Inclusive Johnson County

About the Inclusive Johnson County Fund

At the Community Foundation of Johnson County, we know that a thriving community simply cannot exist where all are not welcomed, invited to the table, protected, and regarded as equal.

To support this important work, our board of directors established the Inclusive Johnson County Fund in the summer of 2020. The fund will provide financial support for community outreach and education, promote diversity and inclusion within nonprofit organizations, support cultural events, and much more.

This fund is open for donations and will continue to support inclusion in Johnson County through the efforts of our nonprofit organizations as well as specific efforts of the Community Foundation of Johnson County. To contribute to this fund, please click here.

Current Work of the Fund

The Inclusive Johnson County Fund made 8 grants totaling $20,538 to support nonprofit organizations who are serving Johnson County residents in a manner that promotes, supports, and enhances diversity, equity, and inclusion throughout Johnson County. The grant details can be found here.

Donations received to the Inclusive Johnson County Fund will be added to future grantmaking opportunities! Contribute to the Fund today to be a part of the impact of those dollars!

Donate Here

The Community Foundation is also accepting gifts to the Inclusive Johnson County Fund in the following ways:

By phone: (319) 337-0483
By email: Julie Yoder, julie@cfjc.org
By mail, with checks made out to Community Foundation of Johnson County with Inclusive Johnson County Fund in the memo.

The Fund in Action

The timeline below highlights the activities of the Inclusive Johnson County Fund, including grants made from the fund.

July 2024: CLP Scholarships

The fund provided two scholarships for minority participation in the Greater Iowa City Inc.’s Community Leadership Program. The scholarships provide full funding for two participants.

Summer 2024: Juneteenth Commemoration Participation

The Community Foundation of Johnson County acted as the fiscal sponsor for the City of Iowa City’s Juneteenth Commemoration. The CFJC also proudly sponsored the Father’s Day Event with a $2,500 sponsorship as part of the Juneteenth Commemoration. Staff members also served on the event planning committee.

August 2023: $20,538 in Grantmaking

The Community Foundation of Johnson County made eight grants totaling $20,538 to support a variety of projects and programs in our local nonprofit organizations including accessibility updates, hosting a cultural event, providing translation to utilize needed services, and community education to reduce barriers for residents searching for employment. Learn more about the grants here.

January 2023: Anti-Hate Policy

The Community Foundation of Johnson County Board of Directors and Staff approved a new organizational policy, effective immediately. The new policy is an Anti-Hate Grantmaking Policy which is a safeguard against funding hate groups or organizations which promote hate toward any group(s) of persons. While the organization has never needed to enforce a policy of this kind, it is now in place as a safeguard if ever necessary.

June 2022: Juneteenth Grant

The CFJC made a grant of $2,600 from the Inclusive Johnson County Fund to support the Iowa City Juneteenth Celebration.

May 2022: Release of the Iowa Council of Foundations Racial Equity Cohort Report

In 2021/2022 CFJC staff participated in a year-long Racial Equity Cohort hosted and coordinated by the Iowa Council of Foundations. The cohort was made up of 27 funder organizations across the state of Iowa and the report of the work of the cohort can be found in here: From Implicit to Explicit: Lessons for Supporting Funders in Advancing Racial Equity in Philanthropy. We are proud to have participated in this work, and will continue our learning in the racial equity space.

May 2021: Public Commitment to DEI in Grantmaking

The CFJC publicly released the ways in which we commit to diversity, equity, and inclusion in our competitive grantmaking cycles. That commitment can be found here.

Spring 2021: Staff Participation in Statewide Racial Equity Cohort

Three members of the CFJC staff participated in an Iowa Council of Foundations Statewide Racial Equity Cohort to educate themselves and build institutional knowledge and understanding of how we can support racial equity in our work. The cohort also provided a network of statewide funders and resources for the CFJC to utilize to move forward in our diversity, equity, and inclusion work.

August 2020: BIPOC Business Grants

The fund allowed the CFJC to assist with the creation and administration of a granting program for BIPOC small businesses in the Iowa City area. 33 businesses were awarded grants totaling $51,950.

July 2020: Lead Gift Obtained

The Stanley Center for Peace and Security made the lead gift to the fund, opening the door for immediate funding opportunities and providing leadership in establishing donors to the fund.

June 2020: CLP Scholarships

The fund provided two scholarships for minority participation in the Iowa City Business Partnership’s Community Leadership Program. The scholarships provide full funding for two participants.

June 2020: Juneteenth Celebration

The fund provided financial support to the Iowa City Area Juneteenth Celebration, assisting in providing free food for attendees.

June 2020: Fund Established

At the Community Foundation of Johnson County, we know that a thriving community simply cannot exist where all are not welcomed, invited to the table, protected, and regarded as equal.

To support this important work, our board of directors established the Inclusive Johnson County Fund to provide financial support for community outreach and education on topics regarding race and bias, promoting diversity and inclusion within nonprofit organizations, support cultural events, and much more.

Our Internal DEI Efforts

The CFJC continues to hold diversity, equity, and inclusion as a priority for not only our grantmaking and external efforts, but also our internal policies, pratices, and structure. Some of those efforts are detailed below:

Ammendment of the CFJC Bylaws
- Explicit statement of diversity efforts in our board of directors membership
Staff Learning & Training
- Three members of the CFJC Staff participate in the Iowa Council of Foundations Racial Equity Cohort
- Attendance in community and professional trainings and educational opportunities focused on DEI topics
Adoption of an Equity Glossary
- Ensures our staff, board, and external stakeholders are in understanding of terminology focused around inclusion and equity
Statement of DEI in Grantmaking
- Transparency around our grantmaking practices