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ABOUT US

In Muscatine County, we aspire to be a vibrant place with equitable opportunity and high quality of life for all.

This takes a purposeful, coordinated effort where organizations and community champions are working in concert. That’s why the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine exists. We unite people, ideas, and resources to address community challenges and create opportunities.

 

Established in 1999, the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine was among the first 100 in the nation to be confirmed in compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations. Our Board and organizational leadership collaboratively embrace taking a bold, future-focused aim at understanding and strengthening infrastructural frameworks to overcome challenges.

 Together, we are greater.

Kid drawing

OUR VISION

A vibrant Muscatine County region that provides equitable opportunity and a high quality of life for all.

OUR PURPOSE

We engage people, leverage resources, and inspire solutions to address the community’s biggest challenges.

People touring new construction at Muscatine Community College

MEET OUR TEAM

Headshot of Charla Schafer

Charla Schafer
President
cschafer@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Jamie Leza

Jamie Leza
VP, Operations
jleza@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Amy Henson

Amy Henson
Accounting Manager
ahenson@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Ron Monahan
Headshot of Lynsey Krusie

Lynsey Krusie
Director of Marketing 
lkrusie@givinggreater.org

Margaret Headshot.jpg

Margaret Hurlbert
Community Grant Writer mhurlbert@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Ali Vargus-Stogdill

Ali Vargus-Stogdill
Philanthropy Specialist avargusstogdill@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Moriah Ellis

Moriah Ellis
Community Initiatives Coordinator
mellis@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Niki Moore Nienhaus

Niki Moore Nienhaus
Programs Manager
nnienhaus@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Duncan Snider

Duncan Snider
Staff Accountant
dsnider@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Marci Clark

Marci Clark
Communications Coordinator
mclark@givinggreater.org

Headshot of Kevin Schaper

Kevin Schaper
Maintenance Supervisor
kschaper@givinggreater.org

Ron Monahan
Housing Initiatives
Manager
rmonahan@givinggreater.org

Board of Directors

Brandon Bullock – President, HON Company

Dr. Naomi DeWinter – President, Muscatine Community College

Rich Dwyer (Chair) – Senior Vice President, KENT Corporation

Jodi Royal-Goodwin – Community Development & Housing Director, City of Muscatine

Angie Johnson – HR Executive, Royal Neighbors of America

Cindy Mays –  Retired Market President, MidWestOne Bank

Brett Nelson – General Manager, Musco Sports Lighting

Rachel Pohl – Executive Director, UnityPoint Health -Trinity Muscatine

Keith Porter – President, Stanley Center for Peace & Security

Jessica Susie – Intellectual Property Counsel, John Deere

Dan Stein – Chairman, Central Bancshares, Inc.

Meet Our Leaders

HOW WE INVEST

When you give to the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine, you become our partner in philanthropy to collectively address the community’s biggest challenges with upstream thinking and accomplish your charitable goals. Funds established at the Community Foundation are invested in a short-term or long-term investment portfolio.

  • Short-Term Liquid Portfolio
    This is our most conservative investment model portfolio and is most applicable for the investment of short-term assets when liquidity and security of principal are the primary goal and investment return is secondary. Short-Term Liquid Portfolio Returns: 10-Year Average Rate of Return: 1.30% 10-Year Compounded Annual Growth Rate: 1.30% 2023 August Return: 0.23% 2023 YTD Rate of Return: 1.46%
  • Conservative Portfolio
    This is a long-term investment portfolio and consists of a mix of fixed income investments and equity investments to accomplish donors' charitable goals. This model portfolio provides the opportunity for long-term assets to be invested with a strong conservative bias yet provide potential growth that has historically been attributed to equity securities. Conservative Portfolio Returns: 10-Year Average Rate of Return: 5.17% 10-Year Compounded Annual Growth Rate: 4.98% 2023 August Return: (1.30%) 2023 YTD Rate of Return: 6.17%
  • Active Portfolio
    This is a long-term investment portfolio and consists of a mix of fixed income investments and increased security allocation to equity investments and is most applicable for investment of assets that are seeking long-term growth to accomplish donors' charitable goals. Active Portfolio Returns: 10-Year Average Rate of Return: 7.22% 10-Year Compounded Annual Growth Rate: 6.77% 2023 August Return: (2.43%) 2023 YTD Rate of Return: 7.84%
  • Dynamic Portfolio
    This is a bolder “growth-oriented” long-term investment portfolio and consists of a mix of fixed income investments and equity investments to accomplish donors' charitable goals. Dynamic Portfolio Returns: 10-Year Average Rate of Return: 8% 10-Year Compounded Annual Growth Rate: 7.29% 2023 August Return: (2.77%) 2023 YTD Rate of Return: 9.38%

To learn more about our investment strategy, view our user-friendly publication called, “Empowering Endowments."

Click here to view our Investment Policy.

How We Invest

Investment Committee

Mel McMains (Chair) – Retired Vice President, HNI Corporation

David Jones – Chief Financial Officer, KENT Corporation

Dr. Jim Stein – Chairman Emeritus, Central Bancshares, Inc.

Mike Wilson – Vice President Trust Department, MidWestOne Bank

Bob Jensen – President, Temp Associates & RJK, Inc.

Audit & 990

View the Community Foundation’s Audit and 990 filings to learn more.

2021 Audit, 2020 Audit, 2019 Audit

2021 IRS Form 990, 2020 IRS Form 990, 2019 IRS Form 990

JOIN OUR TEAM

Check below for available positions and join our energetic, fun, out-of-the-box thinking team who is committed to improving the quality of life for residents of Muscatine and Louisa counties.

Programs Manager

The Programs Manager administers the grant and scholarship programs for the Community Foundation of Greater Muscatine and has responsibility for internal systems, processes, and procedures associated with grant and scholarship funds, awards, reporting, and compliance.

Learn more and apply.

 

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Jon Our Team
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