Iowa · Grantmakers

Foundations That Fund Human Services in Iowa

Imperigo has identified 600 funders that made 6,202 grants totaling $506.1M to 524 human services organizations in Iowa, with a median grant of $14K. Every figure below is drawn from IRS Form 990 filings through 2025.

Human Services Funding in Iowa

Total granted $506.1M
Funders 600
Grants 6,202
Organizations funded 524

Top Funders — page 1 of 4

1. Heritage Area Agency on Aging
24 grants to 4 organizations · largest $2.3M · through 2024 · 77.5% of their giving
$12.5M
2. Wesleylife Foundation
4 grants to 2 organizations · largest $5.9M · through 2024 · 94.7% of their giving
$12.1M
3. United Way of East Central Iowa
74 grants to 15 organizations · largest $601K · through 2024 · 41.0% of their giving
$10.0M
4. Washington County Riverboat Foundation Inc
28 grants to 14 organizations · largest $2.0M · through 2025 · 26.3% of their giving
$7.2M
5. Stonehill Benevolent Foundation
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $5.2M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$6.6M
6. Virginia Henry Charitable Trust
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $1.6M · through 2024 · 79.9% of their giving
$6.0M
7. Aging Resources of Central Iowa
29 grants to 6 organizations · largest $512K · through 2024 · 35.6% of their giving
$5.0M
8. United Way of Siouxland Inc
68 grants to 15 organizations · largest $149K · through 2024 · 35.8% of their giving
$4.5M
9. Community Fdn of Greater Des Moines F/K/a Greater Des Moines Community Fdn
1,374 grants to 123 organizations · largest $500K · through 2024 · 5.1% of their giving
$16.0M
10. Greater Cedar Rapids Community Foundation
119 grants to 38 organizations · largest $261K · through 2024 · 13.2% of their giving
$5.8M
11. The Lifespace Foundation
4 grants to 2 organizations · largest $3.0M · through 2023 · 46.1% of their giving
$3.7M
12. Promise Partners
20 grants to 7 organizations · largest $502K · through 2024 · 50.6% of their giving
$3.3M
13. Golf Charitable Foundation of Greater Des Moines
51 grants to 11 organizations · largest $138K · through 2024 · 11.5% of their giving
$5.2M
14. United Way of Johnson & Washington Count
50 grants to 9 organizations · largest $132K · through 2024 · 40.0% of their giving
$2.9M
15. The Oaknoll Foundation
6 grants to 1 organization · largest $1.1M · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$2.8M
16. United Way of Story County Inc
42 grants to 9 organizations · largest $208K · through 2024 · 44.7% of their giving
$2.8M
17. Christian Home Association Foundation
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $850K · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$2.8M
18. Community Y Endowment Foundation
1 grant to 1 organization · largest $2.6M · through 2019 · 100.0% of their giving
$2.6M
19. Foundation for Children and Families of Iowa
8 grants to 1 organization · largest $450K · through 2024 · 100.0% of their giving
$2.2M
20. Prairie Meadows Race Track and Casino Inc
120 grants to 53 organizations · largest $750K · through 2024 · 5.2% of their giving
$6.7M
21. The Mental Health Association of New York City Inc
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $4.4M · through 2024 · 2.4% of their giving
$12.8M
22. United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States
34 grants to 8 organizations · largest $116K · through 2024 · 23.9% of their giving
$1.3M
23. Building Direction for Families Inc
21 grants to 4 organizations · largest $118K · through 2024 · 32.9% of their giving
$1.3M
24. Marshalltown Area United Way
33 grants to 6 organizations · largest $66K · through 2024 · 31.7% of their giving
$1.2M
25. Ridgecrest Foundation Inc
5 grants to 1 organization · largest $610K · through 2023 · 100.0% of their giving
$1.1M

Funders are ordered by how much of their overall giving goes to human services work in Iowa, not by dollar totals alone — a foundation that concentrates its giving here is usually a better prospect than a larger one for which this is a rounding error. 19 of the funders counted here are donor-advised fund sponsors, which grant on behalf of individual donors and accept no applications; they are marked and ranked last.

Other Causes Funded in Iowa

About This Data

A grant appears here when a funder reported it on its IRS Form 990 and the recipient organization is classified under the NTEE group covering human services work, with an address in Iowa. Grants are counted from the 2025 filing year backward.

Some 990 grant schedules list a recipient by name and address without an EIN, and those grants cannot be matched to a classification — so the totals above represent identifiable human services funding in Iowa, not every dollar that reached the sector. Figures are a floor, not a ceiling.

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Research Iowa funders in depth

Full grant histories, recipient lists, officer compensation, multi-year financials, and exports for every foundation Imperigo tracks.