Giving & Foundation
The Kirkwood Foundation
Since 1969, the Kirkwood Foundation has ceaselessly raised funds to support students through education and training. We provide resources that are not typically supported by taxes, tuition, or other funding sources.
Our vision is to be a model for excellence in fundraising, scholarship administration, alumni relations, and investment stewardship.
The Foundation is a nonprofit, tax exempt corporation.
All students at Kirkwood are eligible to apply for scholarships. There are over 1,400 scholarship awards for students ranging from $500 to $5,500 and totaling over $3 million every year.
Kirkwood Currents is a semi-annual publication sent to alumni, donors, and friends, with information about some of the current issues and activities of your community college.
The Kirkwood Foundation welcomes your interest in our financial operations. We take great pride in stewarding the private gifts raised to support Kirkwood Community College and our students.
The financial and investment operations of the Kirkwood Foundation are under the direct oversight of the Foundation Board of Directors. Ellwood Associates is engaged as the professional investment consultant reporting to the Foundation's investment committee.
The Kirkwood Foundation's financial statements are audited annually by an independent, international accounting firm in accordance with auditing standards generally accepted in the United States. The independent auditors report directly to the audit committee of the Kirkwood Foundation Board.
Audit
Tax Return
Condensed Balance Sheet
If you would like a printed copy of our financial reports, please contact us at foundation@kirkwood.edu or 319-398-5442.
About the Kirkwood Foundation
The Kirkwood Foundation is one of the largest community college scholarship programs in the country with total assets of $35.5 million as of June 2019 — including $32.5 million in investments.
The Foundation supports Kirkwood events, as well as staff and faculty development such as the Endowed Faculty Chair program, Annual Endowed Lecture series, and Passport to Retirement Seminars.
Students who received Kirkwood scholarships were more than two and a half times as likely to graduate in three years (the required federal reporting period) as those not receiving scholarships according to a study conducted by the college’s Office of Institutional Effectiveness.
The Foundation has inducted 400 members into the Samuel J. Kirkwood Society, comprised of individuals who have either created a planned gift or endowed their gift to Kirkwood, KCCK-FM, or the Older Iowans Fund.
There are 225 members in the President's Circle, made up of donors who make a minimum cash gift of $1,000 to the Foundation each fiscal year, July 1 to June 30.
The Kirkwood Foundation
Fast Facts About the Kirkwood Foundation
- Has total assets of $35.5 million as of June 2019, which includes $32.5 million in investments.
- Administers 350+ scholarship funds, including 192 endowments.
- Has 400 members in the Samuel J. Kirkwood Society, comprised of individuals who have either created a planned gift or endowed their gift to Kirkwood, KCCK-FM or the Older Iowans Fund.
- Has 225 members in the President's Circle, comprised of donors who make a minimum cash gift of $1,000 to the Foundation each fiscal year, July 1 to June 30.
- Supports Kirkwood events and staff and faculty development such as the Endowed Faculty Chair program, Annual Endowed Lecture Series, and Passport to Retirement seminars.
- Has facilitated $10 million in departmental program support and in-kinds gifts in the past ten years, enabling Kirkwood to maintain its tradition of excellence in the classroom.
Steve Caves
Retired, U.S. Bank
Kirkwood Foundation Board President
Richard L. Ferguson
Retired, ACT
Kirkwood Foundation Board Vice President
George Grask
Cedar Rapids Truck Center, CEO
Kirkwood Foundation Board Treasurer
Rose Rennekamp
Retired, ACT
Kirkwood Foundation Board Secretary
Barbara Allen
Allen & Rhea, PLC, CPA
Anthony Arrington
Top RANK, Managing Partner
Arbe Bareis-Moyyad
Kirkwood Community College, Associate Professor
Tom Cilek
West Bank, Senior Vice President
Jodi Cobb
Tom James Company, Professional Clothier
Teri Gibson
TrueNorth Companies, Benefits Advisor
Janet Godwin
ACT, CEO
Barry G. Goettsch, FACHE
Compass Memorial Healthcare, CEO
Maureen Gronstal
Bradley & Riley PC, Attorney
G. Richard Johnson
Retired, Rockwell Collins
Dennis Jordan
Mortenson Construction, Senior Business Development Manager
David Kehoe
Ohnward Bank & Trust, Market President
Roger Klouda
MSI Mold Builders, President
Lori Kramer
Diamond V, Human Resources Director
Paul Morf
Simmons Perrine Moyer Bergman PLC, Attorney
James Mollenhauer
M & D Farms, Inc., President & Director
Kirkwood Board of Trustees Chair
Dr. Clayton Parks
Parks and Schmit Orthodontics, Orthodontist/Partner
Anne Parmley
Pearson, Iowa General Manager &
Senior Vice President, Client Services
Mark Polking
Transamerica, Head of People Solutions
Dr. Vincent Reid
Mercy Medical Center, Hall-Perrine Cancer Center Department of Onocologic Surgery, Medical Director
Sara Sauter
Rohde Family Foundation, President
Kent Statler
Retired, Collins Aerospace
Gene Wehrheim
The Wehrheim Group LLC, Chief Executive Officer
Stephen West
West Music Company, Chairman of the Board
All gifts to Kirkwood Community College are administered by the Kirkwood Foundation and are tax deductible to the extent provided by law. For more information, or if we can be of service to you in considering a gift to Kirkwood, please contact our staff.
Jody Pellerin, CFRE
Vice President, Advancement – Kirkwood Community College and Executive Director – Kirkwood Foundation
319-398-5409
jody.pellerin@kirkwood.edu
Jody Pellerin joined the Kirkwood Foundation in 2017 as the director of planned and endowed giving. In 2020, she became Vice President of Advancement for Kirkwood Community College.
In this role, she serves as executive director of the Kirkwood Foundation and leads the initiatives to provide private sector resources for the college. She works closely with the Foundation board and college leadership to carry out the vision, mission, and strategies of the Kirkwood Foundation.
Prior to joining Kirkwood, Jody served as the executive director of the Xavier High School Foundation from 2004 to 2017, and director of public support for the American Red Cross, Grant Wood Area Chapter, from 1998 to 2004. Jody earned her Bachelor of Arts degree from the University of Iowa and she received her Certified Fund Raising Executive (CFRE) certification in 2001.
Jody is a member of the Council for the Advancement and Support of Education (CASE), Association of Fundraising Professionals (AFP), Cedar Rapids Estate Planning Council, Eastern Iowa Planned Giving Council and the Cedar Rapids Downtown Rotary.
Previous community involvement includes past president of the Eastern Iowa Planned Giving Council, and served as a board member of the following; Old Creamery Theatre, Eastern Iowa Chapter of AFP and Cedar Rapids Daybreak Rotary. She is a 2009 graduate of Leadership for Five Seasons and was named one of the Corridor Business Journal’s Forty under 40 in 2006.
Whitney Cook
Scholarship & Donor Relations Coordinator
319-398-4943
whitney.cook@kirkwood.edu
Whitney joined the Kirkwood Foundation in 2018. Whitney manages the Foundation office, assists in organizing various Foundation events, assists with Kirkwood’s Alumni and Friends program, provides support to staff, and works closely with board members and donors.
She also provides scholarship support and serves as a point of contact for questions regarding the scholarship application and awarding process. She is a graduate of the University of Northern Iowa, where she earned her Bachelor of Arts in Psychology and Master of Arts in Post-Secondary Education: Student Affairs.
Jody Donaldson
Director of Advancement
319-398-7186
jody.donaldson@kirkwood.edu
Jody Donaldson joined the Kirkwood Foundation in 2005. She oversees the annual awarding process of over $3 million in scholarship gifts and enthusiastically works to reconnect and share the Kirkwood spirit with the college’s 75,000+ alumni.
She is a graduate of Kirkwood Community College, Upper Iowa University, and Iowa State University, and a graduate of the Leadership for Five Seasons Class of 2011. Jody serves as an adjunct instructor for the Business and Information Technology department teaching Introduction to Marketing and Introduction to Business.
Jody is a strong advocate for philanthropy and volunteerism. She currently serves as The Arc of East Central Iowa Board President, CASE Commission on Alumni Relations, CASE District VI Board of Directors, CASE Community College Advisory Board, Adult Accelerated Advisory board, Economic Alliance Leadership for Five Seasons Advisory Board, and Day Chair, Association of Fundraising Professionals, and Iowa Snowdrifters.
Tresa Ertmer
Advancement Services Officer
319-398-5457
Tresa joined the Kirkwood Foundation team in 2012. In her role as the Advancement Services Officer, Tresa is responsible for the comprehensive management of the donor database, gift recording and acknowledgement, and reporting.
She also serves as the liaison between the Foundation and the college’s finance department for operational and financial matters. Tresa is a graduate of Coe College.
Eric Weiler, CFRE
Major Gifts Officer
319-398-1281
eric.weiler@kirkwood.edu
Eric joined the Kirkwood Foundation in 2008 and oversees the annual giving program for the college. He works with individuals, corporations, organizations, and foundations to establish new scholarships and raises funds for major college fundraising initiatives.
Eric earned his associate degree from Southeastern (IA) Community College and his bachelor’s and master’s degrees from Western Illinois University. He earned the CFRE fundraising credential in 2013.
Eric’s community involvement includes Rotary, Chamber of Commerce, United Way, and Association of Fundraising Professionals. He is a past Chair of EPIC (Empowered Professionals of Iowa City) and a past Co-Chair of the Next Generation Summit.
Eric is active with Corridor networking/welcoming initiatives including the Wingman project. He is a graduate of the Leadership for Five Seasons Class of 2010 and the Community Leadership Program Class of 2013. Eric was named to the Corridor Business Journal's “Forty Under 40” list in 2010 and received the Iowa City Area Chamber's Spark Leadership Award in 2016.
A Powerful Impact
We interviewed several students to see how scholarships are impacting them and changing their lives. Their answers are inspirational and validate the powerful impact that scholarships provide.
Student Success
A struggling single mother achieved her dream to become a nurse. An aspiring engineer, impressed by the faculty he met on his first visit, enrolled in the Electronics Engineering Technology program and discovered his ideal career path. A young mother enrolled after her job was eliminated, and Kirkwood prepared her to earn the prestigious Pearson Prize given annually to only 20 business students across the country.
Stories like these are written every day at Kirkwood. Our programs, facilities and people help ensure a bright future for our students — and ultimately — a strong future for our entire region.
Today more than ever, your support is critical as we fulfill our mission: to identify community needs; to provide accessible, quality education and training; and to promote opportunities for lifelong learning.
Ways to Give
You can make a secure online gift to support Kirkwood Community College, KCCK-FM, or the Older Iowans Fund through our secure online site or by downloading a donation form.
Kirkwood employees can donate as part of the Employee Giving Campaign or by filling out a payroll deduction form. Alumni & Friends of Kirkwood can make personalized donations and get updates on how their dollars are being used in service of Kirkwood’s mission.
The Kirkwood Foundation is grateful for your gifts in the form of:
- Cash, check, or credit card
- Appreciated assets (stocks, bonds, and mutual fund distributions)
- Personal property (art, automobiles, and equipment)
- A planned gift, such as bequest, charitable gift annuity, charitable remainder trust, charitable lead trust, real estate, and retirement plan
Click here for information about a data security incident involving Blackbaud, a service provider of the Kirkwood Foundation.
How to Allocate Your Gift
Donors who give to a permanently endowed fund at a qualified Iowa community foundation are eligible to receive a 25% state tax credit for their gift. Gifts may be designated to benefit the Kirkwood Foundation. Gifts can be allocated as:
- Unrestricted contributions, which go to the area of greatest need for student support
- Restricted contributions for a specific area in the college, such as a departmental, named, or endowed scholarship fund
- Named gifts to establish a new scholarship, you can establish one with a $1,000 gift
- Endowed scholarships support students or programs in perpetuity at an average of 5% annually and can be established with a $15,000 gift.
Contact the Foundation
Phone: 319-398-5442
Email: foundation@kirkwood.edu
The Kirkwood Foundation
6301 Kirkwood Blvd. SW
Cedar Rapids, IA 52404