About Dubuque Racing Association
The DRA, through its gaming and entertainment facilities provides for social, economic and community betterment and lessens the burden of Dubuque city and area government, while contributing to the growth and viability of Dubuque area tourism.
Focus Areas
Arts & CultureEducationVeterans servicesCommunity developmentEconomic development / tourismAccessibility & inclusion
Who They Fund
residents of Dubuque / tri-state region (place-based community)children and early childhood familiesrefugees and immigrantslow-income individuals and people experiencing povertyyouth and young professionals
About Dubuque Racing Association
Dubuque Racing Association Ltd’s largest recent grant went to the Schmitt Island Development Corporation, with a $5,415,180 award in 2024 followed by another $4,909,416 in 2023 and $1,594,594 in 2025. That pattern shows a funder willing to make large, repeated commitments to major local projects rather than only smaller annual awards. The association’s grantmaking is centered on Dubuque-area community betterment, with support that reaches into economic development, tourism, education, veterans services, arts and culture, accessibility and inclusion, and broader civic services. In the recent grants list, the City of Dubuque received multiple large charitable contribution set-aside awards, including $1,640,487 in 2023, $1,371,386 in 2024, and $1,289,002 in 2025. Other sizable local awards went to Dyersville Events Inc for Field of Dreams activities, Dubuque Dream Center for Expanding a Dream, and Dubuque and Jackson Co Habitat for Humanity to support its mission. The foundation also backs institutions that shape local quality of life, including Dubuque Community School District, Dubuque Community YMCA, and the Dubuque County Historical Society.
What Dubuque Racing Association Funds
Economic development and tourism are visible in grants such as $125,000 to Dubuque Area Convention & Visitors Bureau for restore, recruit, retain local air service and $100,000 to Dbq Air for flights for economic prosperity. Education appears through $150,000 to St Mark Youth Enrichment for early childhood expansion, $135,000 to Dubuque Community School District for connection and engagement efforts, and $67,000 to University of Dubuque for a Department of Natural Sciences microbiology plate reader. Arts and culture also receive support: Friends of St Marys Dba Steeple Square got $50,000 for destination enhancement and marketing of Steeple Square, while the Dubuque County Historical Society received $150,000 to support its mission. The grant list also shows community-serving infrastructure and health support, including $160,000 to Dubuque Community YMCA and $125,000 to Crescent Community Health Care.
How Dubuque Racing Association Gives
Typical awards cluster around a mid-sized local-grant range, with p25 at $10,542, median at $20,000, and p75 at $35,000. That said, the recent grant record includes several much larger commitments tied to core community and capital purposes, especially repeated support for Schmitt Island Development Corporation and the City of Dubuque. The association uses both Mission Grants and Core Grants: Mission Grants are competitive and accept unsolicited requests, while Core Grants provide operating and project support and also accept unsolicited requests. The data also points to recurring grant relationships, including multiple awards to the same local recipients across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$4.5M
Total Assets
$132M
Total Revenue
$40.5M
Total Expenses
$45.4M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $11K and $35K, with a median of $20K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$20K
75th Percentile
$35K
Geographic Reach
Local6 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
BRIAN RAKESTRAW
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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