Iowa

Strong schools are essential to strong rural communities, which is why the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque facilitates initiatives focused on issues of student achievement and building bridges between schools and communities. Josie Manternach, Program Officer, serves as the hub contacts for Iowa.

With affiliate foundations across the seven-county Dubuque region of northeastern Iowa, the Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque has a long history of building trusting relationships with leaders in rural communities to chart clear paths forward that address complex social challenges, from academic achievement to economic opportunity.

By bringing key stakeholders, such as local schools, in rural towns together, Josie and her team at CFGD are reaffirming and strengthening the bonds between place, people, and education. He shares that whenever the Community Foundation partners with local towns to launch a development initiative, "every single town says that their schools are an asset."

As RSC’s Iowa hub, the Community Foundation will continue to support thriving rural communities, and enhance the vitality of rural education by bridging local generosity, ingenuity, and leadership with efforts like teacher training and place-based learning. To see stories from our Iowa hub, explore below.