To strengthen and transform the health and smiles of all Iowans.
Delta Dental of Iowa repeatedly places large grants behind the same purpose: supporting and improving the oral health of Iowans. Three contributions of $6.1 million in 2023, $5.9 million in 2024, and $5.0 million in 2025 to Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation show a continuing in-state commitment at a scale that sits well above the foundation’s typical grant range. That pattern is paired with a donor-advised fund used for dental education debt repayment for a dentist who agrees to establish an office in a rural, underserved community, a structure that links charitable giving to workforce placement. The foundation also backs broader health-related work that extends beyond clinical dentistry. Recent support has gone to youth recovery-campus development, community meals, veteran-related dental access, and a service-animal training program. In the oral-health field, the foundation’s support reaches both systems and direct service: it funds dental education debt repayment, community oral health programs, and supply support through toothbrush donations. Its grantmaking also includes public-health-adjacent projects such as water bottle filling stations and pedestrian infrastructure, reflecting a practical approach to health in everyday settings.
Oral health is the foundation’s central theme, and it appears in both large institutional support and smaller program grants. The three annual contributions to Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation were all designated to support and improve the oral health of Iowans. Beyond that, the foundation funded Iowa Dental Foundation for IMOM in 2023, 2024, and 2025, showing a repeated link to direct dental-access work. Workforce development is another clear thread. Through a donor-advised fund at Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, it supported repayment of dental education debt for a dentist who would open in a rural, underserved area. Public health and preventive care also show up in place-based projects: Iowa health departments received Ismile grants, and a water-focused program supports outdoor bottle-filling stations in Iowa communities along trailheads and in public parks. The portfolio also reaches meal support and recovery-related community projects, including Wesley Community Services and Youth and Shelter Services Inc.
$5.5M
$180.2M
$262M
$253M
Most grants fall between $23K and $88K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$23K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$88K
APRIL SCHMALTZ
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Typical grant size clusters around a median of $50,000, with the 25th percentile at $22,707 and the 75th percentile at $87,500. The recent record shows a mix of very large foundation-to-foundation contributions and much smaller local grants and in-kind support. Recurring recipients appear across multiple years, including Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Feeding America, Iowa Dental Foundation, Great Outdoors Foundation, Wesley Community Services, and several county health departments. The foundation is not a private family fund or a DAF-only vehicle; it makes direct grants, uses donor-advised funds, and provides in-kind toothbrush donations. Unsolicited applications are accepted for several active programs, including Ignite Grants and Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector Grants.
Giving is overwhelmingly in Iowa: 94% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state, and the top state by grant count is Iowa. Recent recipient cities include Des Moines, Johnston, West Des Moines, Ottumwa, Waterloo, Iowa City, and Urbandale. The only non-Iowa recipient in the recent list is Feeding America in Chicago, Illinois, appearing in two grants tied to a meals campaign. The pattern is local and statewide rather than national, with multiple county health departments and community organizations across Iowa.
The foundation centers on oral health and access to dental care, with related support for dental education, prevention, community water fluoridation, toothbrush donations, and integration of oral health with overall health. Its largest recent grants were all directed to supporting and improving the oral health of Iowans.
The middle of its recent giving sits at a median grant size of $50,000, with the 25th percentile at $22,707 and the 75th percentile at $87,500. Recent activity also includes much larger contributions in the millions and smaller program grants under $25,000.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Delta Dental of Iowa Foundation, Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, Iowa Dental Foundation, Feeding America, Great Outdoors Foundation, Wesley Community Services, and multiple county health departments. That suggests repeat relationships rather than only one-time gifts.
Recent and active support includes oral health access, rural dental workforce recruitment, loan repayment for dentists, capacity building, meals distribution, recovery-campus development, veteran dental access, and service-animal training. Named examples include IMOM, Ismile, and the YSS Ember Recovery Campus campaign.
Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited requests, including Ignite Grants, Strengthening the Nonprofit Sector Grants, System & Capacity Building Grants, FIND & Loan Repayment, Give Smiles, Give Smiles for Vets, and Toothbrush Donations. Some of these are capped at $0–$25,000, while FIND Loan Repayment Awards are listed at $80,000–$100,000.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Delta Dental of Iowa that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Applicants must complete an LOI through the online grants system beginning in 2026.
Deadline: Check the grant guidelines document for program dates and deadlines.
Who can apply: Requests must be for oral health projects and include an oral health education component.
Deadline: Accepted on a rolling basis throughout the year.
Who can apply: Designed for short-term projects that are primarily educational in nature and related to the Foundation's core initiatives. Applications are accepted from eligible organizations through the online grants system.
Deadline: Applications open in January and are accepted on an ongoing basis until all funds are allocated.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION | JOHNSTON, IA | $5,000,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT & IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF IOWANS. |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DES MOINES | DES MOINES, IA | $200,000 | 2025 | CONTRIBUTION TO CFGDM FOR THE DDIA DONOR ADVISED FUND. THE DONOR ADVISED FUND IS USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF DENTAL EDUCATION DEBT FOR A DENTIST WHO AGREES TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN A RURAL, UNDERSERVED AREA AND LEGACY WOODS PROJECT. |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $61,981 | 2025 | COMPANY MATCH OF EMPLOYEE DONATIONS |
| YOUTH AND SHELTER SERVICES INC | DES MOINES, IA | $50,000 | 2025 | YSS EMBER RECOVERY CAMPUS CAMPAIGN |
| CITY OF WEST DES MOINES | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | ATHENE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROJECT |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2025 | HY-VEE 100 MILLION MEALS DONATION |
| IOWA DENTAL FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | IMOM |
| AMERICAN HOME FINDING ASSOCIATION | OTTUMWA, IA | $15,719 | 2025 | ISMILE |
| LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | MADISON, IA | $14,296 | 2025 | ISMILE |
| SCOTT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | FORT MADISON, IA | $13,894 | 2025 | ISMILE |
| PUPPY JAKE FOUNDATION | URBANDALE, IA | $12,000 | 2025 | TRAINING FOR 1 DOG FOR 1 YEAR |
| BLACK HAWK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | WATERLOO, IA | $11,210 | 2025 | ISMILE |
| JOHNSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH | IOWA CITY, IA | $10,164 | 2025 | ISMILE |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DES MOINES | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2025 | LEGACY WOODS PROJECT |
| DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION | JOHNSTON, IA | $5,900,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT & IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF IOWANS. |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DES MOINES | DES MOINES, IA | $200,000 | 2024 | CONTRIBUTION TO CFGDM FOR THE DDIA DONOR ADVISED FUND. THE DONOR ADVISED FUND IS USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF DENTAL EDUCATION DEBT FOR A DENTIST WHO AGREES TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN A RURAL, UNDERSERVED AREA. |
| GREAT OUTDOORS FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | EASTER LAKE NORTH SHORE PROJECT |
| WESLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES | JOHNSTON, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | WESLEYLIFE MEALS ON WHEELS |
| DRAKE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS | DES MOINES, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | DONATION FOR MEDIACOM STADIUM PLEDGE |
| FEEDING AMERICA | CHICAGO, IL | $25,000 | 2024 | HY-VEE 100 MILLION MEALS DONATION |
| IOWA DENTAL FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2024 | IMOM |
| AMERICAN HOME FINDING ASSOCIATION | OTTUMWA, IA | $15,827 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | MADISON, IA | $12,511 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| WEBSTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | DODGE, IA | $5,476 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BLACK HAWK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT | WATERLOO, IA | $5,016 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION | JOHNSTON, IA | $6,100,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION TO DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT & IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF IOWANS. |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DES MOINES | DES MOINES, IA | $400,000 | 2023 | CONTRIBUTION TO CFGDM FOR THE DDIA DONOR ADVISED FUND. THE DONOR ADVISED FUND IS USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF DENTAL EDUCATION DEBT FOR A DENTIST WHO AGREES TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN A RURAL, UNDERSERVED AREA. |
| GREAT OUTDOORS FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $50,000 | 2023 | EASTER LAKE NORTH SHORE PROJECT |
| WESLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES | JOHNSTON, IA | $50,000 | 2023 | WESLEYLIFE MEALS ON WHEELS |
| IOWA DENTAL FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | IMOM |
DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION
$5,000,000CONTRIBUTION TO DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT & IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF IOWANS.
CONTRIBUTION TO CFGDM FOR THE DDIA DONOR ADVISED FUND. THE DONOR ADVISED FUND IS USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF DENTAL EDUCATION DEBT FOR A DENTIST WHO AGREES TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN A RURAL, UNDERSERVED AREA AND LEGACY WOODS PROJECT.
CITY OF WEST DES MOINES
$25,000ATHENE PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE PROJECT
AMERICAN HOME FINDING ASSOCIATION
$15,719ISMILE
LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$14,296ISMILE
SCOTT COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$13,894ISMILE
PUPPY JAKE FOUNDATION
$12,000TRAINING FOR 1 DOG FOR 1 YEAR
BLACK HAWK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$11,210ISMILE
JOHNSON COUNTY PUBLIC HEALTH
$10,164ISMILE
DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION
$5,900,000CONTRIBUTION TO DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT & IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF IOWANS.
CONTRIBUTION TO CFGDM FOR THE DDIA DONOR ADVISED FUND. THE DONOR ADVISED FUND IS USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF DENTAL EDUCATION DEBT FOR A DENTIST WHO AGREES TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN A RURAL, UNDERSERVED AREA.
DRAKE UNIVERSITY ATHLETICS
$50,000DONATION FOR MEDIACOM STADIUM PLEDGE
AMERICAN HOME FINDING ASSOCIATION
$15,827GENERAL SUPPORT
LEE COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$12,511GENERAL SUPPORT
WEBSTER COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$5,476GENERAL SUPPORT
BLACK HAWK COUNTY HEALTH DEPARTMENT
$5,016GENERAL SUPPORT
DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION
$6,100,000CONTRIBUTION TO DELTA DENTAL OF IOWA FOUNDATION TO SUPPORT & IMPROVE THE ORAL HEALTH OF IOWANS.
CONTRIBUTION TO CFGDM FOR THE DDIA DONOR ADVISED FUND. THE DONOR ADVISED FUND IS USED FOR THE REPAYMENT OF DENTAL EDUCATION DEBT FOR A DENTIST WHO AGREES TO ESTABLISH AN OFFICE IN A RURAL, UNDERSERVED AREA.
