Iowa Private Grants

The Donaldson Foundation dedicates its efforts to making a positive impact in communities where Donaldson Company employees reside, focusing on supporting educational initiatives. It extends grant invitations exclusively to applications with an educational aim, scrutinizing each based on criteria such as educational focus, the need of beneficiaries, impact, sustainability, and connection to communities near company locations. Eligible recipients are required to be IRS-recognized tax-exempt entities. Funding is available in the Twin Cities and several U.S. locations where Donaldson has significant operations, with grants reaching up to $20,000. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual Cycle 2 deadline: January 15th

Our grantees work to build on the entrepreneurial spirit, strong community ties, and untapped potential within Native nations, communities of color, rural communities, and other resilient communities who have fewer opportunities to thrive on their own terms. We envision strong, vibrant communities where people are connected to good jobs and have the financial capability to build their assets and provide a secure future for their families and communities. A Need to Close the Opportunity Gaps Our economic system doesn’t work for everyone. It widens income and opportunity gaps, restrains economic mobility, and traps people and communities in a cycle of poverty and injustice. A disproportionate number of Native Americans, people of color, refugees, immigrants, and rural Americans are living in crisis—or just a paycheck away from it. Nationally, six in 10 families of color don’t have the cash on hand to cover basic expenses—like rent, medical emergencies, or the need to fix a car—for three months.

The Pella Community Foundation Impact Grants, ranging from $15,000 to $25,000, are available to 501(c)(3) organizations and governmental agencies for projects that significantly improve Pella's quality of life, demonstrate community impact, and show evidence of long-term planning and sustainability.

This scholarship provides financial support for students in Iowa who have been directly affected by childhood cancer, either as patients or siblings, to help them pursue higher education.

This funding opportunity supports projects that improve community health and healthcare services in Muscatine and surrounding areas.

The Forecast Public Art’s Midwest Memory Grant, ranging from $10,000 to $100,000, is open to non-profit organizations in rural Midwest communities, aiming to elevate and preserve the stories of BIPOC communities through monuments, with a focus on addressing systemic inequities and advancing racial justice.

This grant provides financial support to nonprofit organizations in Iowa, Minnesota, and Nebraska that focus on improving financial literacy and employment readiness to help individuals achieve financial stability.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to artists and organizers in Nebraska and Iowa who are working to challenge societal norms, foster community engagement, and promote collaboration through their creative endeavors.

The Rural Housing Assessment Grant program, administered by the Iowa Economic Development Authority (IEDA)'s Center for Rural Revitalization, aims to empower rural communities in Iowa. This initiative aligns with a broader mission to revitalize rural areas by enabling communities to interpret publicly available data and implement changes in development codes, local ordinances, and housing incentives. The program's foundation is deeply rooted in the belief that data-driven decisions at the local level are crucial for fostering a development environment attractive to potential housing developers, ultimately contributing to the economic and social well-being of rural Iowa. The primary beneficiaries of this grant program are local city and county governments, as well as federally recognized tribal governments located in Iowa. Specifically, projects and programs must exist in and benefit communities with a population of 20,000 or fewer, and not be contiguous to a city with a population of 40,000 or greater. For countywide projects, eligibility is restricted to the 88 least populous counties. The impact goals are centered on facilitating the assessment of current development environments, enacting policy changes, and ultimately increasing the availability of suitable housing in these underserved rural areas. The program prioritizes several key areas. First, it focuses on supporting the use of publicly available, online information, encouraging communities to leverage existing data for informed decision-making. Second, a significant focus is placed on partnering with Iowa State University (ISU) Extension and Outreach for their Rural Housing Readiness Assessment workshops. These workshops are integral to helping communities assess their current housing landscape and identify areas for improvement. The grant funds are specifically designed to support housing assessment data collection, participation in these workshops, and the subsequent implementation of workshop outcomes within the contract period. Expected outcomes include the completion of housing assessment reports, successful participation in the ISU Extension and Outreach Rural Housing Assessment Readiness Workshop, and the implementation of policy and procedural changes that attract developers. Measurable results will be tied to the completion of these deliverables and the demonstrable progress made in adjusting local regulations to be more conducive to housing development. Grant recipients can be awarded up to $20,000, with a funding period for all project activities and incurred expenses spanning from October 1, 2024, to June 30, 2026. The program also requires a $5,000 cash match for each city or full county partnering on an application, ensuring local commitment and investment.

This grant provides financial support to tax-exempt organizations in Boone County, Iowa, for projects that enhance community well-being in areas such as arts, education, health, and environmental protection.

This grant provides funding for innovative community-based projects that promote joy as a vital element of social justice for Asian, Asian American, Pacific Islander, and AMEMSA communities in the Upper Midwest.

The Fund for Siouxland is an unrestricted endowment fund managed by the Siouxland Community Foundation, aiming to enhance the quality of life in the Siouxland communities. It utilizes the contributions from individuals, families, corporations, and other foundations to support a broad range of initiatives within an approximately 80-mile radius of Sioux City, Iowa. The fund prioritizes projects that collaborate with other agencies, address new and emerging needs with creative solutions, and demonstrate sound financial plans for future sustainability. Projects benefiting larger numbers of people, especially those at risk, are given preference. The grants generally do not exceed $5,000 and are not allocated to religious purposes, annual fund drives, political activities, capital campaigns, endowments, general operating expenses, individuals, budget deficits, or school playground equipment/uniforms. Grant renewed every year. Grant Annual opening/closing deadline: February 15th to May 15th

This grant provides funding to educators and nonprofit preschool organizations in Iowa to create innovative projects that integrate agriculture into classroom instruction or afterschool programs.

This funding opportunity provides financial support to charitable nonprofits in various sectors, including arts, education, and health, to help them implement programs or expand initiatives within the community.

The Iowa Economic Development Authority, through the Iowa Arts Council, offers the Iowa Screenwriters Grant to support career advancement for Iowa screenwriters. The grant provides professional development resources tied to an active screenplay and aims to elevate the creative screenwriting industry in the state. Applicants may request between 500 and 2,500 dollars for one time project expenses incurred during the funding period from July 1, 2024 through June 30, 2025. Eligible activities include conference or workshop registration, software or books for screenwriting, classes or apprenticeships, mentorship, and professional feedback on current work. Eligible screenplay formats include feature, short, web series, and episodic works including pilots and new seasons, as well as proof of concept and adaptations. Eligible applicants are individual screenwriters 18 years or older who are full time Iowa residents and who are currently registered in the Produce Iowa Production Directory. Projects must demonstrate clear professional development goals tied to the advancement of an active screenplay. Applications are due May 3, 2024. Additional information is available from the Iowa Economic Development Authority.

The Hubbell-Waterman Foundation is actively seeking grant applications from nonprofit organizations operating within Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois. The foundation's mission is deeply rooted in enhancing community well-being through strategic investments in three key areas: culture and the arts, education, and social welfare. This aligns with their overarching goal of fostering a vibrant, educated, and supportive community by addressing critical needs and enriching local life. Within the realm of culture and the arts, the foundation prioritizes cultivating and supporting both visual and performing arts, investing in landmark cultural institutions, and backing new, innovative programs that contribute to community enrichment. For education, their focus extends to pre-K–12 education, encompassing after-school and summer programs, creative learning initiatives, life skills and career training, environmental education with a sustainability emphasis, and crucial mental health programs for students and their families. Social welfare initiatives are designed to support accessible programs for individuals and families, specifically targeting at-risk and low-income family services, food and nutrition support, housing security, immigrant and refugee community support, and physical and mental health services. The foundation's funding strategies support a variety of grant types to achieve its impact goals. These include capital campaigns and acquisitions for construction and renovations, operational and/or program grants for up to three years following a capital campaign, and multi-year program grants, also not exceeding three years. These program grants may also cover general operating expense reimbursement. The target beneficiaries are primarily nonprofit organizations serving the specified counties, and through these organizations, individuals and families who will benefit from improved access to cultural experiences, educational opportunities, and social support. Expected outcomes include a more culturally vibrant community, improved educational outcomes and access, enhanced life skills, increased environmental awareness, better mental health support for students and families, and stronger social safety nets for vulnerable populations. The foundation's strategic priorities are clearly laid out in its long-term funding priorities and its defined areas of focus. Their theory of change appears to be that by strategically investing in these three core areas through various grant mechanisms, they can catalyze positive, sustainable change within the communities of Scott County, Iowa, and Rock Island County, Illinois, ultimately leading to a more inclusive and thriving society.

The 501vc® Investment Fund is seeking to invest $200,000 to $300,000 in early-stage climate tech startups in the Greater Midwest region, focusing on sectors like advanced materials, renewable energy, and agriculture technologies.

The PRISM (Promoting Rural Interconnections for Sexual Minorities) grant program, offered by the PFund Foundation, is designed to bolster the capacity and connectivity of rural LGBTQ+ organizations across a five-state service area: Iowa, Minnesota, North Dakota, South Dakota, and Wisconsin, including Native Nations within these states. This initiative directly aligns with PFund's mission to support LGBTQ+ communities, particularly in underserved rural areas. By focusing on rural interconnections, PFund aims to address the unique challenges faced by queer individuals in small towns and rural parts of the upper Midwest, fostering a more connected and resilient LGBTQ+ ecosystem in these regions. The primary beneficiaries of the PRISM program are LGBTQIA2S+ populations in rural communities within the specified states. The program targets organizations that primarily serve these populations, have been in operation for at least one year, are based in or serve rural areas (towns under 50,000 people), and are registered 501(c)(3) nonprofits or informal groups with a fiscal sponsor. The impact goals are to increase the capacity of these organizations, enhance their connections through networking, and empower them to effectively respond to the specific issues affecting queer people in their communities. The program's priorities and focuses revolve around creating networks for LGBTQ+ organizations and groups to facilitate resource sharing, collaborative learning, and collective action. This cohort collaboration is a central tenet, designed to build a strong, supportive community among rural LGBTQ+ leaders and organizations. The funding, ranging from $10,000 to $20,000 for a 12-month period, supports these organizations in strengthening their infrastructure and programs to better serve their constituents. Expected outcomes include more robust and sustainable rural LGBTQ+ organizations, increased inter-organizational collaboration, and a more unified response to the challenges faced by queer individuals in the upper Midwest's rural areas. While specific measurable results are not explicitly detailed in the provided text, the program's emphasis on capacity building, connection, and cohort collaboration suggests that metrics would likely include the number of organizations participating, the types of resources shared, the attendance and engagement in monthly virtual meetings, and qualitative assessments of increased organizational effectiveness and community impact. PFund Foundation's strategic priority with the PRISM program is clearly to support and uplift rural LGBTQ+ communities, recognizing their distinct needs and often overlooked struggles. The theory of change underpinning PRISM is that by providing targeted financial support, training, and fostering a collaborative network, rural LGBTQ+ organizations will become more resilient and effective. This, in turn, will lead to improved services, stronger advocacy, and a better quality of life for LGBTQ+ individuals living in these areas, ultimately contributing to a more equitable and inclusive Upper Midwest.

This grant provides financial support to Iowa-based nonprofit organizations focused on children's safety, veteran and first responder assistance, and addressing food insecurity and nutrition.

This program provides financial assistance to developers for constructing new housing in Iowa cities affected by recent disasters, focusing on permanent residences for sale or rent.