Iowa nonprofits appeal for donations: A Community Thrives fundraising period ends Friday

Register staff report
·3 min read

The 17 Iowa organizations participating in this year’s A Community Thrives crowdfunding program are heading into the final stretch of their efforts to raise funds for community-building initiatives such as expanding child care options, supporting refugee communities and helping more families find affordable housing.

Fundraising ends at 8 p.m. on Friday, and organizations are appealing to Iowans to step forward to help them reach their fundraising goals.

One example: The Des Moines-based Highland Park Community Development Association is seeking funds to help single moms gain permanent, supportive housing at an affordable cost as they work to gain independence and improve their families’ lives.

A Community Thrives.
A Community Thrives.

“The affordable housing situation in Des Moines is at an all-out crisis,” Philip Herman, the association’s director of community engagement, wrote in an email.

While the clients of some other metro housing support organizations have credit scores approaching 600, his association helps people with more modest means, often with scores in the 450 to 500 range, he said.

The association has already raised over $19,000, tops in Iowa and No. 8 among over 400 organizations in its size category. Still, it remains far short of its $60,000 goal.

A Community Thrives is a grantmaking and crowdfunding initiative of the Gannett Foundation, sponsored by the Des Moines Register’s parent company, Gannett. It’s designed to be a convenient way for Register readers to support local nonprofits working to build up their communities.

All participating organizations keep the crowdfunding donations they raise through their A Community Thrives pages. To make a donation or to learn more about the participating organizations, go to acommunitythrives.mightycause.com and filter for the organization’s name or “Iowa.”

The program also features so-called bonus challenges that award additional grants. The Highland Park Community Development Association has set its eyes on a bonus challenge based on most unique donors, which ends at 10:59 a.m. Monday. It’s encouraging donations of as little as $5 to boost its number of unique donors. The top three organizations in its size category with the most unique donors will each win a grant of $5,000.

If donors are willing to give more money, the association is encouraging them to do so starting at 11 a.m. Monday through 8 p.m. Friday, when the final bonus challenge is based on most dollars raised. In addition, the top three organizations in its category that have raised the most dollars during the entire fundraising period also will win grants.

Iowa organizations participating in A Community Thrives

Go to acommunitythrives.mightycause.com to contribute to these organizations through 8 p.m. Friday. 

  • Central Iowa Wind Ensemble, Ankeny

  • Civic Music Association, Des Moines

  • Community Healthcare Resources, Bettendorf

  • Everybody Wins! Iowa, Des Moines

  • Family Promise of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines

  • Girl Scouts of Greater Iowa, Urbandale

  • Highland Park Community Development Association Inc., Des Moines

  • Home Allies Inc., Ames

  • Iowa Service Dogs, West Des Moines

  • Kingdom Living Iowa, Des Moines

  • Martha's House of Hope, Ames

  • Shalom Community Impact Center, Urbandale

  • Shelter House, Iowa City

  • The Arc of Southeast Iowa, Iowa City

  • The Center for Afrofuturist Studies, Iowa City

  • United Upper Nile South Sudanese Community Association in Iowa, Des Moines

  • YMCA of Greater Des Moines, Des Moines

This article originally appeared on Des Moines Register: Iowa nonprofits seek donations: A Community Thrives deadline is Friday