The Keokuk Area Community Foundation and North Lee Community Foundation have announced more than 225-thousand dollars in funding through the 2026 Hellman IMPACT Grants, supporting six projects across Lee County.
The grants were announced during a press conference Tuesday in Montrose, with funding aimed at projects focused on workforce stability, early childhood education, accessibility improvements, community services, and historic preservation.
The largest grant, totaling 100-thousand dollars, was awarded to Community Action of Southeast Iowa for renovations to a centralized Head Start and Early Head Start facility in Fort Madison. The project will combine classrooms with family support services, including housing assistance, WIC services, and energy assistance programs.
Another 50-thousand dollar grant went to Keokuk Cares for new community service equipment, including trucks, trailers, lawn equipment, and snow removal tools to expand volunteer assistance efforts in the Keokuk area.
The Lee County Economic Development Group also received 50-thousand dollars for its Workforce Resource Assistance Program, or WRAP, designed to help workers overcome barriers such as transportation, childcare, and housing instability.
Additional grants included 12-thousand dollars to First Christian Church of Keokuk’s “A Bed for Every Child” program, more than 11-thousand dollars for accessibility improvements at the Montrose Memorial Library, and 2-thousand dollars for preservation work tied to the Clarissa Claypoole Wilson gravesite in Fort Madison.
Foundation officials say the Hellman IMPACT Grants continue the legacy of longtime community leader Merlin Hellman by supporting projects designed to create long-term benefits for communities throughout Lee County.