The Rock Island Community Foundation
The Rock Island Community Foundation is a private foundation located in Rock Island, Illinois. Since its founding in 1967, it has served as a vehicle for local philanthropy, bringing together community members to support charitable organizations and causes that improve quality of life in the Rock Island area. The foundation distributes grants to local nonprofits and community organizations addressing a wide range of social needs.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$216K
+2.4% YoY
Grant Count
68
+21.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
-15.7% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is straightforward: local people coming together to support one another and make Rock Island a better place to live. The foundation supports a wide variety of community projects that improve or preserve the quality of life in Rock Island.
The foundation has historically funded organizations across multiple sectors, including education, youth development, arts and culture, social services, health, and community development. Notable beneficiaries have included Ballet Quad Cities, Bethany for Children & Families, Girl Scouts of Easter Iowa & Western Illinois, Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center, Quad City Botanical Center, River Bend Food Bank, Rock Island Public Library Foundation, Rock Island Park Board, Spring Forward Learning Center, Youth Hope, and YWCA of the Quad Cities.
Grantmaking
The foundation made 52 grants in 2024, with total giving of $216,321. Recent grants have ranged from $10,000 to $17,500, including awards to the Rock Island Public Library Foundation ($17,500), YWCA of the Quad Cities ($17,500), and Quad City Botanical Center ($10,000).
Review Cycle
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How to Apply
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation focuses exclusively on the Rock Island metropolitan area in Illinois. Grants are limited to organizations and causes serving this geographic region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $3,648,841
- Total revenues: $230,085
- Total expenses: $314,412
- Total giving: $216,321
Historical Growth: Since its founding in 1967, the foundation has distributed over $2.6 million to 218 different community groups and has grown to more than $4.5 million in assets. More than 200,000 individuals in Rock Island have benefitted from grant-funded services.
The foundation is funded through annual gifts from board members, donations from community members, bequests, and grants from area businesses.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Board of Governors: The Board consists of nine Rock Island residents who serve three-year terms without compensation. Board members are required to make an annual gift to the foundation. Known trustees include Alison Beardsley, Jennifer Walker, and John Phillips.
Executive Director: Gary Rowe serves as Executive Director.
Trustee: American Bank & Trust serves as the Trustee for the Foundation's endowed trust accounts. Kevin Kelly, CFA, at American Bank & Trust handles questions about gifts or bequests.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| GARY ROWE | EXEC-DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CHRISTOPHER MANDLE | PRESIDENT | 1 | — |
| KELLY MCLAUGHLIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| DEBBIE SCHWIEBERT | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MIKE DARROW | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CARLOS H JIMENEZ | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ERIC ROWELL | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| ANN AUSTIN | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| CAROLYN KRUEGER | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
| MIKE OBERHAUS | DIRECTOR | 1 | — |
Recent Activity
Recent developments and announcements
In 2024, the foundation awarded grants to 52 organizations, including $17,500 each to the Rock Island Public Library Foundation and YWCA of the Quad Cities, and $10,000 to the Quad City Botanical Center. The foundation has supported 191 different organizations that have submitted grant requests over its history.
Request Funding - Rock Island Community FoundationContact Information
Address: 1800 3rd Avenue, Suite 302 Rock Island, IL 61201
Executive Director: Gary Rowe Phone: 309-786-8551 (office) / 309-948-3403 (cell) Email: gnrowe47@gmail.com or rockislandcommunityfoundation@gmail.com
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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