$315,000 granted to support a vision for the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities

The Quad Cities Community Foundation has announced $315,000 in QC River Connections Grants awarded to 12 local organizations whose work strengthens the relationship between people, place, and the Mississippi River.

Made possible by the Walton Family Foundation and guided by the Clean River Advisory Council (C-RAC), the QC River Connections Grant Program supports community-led efforts to address environmental challenges along the Mississippi River through equitable engagement and nature-based solutions—projects that use the power of nature to improve both ecosystems and quality of life.

“These grants reflect the creativity and leadership of local organizations that see the river as central to both environmental health and community well-being,” said Kaleigh Trammell, director of grantmaking and community initiatives at the Community Foundation. “We’re proud to support projects that not only protect the river, but also celebrate its role in culture, education, and equity.”

This year’s grantees include a wide range of projects that bring together environmental stewardship, education, art, and community revitalization. Funded projects include green space development, youth-led watershed exploration, STEAM-based environmental learning, and initiatives that build community capacity for sustainable, equitable environmental action.

Launched in 2023, the QC River Connections Grant Program is part of a long-term effort to advance the Mississippi River Equity Vision, centering the voices of communities historically underrepresented in environmental work and decision-making.

Full list of grant recipients:

  • Her Voice Media — $15,000 for Rooted: Girls, the River & the Fight for Environmental Justice

  • Martin Luther King Jr. Center, Inc. — $20,000 for Nature + Nurture: Environmental Learning Field Trips

  • Moline Public Art Council — $14,220 for Connections: A Sculpture Celebrating the Mississippi and Its Pollinators

  • Nahant Marsh Education Center — $50,000 for Expanding Nahant Marsh: Restoring Land, Honoring History, and Building Community Resilience

  • Palomares Social Justice Center — $7,000 for Palomares Fresh Futures Project

  • Project Renewal Inc. — $25,000 for Mississippi River Explorers! - Youth Watershed Connections

  • Rock Island County Extension & 4-H Education Foundation — $38,920 for Growing the West End: A Community Green Space Initiative for Health and Revitalization

  • Rock Island County Soil & Water Conservation District — $10,080 for Backyard Bloom Boost

  • Spring Forward Learning Center — $25,000 for Building Generational Equity and Connection to "Our River" through Environmental Education

  • STEAM on Wheels — $36,000 for Exploring Locks, Dams, and Careers

  • Tapestry Farms — $50,000 Engaging community in regenerative agricultural methods by growing fresh produce

  • Together Making A Better Community (TMBC) — $23,780 for Flow Lab: STEAM + Sustainability Hub at TMBC Lincoln Resource Center

 

Will Van CampCRAC