Make Communities Happen Cohort
Ready to move your plan into action? This 6-month cohort is designed to help communities take the next step turning ideas and plans into meaningful progress through guided support, collaboration, and accountability.
The application for the upcoming cohort is now open and can be completed through our Online Grants Center. We encourage applicants to review the application questions in advance; a copy is available to help you prepare before submitting.
Cohort Schedule
All sessions will take place from 8:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. on the following dates:
July 23, 2026
August 27, 2026
September 24, 2026
October 29, 2026
November 19, 2026
January 28, 2027 – Graduation
Cost
A $249 cohort fee will be invoiced upon acceptance and covers participation for two individuals from your organization.
The total value of this six-month program is $5,500, making this a highly subsidized opportunity to receive in-depth support and training.
Make Communities Happen
The Community Foundation for Western Iowa hosted Make Communities Happen, a one-day convening focused on helping communities move beyond planning and into coordinated action. Three convenings were held throughout western Iowa on April 21, 22, and 23 to accommodate varying schedules.
Many communities had invested in strategic plans and identified priorities; however, implementation often proved challenging, particularly when progress depended on collaboration across multiple organizations and sectors. This convening was designed to address that implementation gap.
Make Communities Happen brought together city and county officials, nonprofit and organizational leaders, and community stakeholders to examine why action frequently stalled after planning and what conditions supported effective execution. The focus was not on developing new plans or proposing solutions, but on improving collaboration, clarifying roles, and identifying realistic next steps. By the end of the convening, participants gained a clearer understanding of barriers to execution, developed stronger cross-sector alignment, and built greater confidence in advancing existing priorities.
This convening reflected the Community Foundation for Western Iowa’s commitment to supporting practical, collaborative approaches to community progress across the region.
