Larchwood, Iowa — Over a million dollars in grants were given out to area organizations during the latest round of grants through the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation.
The foundation awarded $1.2 million in 2025 grant funds to 22 organizations in northwest Iowa, southeast South Dakota, and southwest Minnesota at the 2024 Competitive Grant Award Ceremony last week. Nearly 130 people representing various nonprofit organizations and local governments attended.
Foundation officials tell us the foundation seeks to be the catalyst to help qualified organizations meet needs within Lyon County and beyond with a primary emphasis in the areas of community development & beautification, education & arts, economic development, and human & social needs.
Seventeen organizations received over $900,000 for human & social needs projects with the largest amounts going towards a fire & rescue building in Inwood ($350,000), and an essential equipment upgrade for the Lyon County Sheriff’s office ($110,000).
Education & arts projects received over $200,000 with the largest amount awarded to the Lyon County Fair Association in Rock Rapids, for a $175,000 grant for fairground repairs needed due to flooding.
Veterans’ needs were addressed during this grant cycle with over $130,000 being awarded for:
· Midwest Honor Flight for Mission 24
· American Legion Flessner Post 561 for Larchwood Cemetery Improvements
· American Legion Thorson Post 310 for Richland Cemetery Unknown Soldier Marker
· Black Hills Veteran March for Support & Equipment Trailer
· Lyon County Department of Veteran Affairs for Veteran Grave Markers
· Clay County Veteran Affairs for Veteran Burial Flag Cases
Other projects receiving significant funding included over $63 thousand to the George Fire Department for bunker gear, $55 thousand to the Larchwood Community Group for city park improvements, over $57 thousand to the Larchwood Sioux Fire Board for PPE replacement, and over $46 thousand to Siouxland Adaptive Sports for sports chairs.
The foundation is the nonprofit gaming license holder for Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort near Larchwood. Iowa law requires that the foundation is funded through a portion of the casino’s gaming revenue and that money should be used to fund charitable and civic needs in and outside of their communities. The Lyon County Riverboat Foundation was established in June of 2011. In 2024, the LCRF will have distributed over $3 million and since inception has distributed over $30 million to those charitable and civic organizations.
| Organization | Project | Amount |
| Larchwood Public Library | Copy Machine | $ 1,500.00 |
| American Legion Thorson Post 310 | Richland Cemetery Unknown Soldier Granite Marker | $ 7,000.00 |
| Black Hills Veterans March | Support & Equipment Trailer | $ 7,000.00 |
| American Legion Flessner Post 561 | Larchwood Cemetery Improvement | $ 8,638.03 |
| Lyon County Department of Veteran Affairs | Grave Markers for Veteran Grave Sites | $ 10,000.00 |
| Rock Valley Public Library | Bringing Back the Books! | $ 10,000.00 |
| Veteran Affairs Clay County | Veteran Burial Flag Cases | $ 10,000.00 |
| Little Rock Town & Country Club | Park Improvements | $ 20,000.00 |
| City of Little Rock | Generator and Trash Pump for Storm Prep | $ 20,320.42 |
| Lester Visioning | Ball Field-Phase 2/Final Phase | $ 25,000.00 |
| Lyon County Ambulance | Stryker Stair Chair & Cot | $ 31,189.20 |
| Rock Ranch | Counseling Cabin | $ 32,700.00 |
| Alvord Fire & Rescue | Fire Truck | $ 40,000.00 |
| Siouxland Adaptive Sports | Sports Chairs | $ 46,243.00 |
| Oaklyn Foundation | Oaklyn Foundation’s Funeral Expenses | $ 50,000.00 |
| Larchwood Community Group | Larchwood City Park Improvements | $ 55,000.00 |
| Larchwood Sioux Fire Board | PPE Replacement | $ 57,758.50 |
| George Fire Department | Bunker Gear – Coats and Pants | $ 63,281.93 |
| Midwest Honor Flight | Mission 24 | $ 87,500.00 |
| Lyon County Sheriff’s Department | Essential Equipment Update | $ 110,000.00 |
| Lyon County Fair Association | Fairground Repair from Flood Damage | $ 175,000.00 |
| Inwood Fire & Rescue | Building Project | $ 350,000.00 |
| Total | $ 1,218,131.08 |
