2026 Grants Listing

The Community Foundation of Johnson County made 10 grants totaling $150,000 to local nonprofit organizations during the 2026 Community Impact Grant Cycle. Please find below a listing of all grant awards with a short summary of their project. Each grantee was awarded $25,000.

CommUnity Crisis Services & Food Bank

Public Defender Fund

CommUnity Crisis Services is launching a Public Defender Fund to help Johnson County residents overcome court-related financial barriers before they become larger challenges. The pilot expands CommUnity’s Financial Support Program, which provides flexible assistance for housing, utilities, transportation, medications, identification documents, and work-related expenses. Developed with the Office of the State Public Defender in Iowa City, the fund will assist with expenses such as urinalysis fees, court payment plan deposits, transportation for court compliance, substance use evaluations, vehicle registration, and other court-related costs. For residents experiencing financial hardship, these expenses can contribute to prolonged court involvement, housing instability, employment barriers, or delayed treatment. Participants will also be connected to CommUnity’s broader services, including financial assistance, food access through the CommUnity Market, case management, financial education, and individualized coaching.

The CFJC’s $25,000 grant will support the pilot year, helping residents meet court obligations while addressing underlying needs. By connecting legal and human services, the program will promote stability, prevent financial challenges from escalating, and reduce avoidable justice system involvement.

 

Dream City

NexGen Workforce & Entrepreneurship Pipeline

The NexGen Workforce & Entrepreneurship Pipeline helps prepare Johnson County’s next generation of leaders, workers, and entrepreneurs. The program is designed to help young people—particularly those from low-income and historically underserved communities—more easily access the education, employment, and workforce resources available in our community. Participants move through five stages: discover their strengths and interests; explore career and education options; experience the workplace through paid internships and hands-on projects; launch into employment, education, apprenticeships, or entrepreneurship; and lead by returning as mentors and peer leaders. Along the way, participants build communication, professionalism, financial capability, and personal responsibility while receiving individualized coaching, employer connections, resume and interview preparation, and connections to additional resources.

The CFJC’s $25,000 grant will expand paid internships and work experiences, engage additional employers, provide individualized career coaching, and strengthen entrepreneurship education. These opportunities will give more Johnson County youth hands-on experience, professional connections, and practical support as they take their next steps toward meaningful careers and greater economic independence.

 

FilmScene

Improve Accessibility for Patrons with Hearing & Vision Loss

FilmScene is expanding accessibility at its Iowa City theater through the installation of Bluetooth Auracast assistive listening technology. The project builds on FilmScene’s commitment to making cinema more accessible through initiatives including the Iowa Disability Film Festival, Aquí y Allá Latin American Film Festival, free and pay-what-you-can ticketing, and educational programs serving more than 1,100 local seventh-grade students annually. Auracast allows patrons with compatible hearing aids, headphones, and other devices to receive theater audio directly through their personal devices. The technology can also support descriptive audio for patrons with vision loss and multiple language channels. Headsets and loop devices will be available for patrons without compatible technology. FilmScene began testing Auracast in early 2026, becoming one of the first movie theaters in the country to explore its use.

The CFJC’s $25,000 grant will support the equipment and installation needed to make Auracast a permanent part of FilmScene’s accessibility infrastructure—reducing barriers for patrons with hearing and vision loss and making the shared experience of moviegoing accessible to more members of our community.

 

Four Oaks Family & Children’s Services

Meeting the Need for Foster & Kinship Families in Johnson County

Four Oaks works to ensure children and youth in Iowa’s child welfare system have stable, nurturing homes and that foster, adoptive, and kinship families have the support they need to succeed. In 2026, more than 3,000 Iowa children and youth were in kinship care, foster care, and adoptive homes. Since 2023, Four Oaks has served as the sole contractor for Iowa’s statewide Recruitment, Retention, Training, and Support of Resource Families program. Working with the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services and other child welfare partners, Four Oaks recruits, trains, matches, and supports foster, adoptive, and kinship families. Four Oaks also provides Therapeutic Foster Care for youth with serious mental and behavioral health challenges, connecting them with specially trained Resource Families equipped to provide additional care and stability. Through Family-Centered Services in 17 Eastern Iowa counties, including Johnson County, Four Oaks helps families address safety concerns, strengthen stability, and work toward reunification.

The CFJC’s $25,000 grant will strengthen this continuum of support, helping children in Johnson County maintain stable placements while equipping families with the training, resources, and ongoing assistance needed to support successful reunification or adoption.

 

Iowa City Free Medical Clinic

Bridging the Access Barrier: Funding Vital Medications for the Uninsured

The Iowa City Free Medical Clinic (FMC) serves as a healthcare safety net for residents facing barriers to traditional healthcare. Over the past year, unique patients served increased 20%, including 600 new patients—592 from Johnson County—driving increased demand for medications and dispensary services.

The CFJC’s $25,000 grant will strengthen FMC’s medication dispensary through expanded medication access, dedicated staffing, and new pharmacy technology. Support will continue FMC’s participation in the Dispensary of Hope program, which provides access to donated medications, including high-cost specialty medications and insulin. The grant will also support a part-time Medication Dispensary staff position to maintain consistent operations, provide medication education and adherence support, and help patients overcome barriers such as cost, transportation, language, and literacy. Finally, FMC will implement MedeRx, a pharmacy management system integrated with their current electronic health record system, replacing paper-based processes with centralized digital tracking and medication records. Together, these investments will improve dispensary operations and coordination of care while helping more Johnson County residents receive medications reliably and at the point of care.

 

Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa

JA Career Inspire

Junior Achievement of Eastern Iowa’s Career Inspire program helps Johnson County students explore regional career opportunities and understand the education, technical skills, and workplace skills needed to pursue them. Hosted in November, Career Inspire will connect students directly with employers in high-demand industries, including agriculture, building trades, business and finance, health sciences, human services, information technology and energy, and manufacturing and logistics. Students prepare in the classroom, identify their interests and strengths, and participate in interactive experiences that demonstrate how classroom learning translates to the workplace. The program is helping young people see what is possible close to home. Last year, 83% of participating students reported greater awareness of career opportunities in Eastern Iowa, while 78% gained a better understanding of the skills needed to pursue their interests.

The CFJC’s $25,000 grant will help ensure Johnson County students continue to have access to this hands-on career exploration experience, supporting informed decisions about coursework, postsecondary education, and future careers while building stronger connections between students, schools, and regional employers.