Seven area nonprofits recently received grants through the Ottumwa Regional Legacy Foundation’s Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund. The spring grant cycle has the awarded $150,000 to the following Wapello County nonprofit organizations:

Whatsoever You Do, Inc. to assist with Phase 1 renovations of the East End Presbyterian Church into the WYD, Inc. Homeless Shelter.

First Resources Corporation towards the purchase of Telehealth Equipment and installation, along with substance abuse disorder curriculum for the Oak Meadow Residential Treatment and Recovery facility.

Friends of Blakesburg Public Library to start the renovation of a building that will provide a permanent home for the library which has been temporarily housed in a classroom in the Blakesburg Elementary School.

Albia Road Baptist Church in partnership with the Good Samaritan Society will purchase six aeroponic Tower Gardens for the residents of the nursing and assisted living facility in Ottumwa.

Wapello Heritage Foundation to assist with utilities, trails, native seed plantings, orchard trees, and a small shelter at Pearson Park.

Wapello County 4-H Exposition, Inc. to assist with the purchase and construction of an Events Center Building on the 4-H Expo grounds.

Sparky Claus for the purchase of smoke and carbon monoxide detectors. The detectors will be distributed and installed by the Ottumwa Fire Department and surrounding Wapello County Rural Volunteer Fireman.

The Bright Idea Community Enrichment Fund has three competitive grant cycles each year. This cycle had the largest funding request since April, 2017.  Amy Nossaman, Grants Program Manager said the external grant review committee had to make some extremely tough choices; there were twenty-three grant applications with funding requests totaling nearly $445,000. 

The next grant cycle opens June 1, 2019. Eligible organizations must have an IRS 501(c)(3) designation. Please direct any questions to Amy Nossaman.