Waverly council hears nonprofit funding requests from NEICAC, Chamber and Senior Center ahead of budget

Carly Schmelzer, chief operations officer of Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC), and Nicole Griese, NEICAC’s family and community impact director, presented the agency’s countywide work and Waverly-specific numbers during the City of Waverly’s Feb. 7 budget study session.

Schmelzer described NEICAC’s mission and funding mix, and read client feedback collected in satisfaction surveys. "My family could not have made it without their help," one quote included in the presentation said, underscoring the agency’s role in local safety-net services. Griese said NEICAC served 759 individuals from more than 330 Waverly households in program year 2025 and that city residents received about $120,000 in assistance; agency-wide, NEICAC processed roughly $3.3 million in direct assistance and served more than 9,200 people. NEICAC requested $10,394 from the city for the upcoming fiscal year.

Chelsea Peterson, representing Waverly Chamber Main Street, asked the council for $35,000 to support Main Street and Chamber activities, including event promotion, business retention and a new website to improve visitor data and digital marketing. "Consistency builds awareness, and awareness brings people back," Peterson said, explaining that the additional funds would allow the Chamber to sustain year-round outreach rather than stop-and-start volunteer-driven efforts.

Cindy Campbell, speaking for the Waverly Senior Center, requested $10,000 (later corrected in discussion to $12,000) to help cover payroll and program costs. Campbell highlighted recent program growth, a newly hired chef and a fundraising pilot called "Dinner to Go," and said city support is "extremely critical" to keeping services running.

Council members asked clarifying questions about year-over-year changes and specific program impacts, and several members praised NEICAC’s new Waverly facility and the Chamber’s post-bridge-closure promotion work. No final funding decisions were made at the session; staff and council members indicated these requests will be considered as the budget is finalized in subsequent steps.

The council’s next formal steps include incorporating these requests into the draft budget and deciding on final appropriations in upcoming meetings.