$300,000 available for the future of the Mississippi River
Clean River Advisory Committee supports grants for community-driven environmental work
Quad Cities Community Foundation QC River Connections Grants represent a growing effort to support nonprofits working to improve river health, expand access to nature, strengthen neighborhoods, and deepen community connections to the Mississippi River.
Made possible by the Walton Family Foundation and guided by the Clean River Advisory Council (C-RAC), the grants consist of two programs. The first, which opens August 1, makes $100,000 available specifically for youth programming that is river-focused. The second, which opens by invitation only on September 15, will award $200,000 for collaborative nature-based solutions to community challenges.
“These grants show what can happen when communities have a real voice in shaping the future of the river,” said Angelica Villarreal, project manager at IMAN Consulting, which helps facilitate C-RAC’s work. “The funded projects reflect what local residents and organizations know their neighborhoods need, and we’re continuing to see that vision grow as past grantees come back ready to expand the work they’ve already started.”
Through previous grant-supported projects, more than 700 young people have participated in conservation and environmental education programs, more than 12,000 pounds of produce have been grown and distributed locally, and 120 rain barrels have been installed to help reduce runoff entering regional waterways.
Other past projects have supported native habitat restoration, community orchards that teach food-growing and stewardship skills, expanded community gardening efforts, and multilingual river safety signage now reaching residents in 13 languages.
“One of C-RAC’s major priorities this year has been gathering direct community input through an ongoing survey,” said Villarreal. “By listening directly to neighbors across our river communities, we’re helping ensure decision-makers, including local governments, better understand the priorities, needs, and opportunities residents care about most.”
QC River Connections Grants are designed to support projects focused on nature-based solutions. Nature-based solutions focus on using the natural environment to address community challenges in ways that benefit both people and ecosystems. For example, planting native vegetation along riverbanks can help reduce erosion and improve water quality while also creating habitat for pollinators and making nearby neighborhoods more resilient to flooding.
Kaleigh Trammell, the Community Foundation’s vice president of grantmaking sees the grants as a powerful example of how generous local donors and national funders are working together to create a healthier environment and community.
“The QC River Connections Grants are part of a larger vision for our Mississippi River communities,” Trammell said. “It’s exciting to see continued investment locally and nationally. We all want to see a healthier river and thriving neighborhoods. C-RAC and these grants put local leaders in charge of how we get there.”
Looking ahead, program leaders plan to continue expanding community listening sessions, educational events, volunteer opportunities, and nature-based projects focused on long-term environmental stewardship across the region.
Applications for QC River Connections Grants open on August 1, 2026. Applications for QC River Connections Collaborative Grants open by invitation only on September 15, 2026. Interested nonprofits can learn more at www.QCCommunityFoundation.org/qc-river-connections-grants.