Kowzan/Sandrock grant window open

FORT MADISON - The North Lee Community Foundation and the Keokuk Area Community Foundation recently awarded a combined $172,221 in Lofton-Eichacker Grants to nonprofit organizations throughout Lee County. Building on that investment, the two Community Foundations have opened the next round of grant opportunities for local nonprofits through the Kowzan-Sandrock Grant Program.
The program honors the legacy of Joe Kowzan, a founder of the North Lee Community Foundation, and the extraordinary generosity of longtime community supporters Dr. Austin Sandrock and Carole Wallis-Sandrock.
The Kowzan-Sandrock Grant Fund supports charitable projects benefiting residents and communities throughout Lee County. Eligible applicants include Lee County 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, municipalities, churches and schools undertaking projects with a charitable purpose.
Applications will be accepted from August 3 through October 5, 2026. Eligible organizations may submit one application and request up to $10,000 in funding.
The Kowzan-Sandrock Grant Fund supports two primary types of projects:
• Capital projects, including the upkeep or repair of buildings and facilities, upgrades or replacement of existing equipment, and the purchase of new equipment or technology.
• Program projects, including the creation of new programs or initiatives and the growth or expansion of existing programs and activities.
The fund honors the charitable legacies of Kowzan and the Sandrocks, whose generosity and dedication have strengthened nonprofit organizations and communities throughout Lee County.
Kowzan was one of the founders of the North Lee Community Foundation in 2005 and a dedicated leader in Fort Madison and Lee County. His charitable work included establishing the Lee County Charitable Fund and Emma Cornelis House, as well as supporting local organizations through the Kowzan Family Foundation.
In 2025, the North Lee Community Foundation received a significant estate gift from the Sandrock Trust, established by Dr. Austin Sandrock and Carole Wallis-Sandrock. This transformational gift allowed the Foundation to substantially expand its annual grantmaking and scholarship awards.
In recognition of these remarkable charitable legacies, the annual grant program was renamed the Kowzan-Sandrock Grant Fund in 2025.
Complete grant guidelines and the online application are available at www.northleecf.org/kowzan. Applications must be submitted by October 5, 2026.
The North Lee Community Foundation and the Keokuk Area Community Foundation work in partnership and friendship to establish and administer endowments, scholarship funds and charitable grant programs benefiting communities throughout Lee County. Both foundations are governed by volunteer leaders representing communities across Lee County and Southeast Iowa.