MidAmerican Energy announces $560,000 in foundation grants

Customers, Iowa State Fair attendees encouraged to submit favorite community organizations for chance at $1,000 CARES daily donation

The MidAmerican Energy Foundation has released its second-quarter grants, awarding 23 organizations a total of $569,720. The recipients work to address critical needs like food insecurity, provide education and workforce support, or are improving arts and community spaces across the state.

Through the MidAmerican Energy Foundation and CARES (Community Enhancement, Arts and Culture, Environmental Respect, Education/STEM and Safety), corporate citizenship program, the company assists nonprofits in the communities it serves.

“Supporting organizations that are working to meet critical needs of residents, or adding amenities that help sustain vibrant, growing communities is what our CARES program is all about,” said Kathryn Kunert, MidAmerican’s vice president of economic connections and integration, in a news release. “We are much more than a utility provider. We provide resources, including our employees’ time and talent, to partner and support the sustainability of our communities, because these are the places our customers and employees call home.”

Some of the donations include $250,000 awarded to the YWCA of Quad Cities to help build a new childcare center and expand at-risk youth programming, including the addition of a new STEAM lab. Grimes will receive $25,000 for a new public library and $10,000 will help the Fort Dodge Community Foundation restore its performance auditorium.

During the Iowa State Fair, customers and fair attendees can submit their favorite nonprofit or community organization for the chance at another $20,000 in donations. Community and nonprofit organizations falling into one of the focused categories of giving with operations in the company’s service territory can be submitted online or at the MidAmerican Energy Building through August 21.

For the first 10 days of the fair, a qualifying organization are being selected at random for a $1,000 donation. Each daily winner will then be eligible for the grand prize drawing of $10,000. This random drawing will happen on Sunday, Aug. 22, at 3 p.m. at the MidAmerican Energy Stage. Nonprofit organizations can be nominated online. The full sweepstakes rules are available here.