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Competitive Grant applications will begin being accepted in early August 2025.

Lyon County Riverboat Foundation Awards $151,000 to 51 Area Organizations

Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, Larchwood, IA – On Thursday, May 1, 2025, the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation (LCRF) awarded $151,000 to 51 organizations in Northwest Iowa, Southwest Minnesota, and Southeast South Dakota at the 2025 Mini Grant award ceremony. About 280 people representing various nonprofit organizations, schools and local governments attended the ceremony, which was held at the Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort event center, near Larchwood in Lyon County, Iowa. Organizations from 22 different cities were awarded a grant. Rock Rapids and Sioux Falls were the cities with the most recipients with 7 each. George and Luverne had 4 recipients, while Crooks and Hills each had 3 recipients. Alvord, Doon, Inwood, Lester, Little Rock, Rock Valley, Sibley, and Sioux Center were the other cities with multiple recipients with 2 each. For the 2025 mini grant cycle, 110 applications were considered from 32 different cities.

LCRF has 4 Special Interest Categories. Of the 110 applications that were received, 27 were for Community Development & Beautification, 3 were for Economic Development, 34 were for Education & Arts and 46 were for Human & Social Needs.

LCRF is the nonprofit gaming license holder for Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort (GFCR), which is located by the city of Larchwood in Lyon County, IA. Iowa law requires that the LCRF is funded through a portion of the GFCR 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 2025, the LCRF will distribute over $3 million and since inception has distributed over $30 million to those charitable and civic organizations.

Lyon County Riverboat Foundation Awards $1.2 Million to 22 Area Organizations

Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, Larchwood, IA – On November 7, 2024, the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation (LCRF) 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. Nearly 130 people representing various nonprofit organizations and local governments attended.

The LCRF 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, IA, and an essential equipment upgrade for the Lyon County Sheriff's office. Education & Arts projects received over $200,000 with the largest amount awarded to the Lyon County Fair Association in Rock Rapids, IA, for Fairground repairs needed due to flooding.

Veterans’ needs were addressed during this grant cycle with over $130,000 being awarded for the following projects:

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 the George, IA, Fire Department for Bunker Gear, the Larchwood, IA, Community Group for City Park Improvements, the Larchwood Sioux Fire Board for PPE Replacement, and Siouxland Adaptive Sports for Sports Chairs.

LCRF is the nonprofit gaming license holder for Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort (GFCR), which is located by the city of Larchwood in Lyon County, IA. Iowa law requires that the LCRF is funded through a portion of the GFCR 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.

Lyon County Riverboat Foundation Awards $150,000 to 52 Area Organizations

Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, Larchwood, IA – On Monday, April 29, 2024, the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation awarded almost $150,000 to 52 organizations in Northwest Iowa, Southwest Minnesota and Southeast South Dakota at the 2024 Mini Grant award ceremony. Nearly 300 people attended the ceremony, which was held at the Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort event center, near Larchwood in Lyon county, Iowa.

Organizations from 24 different cities were awarded a grant. Rock Rapids and Sioux Falls were the biggest winners with 9 grants each. Sioux Center had 4 winners, while Brandon, Inwood, Larchwood and Sheldon each had 3 winners. Ocheyedan was the only other city with multiple winners with 2. For the 2024 mini grant cycle, 124 applications were considered from 33 different cities.

The Lyon County Riverboat Foundation has 4 Special Interest Categories. Of the 124 applications that were received, 31 were for Community Development & Beautification, 2 were for Economic Development, 36 were for Education & Arts and 55 were for Human & Social Needs.

Lyon County Riverboat Foundation Awards $1.5 Million to 28 Area Organizations

Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort, Larchwood, IA – On November 9, 2023, the Lyon County Riverboat Foundation (LCRF) awarded $1.5 million in 2024 grant funds to 28 organizations in Northwest Iowa, Southeast South Dakota, and Southwest Minnesota at the 2023 Fall Competitive Grant award ceremony. Nearly 130 people representing various nonprofit organizations and local governments attended.

The LCRF 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. Many of the organizations awarded funding this fall were for brick-and-mortar projects and other projects that will have a long-lasting impact on their communities. Among those are the following:

§  Community Center projects include new, rebuilt, or enhanced community centers in Alvord, Doon, Inwood, and Lester.

§  Recreational projects include improvements to ball fields in Alvord and Larchwood, a trail expansion in Rock Rapids, a natural playscape, outdoor classroom and new docks and boats at Lake Pahoja.

§  Veteran related projects include the sponsoring of Midwest Honor Flight Mission 18, Crooks Veterans Park, Golf for Injured Veterans Everywhere, building repair at VFW Post 6960, and veteran burial flag cases.

Other projects receiving significant funding with enduring impact include a shelter for family safety through the Children’s Home Society, a Mid-Sioux Opportunity facility upgrade in Rock Rapids and enhancements at the Blood Run National Historic Landmark by the Friends of Blood Run organization.

LCRF is the nonprofit organization that holds the gaming license for Grand Falls Casino & Golf Resort (GFCR), which is located by the city of Larchwood in Lyon County, Iowa. Iowa law requires that the LCRF is funded through a portion of the GFCR 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 and since that time has distributed almost $30 million to those charitable and civic organizations.

2025 Mini Grant Recipients: