About Iowa State University Foundation
Charged with fundraising for Iowa State University by matching donors’ passions with university needs to support scholarships, faculty, facilities, research and student opportunities in service of the university's land‑grant ideals.
Focus Areas
Scholarships and student supportFaculty support and professorshipsResearchCapital projects and facilitiesStudent experiences (study abroad, internships)Veterinary and health-related programs
Who They Fund
undergraduate and graduate students (scholarship recipients)faculty and researchersuniversity departments and academic unitsindustry partners and regional economic stakeholders
Funding Style
About Iowa State University Foundation
Iowa State University Foundation’s recent giving is defined by very large transfers to Iowa State University itself, including $165,625,651 in 2025, $119,331,142 in 2024, and $116,519,840 in 2023. That pattern shows a funder built to move major donor resources directly into the university’s priorities rather than to a broad external portfolio. The foundation’s stated role is to match donors’ passions with university needs in support of scholarships, faculty, facilities, research, and student opportunities tied to Iowa State’s land-grant mission. The foundation’s work touches multiple parts of campus life. Scholarships and student support sit alongside faculty support and professorships, research, capital projects, and student experiences such as study abroad and internships. It also supports veterinary and health-related programs. Its beneficiary base includes undergraduate and graduate students, faculty and researchers, university departments and academic units, and industry partners and regional economic stakeholders. Leadership is listed under Emily Hager, and the organization is classified as a regular funder.
What Iowa State University Foundation Funds
Scholarships and student support are one of the core areas in the foundation’s portfolio. That emphasis appears in its stated focus on undergraduate and graduate scholarship recipients, student support, and student experiences such as study abroad and internships. Faculty support is another clear theme. The foundation backs faculty support and professorships, with beneficiary types that include faculty and researchers, plus university departments and academic units. Research funding is also part of the model, along with commercialization. The topic taxonomy points to research funding and commercialization, while the existing focus areas connect that work to university priorities and land-grant ideals. Capital projects and facilities round out the picture. The foundation’s focus areas include capital projects and facilities, and its stated purpose links donor gifts to university needs across the campus environment.
How Iowa State University Foundation Gives
Typical grant size is unusually large: the 25th percentile is $117,925,491, the median is $119,331,142, and the 75th percentile is $142,478,396. Recent giving also shows repetition to the same recipient across consecutive years, with Iowa State University appearing in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The foundation is a regular funder, not a DAF, and it does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grantmaking pattern is structured around donor-aligned gifts for university priorities rather than open solicitation.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$165.6M
Total Assets
$2B
Total Revenue
$143.2M
Total Expenses
$205.3M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $117.9M and $142.5M, with a median of $119.3M.
25th Percentile
$117.9M
Median
$119.3M
75th Percentile
$142.5M
Geographic Reach
Local1 state funded
About 100% of grants go to recipients in IA.
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
EMILY HAGER
Accepts unsolicited proposals
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