BETTENDORF, IOWA (August 20, 2026) — Applications for the 2026 Grant W Brissman and Virginia M Brissman Foundation grants are now open. Organizations serving the Village of Milan, Illinois, can apply for up to $15,000 to support work in areas such as youth development, community development, cultural activities, and the relief of suffering for underprivileged people.
Each year, the Brissman Foundation awards grants to support projects and organizations that improve the quality of life in the Village of Milan, Illinois. The Brissman Foundation is a private foundation administered by the Quad Cities Community Foundation.
In 2025, Brissman Foundation trustees awarded over $160,000 to 36 different local organizations.
“Brissman Foundation grants are an investment in the future of the Milan area,” said Kelly Thompson, the Community Foundation’s vice president of strategic initiatives.
“It’s the legacy of Grant and Virginia Brissman to strengthen the community by supporting these projects and dedicated organizations.”
Grant Brissman, a graduate of Rock Island High School and Brown’s Business College, was a pioneer Milan business owner who founded Brissman’s Auto Supply in 1948 and operated it for nearly thirty years before retiring in 1978. He also served as a founding director and shareholder of Blackhawk State Bank in Milan. His wife, Virginia, worked for Illinois Bell Telephone Company for forty years before retiring in 1977. Married for sixty years, the couple left a legacy of generosity that continues through the Brissman Foundation, established through their estates and administered by the Community Foundation.
Interested organizations are encouraged to learn more and apply by October 5 at qccommunityfoundation.org/brissmangrants. Previous applicants should note that 2026 applications will be managed through a new grant application system; it will work the same as the Quad Cities Community Foundation grant application system, but all applicants will need to create a new account to apply.
Applicants with questions can contact Grantmaking Manager Jennie White at jenniewhite@QCCommunityFoundation.org or (563) 326-2840.
The Quad Cities Community Foundation champions generosity. It is the place where generous people in the bi-state region make both lifetime and estate gifts of all sizes to support the long-term needs and opportunities of their community, and the specific organizations and causes most meaningful to them.
