Community Foundation donors fund $90,0000 in lasting impact through endowment challenge

Quad Cities Community Foundation donors have added $90,000 to local endowment funds following a limited-time $45,000 endowment match that encouraged donors to invest in the region’s long-term vitality.

The initiative offered a dollar-for-dollar match on gifts of up to $1,000 per household to endowed funds at the Community Foundation. In less than three weeks, the full $45,000 match was met, generating a total of $90,000 in new gifts to support the future of the Quad Cities region.

Altogether, 65 donors contributed to 49 endowed funds, benefiting a broad spectrum of causes, including nonprofit organizations, scholarships, and community priorities designed to serve residents for years to come.

“This effort underscores how much can be accomplished when people align around a shared vision for the future,” said Anne Calder, vice president of philanthropy at the Community Foundation. “Endowment giving is uniquely powerful; it creates permanent resources that grow and give back to the community year after year.”

Even with the challenge complete, endowment funds remain an impactful and tax-smart way to give. Through Illinois Gives and Endow Iowa tax credits, taxpayers can receive a 25 percent state income tax credit on gifts to permanent endowment funds at the Community Foundation. Credits are limited annually, making early-year contributions especially advantageous.

“Giving to an endowment is one of the most effective ways to create enduring impact,” Calder said. “It’s a commitment not just to immediate needs, but to the long-term health and resilience of our community.”

To learn more about establishing or contributing to an endowed fund—and to explore tax credit opportunities in Illinois and Iowa—contact Anne Calder at annecalder@QCCommunityFoundation.org or 563-326-2840.