CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa – August 27, 2012 – The Alliant Energy Foundation recently provided $44,465 to 16 Cedar Rapids area non-profit organizations through the second cycle of its 2012 Community Grants Program. The Cedar Rapids area grants ranged from $1,000 to $5,000 with funding focused primarily on education, health, culture/arts and human needs.
“Alliant Energy has a strong presence in the Cedar Rapids area and our employees spend hundreds of hours volunteering here every year,” said Tom Aller, Alliant Energy Foundation President. “Our foundation serves as an extension of our corporate and employee commitment to greater Cedar Rapids and we will continue to support charitable causes that benefit the community.”
Among the 16 charitable groups receiving funding were the Linn Area Education Association Foundation and Legion Arts. The Linn Area Education Association Foundation received a $2,500 grant from the Alliant Energy Foundation to support the Teacher’s Store. The Teacher’s Store is a location that houses supplies for all area educators who work in any school in Linn County. The store supplies educators with high-need items teachers often must supply themselves like Kleenex, paper and hand sanitizer. The Store also has items that teachers sometimes purchase for students, for example, things like backpacks, calculators and flash drives.
A $5,000 Foundation Community Grant was awarded to Legion Arts for window treatments for the historic CSPS Hall, a landmark building that has served the Cedar Rapids community since 1891 and was badly damaged in the 2008 flood. Following the flood, Legion Arts successfully raised funds to purchase, repair and renovate the building and it is now functioning as a community arts center. Key furnishings still need to installed, however, including covering on the over 100 windows that the structure contains and the grant will go toward that project.
The Alliant Energy Foundation Community Grants Program awarded $335,000 in grants during its second grant cycle this year, bringing the year-to-date total to over $750,000 provided to more than 400 non-profit organizations and communities so far. The deadline for the final grant cycle this year is September 15. The online application is available at www.alliantenergy.com/foundation.
Media Contact: Scott Reigstad (608) 458-3145