Idaho Community Foundation grants $140K in east and southeast Idaho

IDAHO FALLS, Idaho (KIFI) - The Idaho Community Foundation is awarding grants totaling more than $140,000 for east and southeast Idaho’s educational efforts and for landscaping, beautification and public recreation in the region.

The education grants are from the Idaho Future Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation and total $98,000.

Recipients are:

• Challis Public Library (Custer) – $10,000 to offer an afterschool Skills Lab program 2-3 days a week for grades K-12. 
• Island Park Charter School (Fremont) – $20,000 to provide high-quality preschool and pre-kindergarten and provide an afterschool program for students in pre-K through 5th grade.
• North Gem Education Foundation (Caribou) – $15,000 to update the K-5 science program with hands-on learning kits that will enhance the curriculum.
• Oneida County Library (Oneida) – $10,000 to provide a Summer Reading Program for youth ages 0-18 that aims to prevent “summer slide” with free books and a reward party.
• Salmon Pioneer Elementary School (Lemhi) – $8,000 to buy and install playground equipment for the school and purchase a set of soccer standards.
• Teton Valley Education Foundation (Teton) – $15,000 to provide in-school Spanish language instruction for students in K-3, teacher grants, and support programs and resources for families of children ages 0-8.
• United Way of Southeastern Idaho (Power) – $20,000 to provide preschool scholarships.

The landscaping, beautification and public recreation grants are from the Ifft Foundation Fund in the Idaho Community Foundation. It was established by Nick Ifft, the former publisher of the Idaho State Journal newspaper in Pocatello, and his wife Sara Ifft. Nick died in 2003 and Sara passed away in 2017. Their fund has granted more than $2 million since 2001. 

Recipients are:

• American Falls School District #381 (Power) – $9,600 to purchase several mature pine trees to surround the American Falls High School football field and replace ones that have died.  The original trees were planted by the Civilian Conservation Corps in 1936.
• City of Aberdeen (Bingham) – $5,000 to purchase planter boxes, flowers and custom-made trash receptacles for the downtown area of the City of Aberdeen.
• Montpelier Community Foundation, Inc. (Bear Lake) – $8,000 to landscape the new Heritage Park and create a space that is inviting and memorable for community members and visitors.
• Nell J. Redfield Memorial Hospital (Oneida) – $4,500 to improve the landscaping around the hospital, including removing overgrown bushes and improving the memorial garden with new planters, plants and signs.
• Portneuf Greenway Foundation, Inc. (Bannock) – $10,000 to extend the Brennan Trail between the Portneuf River and the North Main Extension (matching funds to a grant from the Idaho Department of Parks and Recreation).
• Samaria Community Foundation (Oneida) – $6,950 for landscaping to further beautify the grounds by adding shade and privacy and to develop a new pollinator garden area.