Foundation Inc

Project: General Support

Funded by Jim Drozdz Memorial Fund, Community Endowment Funds

The Pittsfield Community Center, Inc

Project: Rehabilitation project for Pittsfield Community Center-Exterior

Funded by Pike County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Transitions of Western Illinois

Project: Smartboards for Community Day Services Program

Funded by Jane's Kids' Fund, City of Refuge Fund, Funds for Adams County

Tri-Township Fire Protection District

Project: SCUBA Communications Equipment

Funded by Jim Drozdz Memorial Fund, The Wood Endowment, Funds for Adams County, Community Endowment Funds

Twin Pike Family YMCA

Project: General Support

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Two Rivers Resource Conservation & Development

Project: Access Food - Feed the Hungry Deer Donation Program for Pike and Brown Counties

Funded by Ralph Oakley Family Fund, Pike County Endowment Fund

United Way of Adams County, Inc.

Project: ALICE Fund

Funded by Community Endowment Funds

Versailles Growth Committee

Project: Versailles park project

Funded by Brown County Endowment Fund, Community Endowment Funds

Village of Monticello - Monticello Recreation Association

Project: General Support

Funded by Lewis County Endowment Fund

Warsaw Public Events

Project: Youth Art & Music Showcase

Funded by Irwin Family Fund, Jayne & Leroy Boeckelman Fund for Young Musicians

West Central Child Care Connection

Project: Borning Learning Project

Funded by Pike County Endowment Fund, Ralph Oakley Family Fund

YMCA of Hannibal

Project: General Support

Funded by Blessing Hospital Community Health Fund, Community Endowment Funds

YMCA of Quincy

Project: The RISE Lab: Creative Zone Homework & Innovation Space

Funded by Arthur O. & Lela B. Lindsay Fund