The Iowa Economic Alliance concentrates its giving on state-level public policy research and advocacy tied to economic issues in Iowa. It makes sizable grants to organizations that produce research, public education, and policy advocacy — frequently to repeat grantees that advance market-friendly or conservative legal/regulatory perspectives. Grants target intermediaries and policy shops rather than direct service providers.
Concentrated, high-dollar grants distributed to a small set of repeat grantees; mix of research/think-tank funding and advocacy support rather than broad community grants.
A defining feature of Iowa Economic Alliance’s recent giving is its repeated support for policy intermediaries that conduct research and public education on economic issues. The foundation’s largest recent grants, each at $100,000, went to Iowa First Fund, Harvesting Opportunity, and State Government Leadership Foundation for work described as conducting research and educating the public. That pattern shows a preference for organizations that shape policy debate rather than deliver direct services. The foundation also backs advocacy around economic issues, including repeat support for State Government Leadership Foundation and State Solutions Inc. In 2025, it gave State Government Leadership Foundation another $100,000 for advocacy on economic issues, while State Solutions Inc. received $50,000 in 2023 and another $50,000 in 2025 for the same purpose. Harvesting Opportunity also reappears, moving from research and public education in 2023 to advocacy in 2025. The grant record points to a funder that supports policy communications, legislative outreach, and economic-policy messaging through statewide and Washington-based organizations.
Iowa Economic Alliance’s work is centered on economic policy research and public education. In 2023, it gave $100,000 to Iowa First Fund to conduct research and educate the public, and it made the same-size grant to Harvesting Opportunity for that purpose. Those awards show an interest in organizations that package policy ideas for public consumption. The foundation also funds advocacy on economic issues. State Government Leadership Foundation received $100,000 in 2025 for advocacy on economic issues, while State Solutions Inc. received $50,000 in both 2023 and 2025 for the same type of work. Another 2025 grant of $25,000 went to Rule of Law Defense Fund for advocacy on economic issues, extending the pattern toward policy and legislative messaging. Its portfolio further includes American Legislative Exchange Counsel, which received $12,000 in 2023 for research and public education and $25,000 in 2025 for advocacy on economic issues.
Typical grants cluster at a sizeable policy-funding level: the 25th percentile is $31,250, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000. The record shows repeat grants to the same organizations across years, including State Government Leadership Foundation, State Solutions Inc, Harvesting Opportunity, and American Legislative Exchange Counsel. That suggests an ongoing funding relationship rather than one-off support. The foundation gives through an institutional grantmaking model and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. No application process is shown in the data.
$216K
$675K
$719K
$583K
Most grants fall between $31K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$31K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
About 28% of grants go to recipients in DC.
MARK ROTH
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Notable grantees: State Government Leadership Foundation, Harvesting Opportunity, Iowa First Fund, State Solutions Inc, American Legislative Exchange Counsel
Grant dollars are concentrated in the United States, with all recent grants going to U.S. recipients. Iowa recipients include Des Moines and Clive, while Washington, DC appears repeatedly among recipients. Arlington, Virginia also appears in the record. By count, DC is the top state or district for giving, while 30% of grants go to recipients in Iowa. The geographic pattern reflects a mix of Iowa-based policy groups and Washington-based advocacy organizations.
It funds economic policy research, public education, and advocacy on economic issues. Recent grants include support for organizations doing research and public education, as well as grants for advocacy on economic issues and policy communications.
Its typical grant size is fairly large for policy work: the 25th percentile is $31,250, the median is $50,000, and the 75th percentile is $100,000.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including State Government Leadership Foundation, State Solutions Inc, Harvesting Opportunity, and American Legislative Exchange Counsel. That indicates repeat support rather than a single-round grant pattern.
All of the recent grants listed go to U.S. recipients. The most frequent location is DC, and Iowa recipients account for 30% of grants.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2026 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| IOWA FIRST FUND | DES MOINES, IA | $50,000 | 2026 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| STATE SOLUTIONS INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,500 | 2026 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2026 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNSEL | ARLINGTON, VA | $15,000 | 2026 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| STATE SOLUTIONS INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| HARVESTING OPPORTUNITY | CLIVE, IA | $50,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNSEL | ARLINGTON, VA | $25,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND | WASHINGTON, DC | $25,000 | 2025 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2024 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
| IOWA FIRST FUND | DES MOINES, IA | $50,000 | 2024 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
| AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNSEL | ARLINGTON, VA | $7,500 | 2024 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
| IOWA FIRST FUND | DES MOINES, IA | $100,000 | 2023 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
| STATE GOVERNMENT LEADERSHIP FOUNDATION | WASHINGTON, DC | $100,000 | 2023 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
| HARVESTING OPPORTUNITY | CLIVE, IA | $100,000 | 2023 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
| STATE SOLUTIONS INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2023 | ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES |
| AMERICAN LEGISLATIVE EXCHANGE COUNSEL | ARLINGTON, VA | $12,000 | 2023 | CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC |
IOWA FIRST FUND
$50,000ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND
$25,000ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
HARVESTING OPPORTUNITY
$50,000ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
RULE OF LAW DEFENSE FUND
$25,000ADVOCACY ON ECONOMIC ISSUES
CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
IOWA FIRST FUND
$50,000CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
IOWA FIRST FUND
$100,000CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
HARVESTING OPPORTUNITY
$100,000CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC
CONDUCT RESEARCH AND EDUCATE THE PUBLIC