Foundation Awards $420,000 to 19 Nonprofits

Posted on November 4, 2021 in Foundation

The Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation awarded $420,308 to 19 organizations to strengthen and transform the oral and overall health of all Iowans. The grants are part of the Foundation’s Ignite, Innovation and Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector Grant programs. These grant programs are intended to infuse a spark, encourage learnings, or strengthen capacity and strategic operations of organizations and coalitions working to improve the oral and overall health outcomes of those served.

“We’re proud to support these important efforts through Delta Dental’s grant programs.” said Suzanne Heckenlaible, executive director of the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation. “Through these investments, we’ll continue to learn alongside our grant partners to help inform our long-term system change and capacity building efforts to improve the oral and overall health of all Iowans.”

Ignite Grants award organizations up to $25,000 for projects that advance oral health or the integration of oral health with overall health. Organizations awarded Ignite Grants by the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation include:

• FAMILY, Inc. (Council Bluffs, IA) received $25,000 to support Children’s Oral Health Coalition and Medical Dental Integration.  
• Iowa 4-H (SWITCH Program) (Ames, IA) received $25,000 to support SWITCH-ing the Oral Health and Behaviors of Iowa’s Youth Through Experiential Learning.  
• Oral Health Project (Iowa City, IA) received $25,000 to support Sustainable and Effective Dental Services for Iowa Immigrants Through Access & Education.
• Toothbrushers and Balaam’s Donkey (Springville, IA) received $10,000 to support Oral Care Aide Pilot for Health Science Students.
• Young Women’s Resource Center (Des Moines, IA) received $15,000 to support Brighter Beginnings for Young Mom’s & Family - Oral Health Curriculum Update and Care Coordination. 

Innovation Grants award organizations up to $25,000 for projects that invest in innovative opportunities to improve wellness and vision through community health initiatives. Innovation Grants awarded by the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation include:

• Can Play (West Des Moines, IA) received $15,000 to support Can Play Licensing Expansion in Iowa - Removing Barriers to Physical Activity
• Catherine McAuley Center (Cedar Rapids, IA) received $25,000 to support Improving the Health and Wellness of the Refugee and Immigrant Community.
• Iowa Healthiest State Initiative (Des Moines, IA) received $25,000 to support Make It OK Impact Survey and Statewide Campaign Efforts to Reduce Stigma of Mental Illness.
• One Iowa (West Des Moines, IA) received $24,058 to support expansion of LGBTQ Resource Guide and LGBTQ Inclusivity Trainings to Rural Iowa Healthcare Providers.
• Vision to Learn (Dubuque, IA) received $25,000 to support Vision Screening Access and Glasses for Students.

Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector Grants awards up to $25,000 to nonprofit organizations and coalitions focused on serving priority populations disproportionately affected by the pandemic and associated complications due to longstanding systemic social and health inequities. Grants awarded support coalition and nonprofit organizations in strategic, operational planning and capacity building efforts to improve the oral and/or overall health of priority populations. The following grants were awarded throughout 2021 by the Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation:

• Dental Connections (Des Moines, IA) received $25,000 to support Three C’s of Oral Care Project. 
• Des Moines Pastoral Counseling Center (Urbandale, IA) received $25,000 to support Mental Health Clinical Residency Workforce Development Program.
• EMBARC (Des Moines, IA) received $25,000 to support Building Resilience and Sustainability After Crisis Project.
• Free Clinics of Iowa (Des Moines, IA) received $25,000 to support Free Clinics of Iowa Initiative for Long Term Sustainability Project.
• Latinas Latinos Al Exito (Des Moines, IA) received $25,000 to support Latinx Project.
• Oakridge Neighborhood Services (Des Moines, IA) received $25,000 to support Oakridge Health Clinics Project.   
• Quad Cities Community Broadcasting Group (Davenport, IA) received $25,000 to support Health Inequity Media Mitigation Project.
• SALUD-Multicultural Health Coalition of Storm Lake (Storm Lake, IA) received $6,250 to support Basic Interpreter Training for Community Health Interpreters.
• Youth Homes of Mid-America (Johnston, IA) received $25,000 to support YHMA & YESS: Stronger Together Project.

Since 2002, Delta Dental has invested more than $49 million to improve the oral and overall health of Iowans. Learn more about the Foundation’s grants.