Iowa West Foundation
Grant Information
The Iowa West Foundation’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities in southwest Iowa for current and future generations. Our vision is to foster communities where families love to live and businesses thrive, with a focus on belonging, financial stability, education, and wellbeing.
Grant types:
- Program (restricted),
- Capital (restricted), and
- General Operating (unrestricted)
In addition to the three grants described above, the Iowa West Foundation funds initiatives, capacity building, contingency support, and emergency funding to existing grantees and partners.
Shelby Volunteer Fire & Rescue Dept. ($4,000); Southwest Iowa Mental Health and Disability Services ($31,535); Lewis Central Community School District ($100,000); City of Denison ($150,000); Habitat for Humanity of Council Bluffs ($200,000); The Nature Conservancy of Iowa ($500,000).
Application info
The Foundation has three grant cycles per year. See the Application Process page for grant cycles, deadlines, and other details.
We do not fund individuals, private businesses, or 501(c)(3) private foundations.
The foundation is place-based and restricts its funding to programs and organizations that support Iowa Residents. The geographic footprint includes 14 counties. Our primary funding area is in Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County. We also serve communities located in Adams, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Shelby, and Taylor counties.
The following are ineligible for grants:
- Activities that violate your nonprofit status: The IRS sets out in its code restrictions on what public charities can legally do and maintain their status. We adhere to these restrictions set by the IRS..
- Discrimination or intolerance: We promote equitable, inclusive communities and do not fund activities that would result in inappropriate discrimination against any individual or group. - Fundraising events: We do not contribute to endowment campaigns nor support benefits or fundraising events, such as galas, golf tournaments, and school dinners.
- Medical / Healthcare: We do not fund the costs associated with medical care. This includes the operations or construction of medical facilities. It also includes grants that address circumstances arising from specific medical conditions.
- Past costs, debts, or expenses: We understand that occasionally work on a project must begin prior to our award announcement. However, when we review your proposal budget, we only consider as a match the costs / work you anticipate after we provide notification of an award. Please review our grants cycle timeline to understand which cycle bests matches the needs of your project.
- Public safety facilities/vehicles: Public safety facilities (police and fire stations) or public safety vehicles are not eligible. Iowa West Foundation organizes our funding of public safety support through our Volunteer Fire Department Grant Program (outlined in the section above). For additional information, please contact Program Officer Stacey Goodman.
- Regranting programs: The Iowa West Foundation does not fund programs that sub-award our funding. - Religious activities: Churches and religious organizations are an important part of our community. We support their secular activities, but religious activities are not eligible for our funding. As a result, churches and religious organizations are not eligible for operating grants, or capital grants that support facilities used for religious activities.
- Recently Declined Applications: You may not reapply for a program that was declined in the past 12 months.
- Sponsorship: Publications, films, books, seminars, and conferences are not eligible as stand-alone projects. They may only be considered when they directly support eligible programs.
Tara Slevin (Chair)
Tammy Pavich (Vice Chairman)