Iowa City nonprofit meets fundraising goal

IOWA CITY – Organizers of a project that brings four social-service agencies under one roof have met a $100,000 challenge from the city of Iowa City, helping to bring their fundraising campaign to a successful close.

The city on Tuesday said the backers of the 1105 Project had raised enough money to be awarded a $100,000 grant from the city. That helped the organizations meet their $1.25 million goal in a fundraising effort that began 17 months ago, according to a news release.

The 1105 Project is a partnership between the Domestic Violence Intervention Program, the National Alliance on Mental Illness, the Free Lunch Program and the Crisis Center of Johnson County. They renovated a building at 1105 Gilbert Ct. in Iowa City and moved in at the start of this year.

The Iowa City Council in January pledged $100,000 over five years toward the campaign if the project raised $200,000 more by April 14.

'The 1105 Project has set an example for the way nonprofits, the public sector and private individuals can collaborate to improve service delivery and help improve the lives of our community's residents,” City Manager Tom Markus said in a statement.

In addition to donations from people and the private sector, other local governments also have contributed to the campaign.

The Johnson County Board of Supervisors sold the property used by the 1105 Project for $1. Coralville donated $50,000, North Liberty $10,000 and Solon $2,000.

The $100,000 from Iowa City marks the end of the $1.25 million campaign to renovate and furnish the building, according to the release. Repaving the parking lot and landscaping remain, and additional gifts would help cover any further costs, Sara Langenberg, chair of the 1105 Project fundraising campaign, said in the release.