QC River Connections Grant

The QC River Connections Grant, offered by the Quad Cities Community Foundation, supports projects addressing environmental challenges faced by the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities. It promotes inclusive community engagement and nature-based solutions to enhance relationships between communities and the river. Eligible projects include restoration, education, and access initiatives. The grant aims to uplift underrepresented communities impacted by environmental issues, ensuring equitable participation in environmental stewardship.

The Facts
And that’s why we work—day in and day out—to be the trusted place where generous people in the Quad Cities (and beyond!) make gifts to support their community, specific organizations and causes most important to them.
Through gifts and funds established at the Quad Cities Community Foundation by donors, for our community, we award grants and scholarships to people and organizations residing primarily in Rock Island County, Illinois, and Scott County, Iowa. Through our network of Geographic Affiliate Funds and Community Funds, we also serve the residents and needs of surrounding counties.
How we do it
The Quad Cities Community Foundation is governed by a volunteer board of directors of community leaders and is administered by a full-time professional staff dedicated to helping connect people who care with causes that matter. We offer extensive knowledge about charitable organizations and can help you make informed decisions about charitable giving.
The QC River Connections grant supports projects and organizations that address environmental issues facing the Mississippi River in the Quad Cities area. We seek to support efforts that prioritize both inclusive and equitable community engagement practices and nature-based solutions to build and strengthen relationships among people, organizations, communities, and the river.
These efforts should align with the Clean River Advisory Council’s Mississippi River Equity Vision and be guided by communities of color or others disproportionately impacted by environmental issues facing the Mississippi River but underrepresented in the environmental sector.
Projects might include – but are not limited to:
Nature-based solutions like rain gardens or urban tree planting.Clean up, restoration, and conservation projects – these could be located on the Mississippi or other rivers that flow into it, adjacent wetlands, or other places from which water flows into the river.Education programs on environmental issues, green careers, or our community’s varied cultural experiences of the river.Youth-driven, volunteer, or community engagement projects that relate to the river.Projects that encourage and support people to safely and inclusively access the Mississippi River for recreation, healing, tourism, and more.Strengthening the ability of environmental organizations to do their work equitably.Strengthening the ability to do environmental work of organizations or groups who represent underrepresented groups in the environmental sector, including communities of color and low-income communities, as well as people, neighborhoods, and communities most affected by environmental issues facing the Mississippi River but have less access to resources and opportunities to influence solutions.Strengthening the ability of environmental and community groups to build relationships and meaningfully work together.

Eligibility

Organizations or community groups that are providing a charitable community benefit in Scott County, IA or Rock Island County, IL.
This includes any and all of the following: organizations with 501(c)3 public charity status (typical nonprofit organizations), governments, public schools, universities, and organized community groups.
Organization or project must have an environmental benefit to the Mississippi River or the waters that flow into it.Organization or project must align with at least one of the priority areas included in the Mississippi River Equity Vision.
Project can be new or existing – you don’t need to create something specifically for this grant.
Organization or project must prioritize inclusive and equitable community engagement practices guided by communities of color and others disproportionately impacted by environmental issues facing the Mississippi River but underrepresented in the environmental sector.
Organizations must follow the QCCF Diversity and Non-Discrimination Policy.

Ineligibility

Individuals and for-profit businesses are not eligible for this grant.