Since its inception in 2011, The Bright Ideas Community Enrichment Fund has awarded more than $3,500,000 to support various nonprofit organizations that serve the citizens of the Wapello County area. In the last cycle for 2019, ORLF awarded over $162,455 to the following organizations.
- Eldon Uptown/Downtown as a match towards another grant from the Iowa Economic Development Association
- Food Bank of Iowa to outfit a community kitchen and volunteer break room area
- Milestones Agency on Aging to assist with funding gaps in the meal delivery services to homebound seniors in Wapello County
- Ottumwa Community School Foundation to purchase a plasma cutter for Bulldog Manufacturing, a new education strand at the OCSD Spark Tank
- Ottumwa Job Corps Center Student Government Association to support a collaboration with Ottumwa High School After-School Program
- Southeast Iowa Dream Center for the purchase of tools and supplies for their Second Saturday Community Improvement Projects that provides small home repairs for families in need
- Tenco Industries for the purchase of technology necessary to protect the privacy and information of people with disabilities
- Wapello County Sheriff’s Reserve to assist with the purchase and installation of the keycard security system in the Wapello County Courthouse and Law Enforcement Center
Bright Idea Community Enrichment Fund has three grant cycles each year and awards up to $450,000 a year. The next grant cycle opens February 1, 2020.
