To improve the lives of Iowa’s women and girls.
Iowa Women's Foundation backs Iowa organizations that remove barriers to women’s economic self-sufficiency, and its recent grantmaking shows that mission in practice. A $35,000 award to Lutheran Services in Iowa for an Immigrant and Refugee Child Care Business Development Program is the largest grant in the recent list, pointing to a strong interest in child care access and workforce-linked support for immigrant and refugee families. Other awards show the same pattern at a smaller scale: Hawkeye Community College Foundation received $25,000 for Hawkeye Responsive Childcare, and Dorothy's House received $25,000 for service expansion for survivors of trafficking and exploitation. The foundation’s portfolio also reaches girls’ career exploration, women’s entrepreneurship, housing-related supports, and transportation. Recent grants to Iowa Jobs for Americas Graduates, NewBo City Market, and Oakridge Neighborhood indicate that IWF funds practical programs tied to employment pathways and day-to-day stability. Across the recent awards, the foundation favors direct program support, expansion of services, and capacity-building projects that help organizations serve women, girls, and families more effectively.
Child care is a central theme in Iowa Women's Foundation funding. Recent awards include $25,000 to Hawkeye Community College Foundation for Hawkeye Responsive Childcare and $15,000 to Sumner Daycare and Learning Center Inc for addressing a daycare desert in Sumner to reduce barriers to employment. The foundation also supported facility and classroom improvements, including $10,000 to The Kids Spot for furnishing child care center classrooms and $10,000 to Wayland Area Childcare Organization for furniture and educational materials for a new center opening in January 2024. Beyond child care, the foundation funds pathways to economic opportunity. Iowa Jobs for Americas Graduates received $25,000 for engaging girls in career exploration of the trades, and NewBo City Market received $25,000 for entrepreneurship equity for women. It also supports services for survivors, including $25,000 to Dorothy's House for service expansion for survivors of trafficking and exploitation.
Typical awards cluster tightly: the p25, median, and p75 are $10,000, $10,000, and $25,000. The recent grants list also includes a $35,000 outlier and several $25,000 awards, which suggests a structure built around modest operating and program grants with room for larger targeted support. The foundation accepts unsolicited applications for Core Grants and Emergency Grants, while the 2024 30th Anniversary Grant was invite-only and one-time. Recent recipients appear across multiple years, including Iowa Jobs for Americas Graduates, Lutheran Services in Iowa, Eyes Open Iowa, and Catherine Mcauley Center, showing repeated support for some organizations rather than only one-off gifts.
$165K
$2.1M
$1.4M
$943K
Most grants fall between $10K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
DEANN COOK
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Grant dollars stay within Iowa, and the recipient list is spread across the state. Des Moines appears repeatedly, alongside Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Waterloo, Iowa City, and West Des Moines. Other Iowa cities in the recent grants include Clinton, Dubuque, Cedar Falls, Solon, Sumner, La Porte City, Wayland, Lake City, Roland, and Griswold. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 42 grants to U.S. organizations.
It funds Iowa organizations working on employment, childcare, housing, education and training, transportation, and mentorship. Recent grants also show support for programs serving immigrant and refugee families, girls in career exploration, women entrepreneurs, and survivors of trafficking and exploitation.
Typical grants are $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes a $35,000 grant and several $25,000 awards.
Yes for Core Grants and Emergency Grants. Core Grants are annual grants of up to $50,000, and Emergency Grants are small, one-time-only awards for immediate needs. The 30th Anniversary Grant was invite-only.
Its giving is local and all recent grants in the data went to Iowa recipients. Recent awards reached Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Sioux City, Waterloo, Iowa City, West Des Moines, Clinton, Dubuque, and several smaller Iowa communities.
Yes. The recent list includes repeat recipients such as Iowa Jobs for Americas Graduates, Lutheran Services in Iowa, Eyes Open Iowa, and Catherine Mcauley Center, with awards appearing in more than one year.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Iowa Women'S Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofits, child care centers, and grassroots organizations in Iowa that address one of the six barriers to women’s economic self-sufficiency; funds must be used for immediate emergency needs to keep organizations serving clients.
Deadline: Applications are awarded throughout the calendar year as needed; close when funds are exhausted; reopen in January.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATHERINE MCAULEY CENTER | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GIRLS INCORPORATED OF SIOUX CITY | SIOUX CITY, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GIRLS ON THE RUN EASTERN IOWA | IOWA CITY, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YWCA OF CLINTON IOWA | CLINTON, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| LUTHERAN SERVICES IN IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EYES OPEN IOWA | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF EASTERN IOWA AND WESTERN ILLINOIS | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA | $7,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GIRL SCOUTS OF GREATER IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $7,500 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE KIDS SPOT | LAKE CITY, IA | $25,000 | 2024 | FURNISHING CHILD CARE CENTER CLASSROOMS |
| IOWA JOBS FOR AMERICAS GRADUATES (IJAG) | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2024 | REMOVING BARRIERS TO CAREER EXPLORATION FOR IOWA GIRLS |
| DOROTHY'S HOUSE | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2024 | SERVICE EXPANSION FOR SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION |
| YOUNG WOMEN'S RESOURCE CENTER | DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2024 | PARENTING AND LIFE SKILLS PROGRAM |
| ST MARK YOUTH ENRICHMENT | DUBUQUE, IA | $22,200 | 2024 | PROVIDING RURAL COMMUNITY ACCESS TO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS |
| EYES OPEN IOWA | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | WORKING TO INSTITUTIONALIZE SEX EDUCATION (WISE) |
| LITTLE CHARGER EARLY LEARNING CENTER | GUTHRIE CENTER, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO BUILD A CENTER |
| LITTLE KNIGHTS LEARNING CENTER | LA PORTE CITY, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | ARCHITECTURAL PLANS FOR A NEW FACILITY |
| WAYLAND AREA CHILDCARE ORGANIZATION | WAYLAND, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | FURNITURE AND EDUATIONAL MATERIALS FOR NEW CENTER OPENING JAN 2024 |
| HOUSE OF HOPE | WATERLOO, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | TOTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM EXPANSION |
| GIRLS ON THE RUN EASTERN IOWA | IOWA CITY, IA | $7,800 | 2024 | GIRLS ON THE RUN NEW CURRICULUM SUITE |
| Lutheran Services in Iowa | Des Moines, IA | $35,000 | 2023 | Immigrant and Refugee Child Care Business Development Program |
| Hawkeye Community College Foundation | Waterloo, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | Hawkeye Responsive Childcare |
| Iowa City Sober Living | Solon, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | Start Up Costs for Year 1 Operating Expenses |
| Iowa Jobs for Americas Graduates | Des Moines, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | Engaging Girls in Career Exploration of the Trades |
| Oakridge Neighborhood | Des Moines, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | Vehicle Maintenance and Financial Planning |
| Girls Inc of Sioux City | Sioux City, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | Giving Girls Trade Skills For Life |
| NewBo City Market | Cedar Rapids, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | Entrepreneurship Equity for Women |
| Sumner Daycare and Learning Center Inc | Sumner, IA | $15,000 | 2023 | Addressing Daycare Desert in Sumner to Reduce Barriers to Employment |
| 4 Cs Community Coordinated Child Care | Iowa City, IA | $15,000 | 2023 | Child Care Solutions Fund Marketing |
| Noble Initiative Foundation | Griswold, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Griswold Child Development Center Project |
| Discoveries Learning Center | Denver, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Advancement of Childcare Access for the Denver Community |
| To The Rescue | Cedar Rapids, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Building Child Care Solutions |
| Williamsburg Community Child Care Center | Williamsburg, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | W4CS Classroom Furnishings and Materials |
| Shooting Star Childcare | Elkhart, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Helping Bring Growth to a Small Rural Town |
| Sprouts Early Learning Academy | Carlisle, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Classroom Expansion |
| Wildcat ABC Child Care | Carlisle, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Building Addition and Classroom Furnishings |
| MICAH House Corporation | Council Bluffs, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Building Beyond Shelter |
| Council Bluffs Schools Foundation | Council Bluffs, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Early Learning Center |
| Waverly Child Care and Preschool | Waverly, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | 2022 Expansion Project |
| Catherine McAuley Center | Cedar Rapids, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Expanding Refugee Child Care Training Opportunities and Increasing Child Care Availability |
| Waypoint | Cedar Rapids, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | KidsPoint Child Care Scholarships |
| City of Roland | Roland, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | Little Norse Childcare Academy |
| Community United Child Care Centers Inc | Cedar Falls, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | CUCCC Nordic Drive Renovation and Addition |
GIRLS ON THE RUN EASTERN IOWA
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
YWCA OF CLINTON IOWA
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
EYES OPEN IOWA
PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE KIDS SPOT
$25,000FURNISHING CHILD CARE CENTER CLASSROOMS
REMOVING BARRIERS TO CAREER EXPLORATION FOR IOWA GIRLS
SERVICE EXPANSION FOR SURVIVORS OF TRAFFICKING AND EXPLOITATION
PROVIDING RURAL COMMUNITY ACCESS TO AFTER SCHOOL PROGRAMS
EYES OPEN IOWA
$10,000WORKING TO INSTITUTIONALIZE SEX EDUCATION (WISE)
LITTLE CHARGER EARLY LEARNING CENTER
$10,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN TO BUILD A CENTER
LITTLE KNIGHTS LEARNING CENTER
$10,000ARCHITECTURAL PLANS FOR A NEW FACILITY
WAYLAND AREA CHILDCARE ORGANIZATION
$10,000FURNITURE AND EDUATIONAL MATERIALS FOR NEW CENTER OPENING JAN 2024
HOUSE OF HOPE
$10,000TOTAL TRANSPORTATION PROGRAM EXPANSION
GIRLS ON THE RUN EASTERN IOWA
$7,800GIRLS ON THE RUN NEW CURRICULUM SUITE
Immigrant and Refugee Child Care Business Development Program
Iowa City Sober Living
$25,000Start Up Costs for Year 1 Operating Expenses
Engaging Girls in Career Exploration of the Trades
Sumner Daycare and Learning Center Inc
$15,000Addressing Daycare Desert in Sumner to Reduce Barriers to Employment
4 Cs Community Coordinated Child Care
$15,000Child Care Solutions Fund Marketing
Discoveries Learning Center
$10,000Advancement of Childcare Access for the Denver Community
To The Rescue
$10,000Building Child Care Solutions
Williamsburg Community Child Care Center
$10,000W4CS Classroom Furnishings and Materials
Shooting Star Childcare
$10,000Helping Bring Growth to a Small Rural Town
Sprouts Early Learning Academy
$10,000Classroom Expansion
Wildcat ABC Child Care
$10,000Building Addition and Classroom Furnishings
Waverly Child Care and Preschool
$10,0002022 Expansion Project
Expanding Refugee Child Care Training Opportunities and Increasing Child Care Availability
City of Roland
$10,000Little Norse Childcare Academy
Community United Child Care Centers Inc
$10,000CUCCC Nordic Drive Renovation and Addition
