(KNZA)--The Hiawatha Community Foundation, serving Hiawatha, Robinson, Reserve and Fairview, has announced the receipt of a Patterson Family Foundation Capacity Building Grant.

The grant program was created to help rural community foundations address staffing challenges.

According to a release, the grant will allow the Hiawatha Community Foundation the ability to hire its first executive director.

The executive director will focus on various areas, including grant-making and marketing the funds of the foundation. The executive director will collaborate with local leaders to raise assets and be a philanthropic resource for non-profits. This will allow the foundation to be better prepared to meet the needs of the community.

The Patterson Family Foundation is a family foundation extending the legacy of Neal and Jeanne Patterson with a focus on improving health care, education and economic opportunity.

The Hiawatha Community Foundation was established in 2020 to support programs and projects that enhance the quality of life for Hiawatha residents today and into the future. Currently, the Foundation is managed by a volunteer board.