The Warren County Philanthropic Partnership makes grants to I.R.S. 501(c)(3) ‘tax exempt' organizations and 170(b) ‘unit of government' organizations to assist in fulfilling the Foundation's mission to foster private giving, strengthen service providers and improve the conditions of the communities in Warren County. The Partnership promotes endowment building, community grantmaking, organizational collaboration, and public leadership for the benefit of the Warren County area.

The foundation's areas of emphasis include:

·              Arts & Culture

·              Community Betterment

·              Education

·              Health & Human Services

·              Recreation & Environment

·              Youth Development

Grant amounts are dependent upon the allocation of funds available to the Community Foundation each fiscal year and are limited to non-profits located in and projects serving the county. Awards will not be made for debt relief and ongoing operation subsides, fund raising expenses, endowments, and politically sensitive or religious purposes.

Below is a list of grant recipients from Spring 2010:

·                     Carlisle Area Historical Society

·                     Carlisle Community School

·                     Carlisle Public Library

·                     Carlisle Soccer Club, Inc.

·                     Christian Opportunity Center

·                     City of Indianola

·                     City of Norwalk Parks and Recreation

·                     Cub Scout Pack 126, Chartered to Irving School PTO

·                     Genesis Development

·                     Happy Hustlers 4-H Club

·                     Indianola HOPE Foundation

·                     Indianola Parks and Recreation

·                     Indianola Preschool Incorporated

·                     Lutheran Services in Iowa

·                     National Balloon Museum

·                     North Warren Fire and Emergency Response Agency

·                     Simpson College

·                     Trinity United Presbyterian Church – WeLIFT

·                     Warren County Health Services

·                     Warren County Historical Society

·                     Wildcat ABC After and Before School Care

To apply for a Warren County Philanthropic Partnership grant visit www.wcedc.com.  Applications are being accepted at the Warren County Economic Development Corporation Office until 5:00 p.m. on Thursday, October 21, 2010.

Warren County – Representatives from Warren County joined over 160 of Central Iowa's business, civic, and community leaders for the Greater Des Moines Partnership's lobbying trip to Washington, D.C. The itinerary underscored a range of advocacy, educational, and networking opportunities for the twelve members of the Warren County Economic Development delegation who participated in the trip June 9-11.  

“The cooperative work of this group going to D.C. with one voice, with one mission, speaks volumes for the further development of regional economic initiatives,” said Martha Willits, President and CEO of the Partnership. “Our Congressional delegation acknowledges the hard work that is done by all of our communities and recognizes the strength of this group by working as one united Greater Des Moines region.”

Attendees witnessed an extensive lineup of guest speakers that addressed the group throughout the three-day trip.  The activities kicked off Wednesday, June 9, with a Congressional leadership lunch featuring U.S. Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY). All seven members of the Iowa Congressional delegation—Sen. Chuck Grassley (R-IA), Sen. Tom Harkin (D-IA), Rep. Leonard Boswell (D-3^rd District), Rep. Tom Latham (R-4^th District), Congressman Steve King (R-5^th District), Rep. Dave Loebsack (D-2^nd District), and Rep. Bruce Braley (D-1^st District)—addressed the group at the Thursday breakfast.  Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) addressed the group during the Congressional leadership lunch on Thursday, June 10^th.  The Friday morning Congressional Staff Briefing and brunch featured a media panel discussion and analysis on the upcoming elections, the Iowa Caucuses, and items of political interest with Bob Schieffer - Chief Washington Correspondent CBS News and Anchor/Moderator of “Face The Nation”; Judy Woodruff - Senior Correspondent and Co-anchor for PBS's “NewsHour”; Chuck Todd - Chief White House Correspondent for NBC News; Mark Halperin - Editor-at-large and Senior Political Analyst for TIME magazine; and Kevin Madden - Political Commentator.

Other participant activities included workshops on wellness, K-12 education reform, sustainable redevelopment, and innovation policy, and a number of other small group meetings with key Administration and Congressional staffers. Visits to the Embassies of Brazil, Australia and India to discuss the expansion of agricultural, commercial, and industrial trade also were conducted. 

“Warren County had eight funding requests and we worked together to promote and support each one,” Tiffany Coleman, Warren County Economic Development Executive Director said.  “The meetings with Senator Grassley, Representative Latham and Representative Boswell had a clear message and were productive.” 

The Partnership's 2010 federal agenda is the result of many months of dialogue with private and public partners throughout the region that continue to strive for economic growth.  This year's agenda focused on a wide-rage of issues including infrastructure, innovation, human capital, and quality of place.  Featured priorities focused on health and wellness and regional transportation and quality of life projects. Other topics of discussion included budget and deficits, energy, capital markets regulation, education, immigration, tax, trade, and multiple other issues important to the region.

For more information about DM/DC 2010, please contact Jay Byers, Sr. Vice President of Government Relations and Public Policy at the Partnership at jbyers@desmoinesmetro.com or visit www.desmoinesmetro.com/dctrip. 

For more information about Warren County's participation in this delegation, please contact Warren County Economic Development Corporation, 515-961-1067 or wcedc@mchsi.com.

Members of the 2010 Warren County Economic Development Delegation

Kathi Pfeifer has been serving as President of the Kiya Koda Humane Society for over 20 years and has been volunteering her time to the organization since 1975. She spends the majority of her volunteer time hands on with the animals doing everything from cleaning kennels, cages, and vaccinating, medicating animals to helping families connect with a pet. Kathi has also spent time representing Warren County and its animals at state wide events like the Pet Expo and pet exhibitions. A donation of $100 dollars has been made in Kathi's name to Kiya Koda to assist with animal care at the shelter.

The Warren County Leadership Institute committee was proud to present the 2010 Kent Britton Memorial Leadership Award to a well-deserving Warren County Resident.

The Kent Britten Memorial Leadership Award is named in honor of Kent Britten, Warren County Leadership Institute Class of 2000 and WCLI Board Member until his death in March 2005. “Kent was a man who was humble and would do anything he was asked. He was an inspiration and magnificent role model for all. He was involved in more volunteer opportunities than most are involved in their entire lifetimes. He had a great passion for life that was obvious and was a major reason for his success. This shows in how he was always giving help to others. Kent made the world a better place to be. We thank God for what he achieved in his short life and that he displayed this with so much class”. In memoriam by fellow alumnus Rick Wilson, WCLI Class 1998.

The Indianola Off-Leash Dog Park is the only exclusive dog park in Warren County.  The recreational area, situated in Downey Park, is one mile south of the Warren County Fairgrounds at South K Street & West 17th Avenue.  The park was started from the efforts of the W.O.O.F. committee, a group of volunteers who funded, constructed, maintain and monitor the park in collaboration with the Indianola Parks & Recreation Department.

"When choosing a service project, our class was impressed by the fact that the dog park is truly a grass-roots effort for a recreational opportunity of this kind,” says Misty Soldwisch, class member.  “It receives minimal financial support from government resources, and we noted that we all knew of residents from throughout Warren County that benefit from the park.”

The Warren County Leadership Institute Class of 2010 would like to thank the following businesses for their generous contribution: WCLI Board, Walmart , Mike Schultz-Farmers Insurance, Cementech, RE/MAX Innovations, Kim Cross-RE/MAX Innovations, Karey Bishop-Iowa Realty, Peoples Bank, Pizza Ranch, Williams Machine Shop, All Creatures Small and the Soldwisch Family.

The Warren County Leadership Institute, formed in 1993, is a program of Warren County Economic Development Corporation (WCEDC) and is an integral part of fulfilling WCEDC's mission. The Warren County Leadership Institute facilitates interactive classroom programs and networking opportunities designed specifically to assist emerging leaders. The WCLI Class of 2010 consists of 16 members from throughout Warren County.

The Indianola Off-Leash Dog Park is the only exclusive dog park in Warren County.  The recreational area, situated in Downey Park, is one mile south of the Warren County Fairgrounds at South K Street & West 17th Avenue.  The park was started from the efforts of the W.O.O.F. committee, a group of volunteers who funded, constructed, maintain and monitor the park in collaboration with the Indianola Parks & Recreation Department.

"When choosing a service project, our class was impressed by the fact that the dog park is truly a grass-roots effort for a recreational opportunity of this kind,” says Misty Soldwisch, class member.  “It receives minimal financial support from government resources, and we noted that we all knew of residents from throughout Warren County that benefit from the park.”

The Warren County Leadership Institute Class of 2010 plans on adding benches as well as dog agility equipment with a focus on low-maintenance items constructed of recycled materials and/or fabricators located in Warren County.  Fundraising efforts include applying for grants from various resources, including the Warren County Leadership Institute, and the Iowa Grocers Association Build with Bags Grant Program.  Funds will also be raised through sponsorships and contribution tickets, with a goal of raising a total of $4000.

Contribution tickets, available from March 9, 2010 through April 9, 2010, will be sold for $10 each and can be used by purchasers for one free admission to the park.  Sponsorships are available to individuals, businesses, and families for $100 each, and include special recognition displayed at the park, as well as individual mention in upcoming press releases and community updates on the park.

The Warren County Leadership Institute, formed in 1993, is affiliated with the Warren County Economic Development Corporation (WCEDC) and is an integral part of fulfilling WCEDC's mission. The Warren County Leadership Institute facilitates interactive classroom programs and networking opportunities designed specifically to assist emerging leaders. The WCLI Class of 2010 consists of 17 members from throughout Warren County.

For information on how to donate to this project, contact Misty Soldwisch at 515-229-9764 or Denise Kalbus of the Warren County Economic Development Office at 515-961-1067 or visit the Facebook fan page:  Warren County Leadership Institute.