Dupaco Foundation awards $250,000 in grants to nonprofit organizations

DUBUQUE, Iowa – The Dupaco Foundation awarded $250,000 in grants to 35 nonprofit organizations across Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Support provided through the Nonprofit Grant Program will make a direct impact in the following areas:

Affordable housing and homeownership
Upskilling and reskilling
Small business development

“The Dupaco Foundation board believes that strong communities are built through opportunity, equity and collaboration,” said Joe Hearn, Dupaco Foundation Secretary and President/CEO of Dupaco Community Credit Union.

“These grants are more than financial support – they’re investments in people, in potential and in the future of our region. We’re proud to stand alongside these nonprofits as they create lasting impact.”

The 2025 grant recipients are tackling some of the region’s most pressing challenges—from housing insecurity to workforce development—by delivering innovative, community-rooted solutions. Together, these organizations serve thousands of individuals and families, helping to build stronger, more resilient communities.

2025 Dupaco Foundation Nonprofit Grant Awardees:

Bluff Strokes Art Center, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Catherine McAuley Center, Cedar Rapids, IA – $10,000
Catholic Charities of the Archdiocese of Dubuque, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Christian Community Development (DBA House of Hope), Waterloo, IA – $5,000
Common Wealth Development, Madison, WI – $5,000
Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque, Dubuque, IA – $20,000
Community Solutions of Eastern Iowa (CSEI), Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Dubuque Community YMCA Crisis Services Shelter, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Dubuque St. Vincent de Paul, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Feed Iowa First, Cedar Rapids, IA – $20,000
Four Mounds Foundation-HEART Partnership, Dubuque, IA – $10,000
Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services, Cedar Rapids, IA – $10,000
Friends of St. Mary’s (DBA Steeple Square), Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Friends of the Family, Waterloo, IA – $5,000
Greater Des Moines Habitat for Humanity, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
Hills & Dales, Dubuque, IA – $10,000
Hope Community Development Association (Hope CDA), Cedar Rapids, IA – $10,000
Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity, Waterloo, IA – $10,000
Key City Creative Center, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI), Des Moines, IA – $5,000
Madison Northside Planning Council, Inc., Madison, WI – $5,000
NewBo City Market, Cedar Rapids, IA – $5,000
Oakridge Neighborhood Services, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
ONE Cedar Valley, Waterloo, IA – $5,000
One City United, Waterloo, IA – $10,000
Operation Empower, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
Operation Fresh Start, Madison, WI – $5,000
Presentation Lantern Center, Dubuque, IA – $10,000
Project IOWA, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
Southwest Wisconsin Technical College Foundation, Inc., Fennimore, IA – $10,000
The Arc of East Central Iowa, Cedar Rapids, IA – $5,000
The Dream Center, Iowa City, IA – $5,000
The Fountain of Youth Program, Dubuque, IA – $5,000
The Iowa Center, Des Moines, IA – $5,000
United Way of Dane County, Madison, WI – $5,000

The Foundation board reviewed 115 applications from nonprofit organizations designated as 501(c)3 public charities. Proposals were evaluated on several factors, including program alignment with the foundation’s focus areas, how the plan addresses the need, potential for measurable outcomes and impact.

This marks the second year of the Dupaco Foundation Nonprofit Grant, which awarded $250,000 to 29 organizations in 2024. Since its inception in 2012, the Dupaco Foundation has distributed over $3.2 million in grant funding throughout Iowa, Illinois and Wisconsin.

Information regarding the 2026 cycle of the Dupaco Foundation Nonprofit Grant program will be available in early 2026. To learn more about the Dupaco Foundation and its impact, visit www.dupaco.com/ways-we-give.

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ABOUT DUPACO FOUNDATION:
Dupaco R.W. Hoefer Foundation, also known as Dupaco Foundation (the “Foundation”), is a tax-exempt private foundation described in Internal Revenue Code Section 501(c)(3). The Foundation is a separate legal entity from Dupaco Community Credit Union (the “Credit Union”) and is governed by its own Board of Directors and officers. The Foundation was established in 2011 to honor the retirement of 47-year employee and long-time Dupaco Community Credit Union President and CEO, Robert W. “Bob” Hoefer. The Foundation is designed to carry on the Bob Hoefer tradition of providing personal financial assistance and coaching to help hardworking and financially prudent people recover from unforeseen life events and to increase their opportunities for financial stability. Learn more at www.dupaco.com/foundation.