The Riverboat Development Authority announced Monday that nearly $1.5 million in grants have been awarded to fund 69 different Quad-City area programs.

The announcement marks 15 years during which the Riverboat Development Authority, or RDA, has given the funds that represent a portion of riverboat gambling revenues, bringing the total to more than $42 million. The RDA is a nonprofit agency that holds the gambling license for the Rhythm City Casino in Davenport.

The Family Museum in Bettendorf also is celebrating a milestone. The museum will use its grant to help fund programs and exhibits during 2007, its 10th anniversary.

Jeff Reiter, business development manager at the museum, said RDA grants have played an important part in the success there over the past decade.

“We’ve been able to bring in cool traveling exhibits, including the very successful Grossology. We’ve done excellent programming for the children of the Quad-City community. We’ve been able to provide tuition and access assistance for kids to have the opportunity to experience the museum who might not otherwise have been able to,” he said.

The amounts of the grants varied, with some organizations receiving as much as $125,000 and others as little as $2,000, based upon the needs of their project request.

“We have a lot of big projects here. But even the smallest of grants can have a really big impact on the community,” said Mary Ellen Chamberlin, president of the RDA board.

She reminded the crowd attending the announcement ceremonies at the Figge Art Museum of the sandhill crane sculpture at Vander Veer Botanical Park in Davenport that was fashioned in 1997 by artist Thom Gleich from a 120-year-old sycamore tree that had been struck by lightning. With a modest grant from the RDA and some hard work on Gleich’s part, the sculpture is a widely recognized symbol. Gleich created a second version of the crane that was dedicated in October after his original work of art rotted.

Many recipients of RDA grants over the past several years have been involved in changing the face of downtown Davenport, including the Figge, the German American Heritage Center, the River Music Experience and DavenportOne.

Reiter said he and his family benefit from all of those improvements to the downtown area.

“I have a 3-year-old son, and he loves to go to John O’Donnell (Stadium), the (Quad-City) Sports Center, the Adler (Theatre). His favorite thing is to pack a lunch and go sit on the skybridge and wave at cars,” he added.

Lori Roderick of Quad-City Arts said the grant money helps her organization gain much-needed exposure.

“Greater exposure helps people view the arts as a crucial component of a healthy society,” she added.

Contact the city desk at (563) 383-2245 or newsroom@qctimes.com.

2006 GRANTS

Here are the Riverboat Development Authority grant awards for November 2006 that were announced Monday by the nonprofit agency that holds the riverboat gambling license for the Rhythm City Casino in Davenport. The total granted was $1,469,935. The applicant is listed first, followed by the project and then the amount of the grant:

 Ballet Quad-Cities, world premiere at the Adler Theatre, $25,000

 Bix Beiderbecke Memorial Society, 36th annual Bix Jazz Fest, $25,000

 Boy Scouts of America/Illowa Council Inc. No. 133, replace telephone system, $11,000

 Buffalo Bill Museum, LeClaire, Iowa, Save The Lone Star Steamer project, $10,000

 Center For Active Seniors Inc (CASI), Blarney Ball, $25,000

 Child Abuse Prevention and Services Council, 2007 Lifesaver Campaign lead sponsorship, $15,000

 Churches United, Quad-City Hunger Ministries, $10,000

 Community Foundation of the Great River Bend, Viewpoint, $25,000

 Davenport Schools Foundation, transportation and admissions $25,000

 City of Davenport, * fiber-optic emergency communications, $34,000

 City of Davenport, River Renaissance walkway (8), $125,000

 City of Davenport, fire department fire prevention and education, $3,000

 City of Davenport, Leisure Facilities and Services Junge Park improvements, $20,000

 City of Davenport, Levee Improvement Commission Centennial Park recreation corridor, $60,000

 DavenportOne Partnership, truck purchase, $10,000

 DavenportOne, D1 Initiative, $40,000

 City of Eldridge, park message centers $2,000

 Family Museum of Arts and Science Foundation, 10 Years of Family Fun, $35,000

 Family Resources Inc., renovation of Leslie youth residential building, $20,000

 German-American Heritage Center, elevator tower façade, $50,000

 Gilda’s Club Quad-Cities, roof replacement, $18,000

 Great River Bend Services Inc., community college after-hours transit, $13,500

 Great River Revelry, $25,000

 Hand In Hand, programs for children/special needs adaptive programs, $7,800

 Handicapped Development Center, mechanical lifting devices, $4,200

 Jewish Federation of the Quad-Cities, Jewish music series, $7,500

 Jewish Federation of the Quad-Cities, co-existence exhibit, $25,000

 John Lewis Coffee Shop Inc., shelter campaign, $25,000

 Junior Achievement of the Quad-City Area Inc., Exchange City, $8,335

 Keep Scott County Beautiful, Mississippi River palette, $25,000

 Lutheran Social Services of Iowa, alternative to suspension program, $6,000

 Miss Iowa Scholarship Management Corp., Iowa’s Got Talent: statewide talent search, $10,000

 Mississippi Valley Blues Society Festival, community signage, $8,000

 Mississippi Valley Girl Scouts Council, Girl Scouts outreach, $11,000

 Museum Of Art Foundation, * Figge Art Center capital campaign, $50,000

 New Ground Theatre, “Living Here: New Plays From New Ground,” $10,000

 Open Cities Film Society, John V. Bloom: Iowa Public Television, $25,000

 Palmer College Foundation, Learning Resource Center, $25,000

 Putnam Museum of History and Natural Science, Engaging Exhibits (2), $50,000

 Quad-Citians Affirming Diversity, office equipment upgrade, $12,000

 Q-C Arts, The Economy of Creativity, $12,000

 Quad-City Botanical Center Foundation, 2007 fundraising partnership, $13,000

 Quad-City Convention & Visitors Bureau, regional radio advertising, $25,000

 Quad-City Graduate Study Center, Bringing the Brain to School (2), $5,600

 Quad-City Interfaith Inc., office relocation and upgrade, $2,500

 Quad-City Jazz Festival Ltd., Polyrhythms: jazz series at RME, $21,000

 Quad-City Labyrinth Project, Labyrinth as a Path of Peace, $5,000

 Quad-City Senior Olympics Inc., 17th annual Senior Olympics, $5,000

 Quad-City Symphony Orchestra Association, music director/conductor search, $20,000

 River Action Inc., Riverway public education program, $10,000

 River Center for the Performing Arts, Adler Theater renovations (3), $40,000

 River Music Experience, Stomp the Violence: Find Your Peace, $25,500

 Safer Foundation of Iowa, Youth Empowerment Program, $25,000

 Salvation Army of the Quad-Cities, passenger van for The Arc, $10,000

 Scott County Board of Supervisors, Senior Citizens Holiday Light Tour, $3,500

 Scott County Family Y, capital campaign challenge (3), $50,000

 Scott County Housing Council, rehab of single- and multi-family housing (2), $50,000

 Scott County Sheriff’s Department, emergency response light truck, $15,000

 Senior Voice, senior housing program, $3,500

 Speedway Fire Rescue, radio communications, $15,000

 Aging Inc., assistance for aging service providers, $15,000

 Supplemental Emergency Assistance Program, client emergency funding, $40,000

 United Neighbors Inc., summer parks employment program, $40,000

 United Neighbors Inc., neighborhood improvement program, $15,000

 Up With Families, Davenport, retreat weekend, $5,000

 Vera French Community Mental Health Center, purchase replacement truck, $10,000

 World Community Institute, visiting fellow lecture series, $2,000

 WQPT-TV, technology upgrade, $25,000

 WVIK-FM, Public Radio Foundation membership leverage, $25,000

* previously approved project.