Grinnell College is a private, residential liberal arts and sciences college committed to intellectual inquiry, social responsibility, and preparing students for civic engagement and global learning.
The Trustees of Grinnell College combines campus-based humanities programming with broad general support for organizations in Grinnell and central Iowa. One of the clearest signals in the record is its Rosenfield Program, which funds events, film screenings, guest speakers, and other public-affairs programming tied to public affairs, international relations, and human rights. The center’s humanities co-sponsorship offerings show a similar pattern on campus: support for visitors, honoraria, and public programming, including virtual visits. Outside the college, the foundation’s grants support local institutions and civic life through unrestricted awards. Recent recipients include Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation, Ahrens Park Foundation, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, City of Grinnell, and Grinnell School of Music. Those grants point to a funder that uses flexible support across education, culture, health, and community infrastructure rather than a single-project-only approach. The foundation also makes program-related investments and reports annual grants of $422,620 against assets of $3.19 billion, indicating grantmaking that sits alongside a very large institutional balance sheet. Its giving is concentrated in Iowa, with all recent grants in the state.
Humanities and public programming are a visible part of the foundation’s work. Through the Center for the Humanities, it funds co-sponsorship opportunities and conversations that support visitors, honoraria, travel, lodging, and other event costs for interdisciplinary programming on campus. Public affairs, international relations, and human rights appear in the Rosenfield Program, which supports events, film screenings, guest speakers, and related programming intended to enrich curriculum and civic engagement. The focus there is explicitly tied to sponsored activities at Grinnell College. The foundation also backs community engagement in its local area. Recent general-support grants to organizations such as the City of Grinnell and the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce align with the community-investment activity described for partnerships, outreach programming, and downtown collaboration.
Typical grants are relatively modest: the 25th percentile is $7,233, the median is $8,934, and the 75th percentile is $13,656. The recent record shows repeated support to the same recipients across multiple years, including Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation, City of Grinnell, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce, Link Inc, Grinnell Newburg Community Schools, and Grinnell Community Daycare. That pattern suggests recurring institutional support rather than isolated one-time awards. The foundation also uses general support frequently, and it makes program-related investments in addition to grants.
$248K
$3.4B
$361.9M
$259.5M
Most grants fall between $7K and $14K, with a median of $9K.
25th Percentile
$7K
Median
$9K
75th Percentile
$14K
GERMAINE GROSS
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Recent grants are entirely in Iowa, and the recipient pattern is centered in Grinnell. Multiple awards went to Grinnell-based organizations such as Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation, Ahrens Park Foundation, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell School of Music, City of Grinnell, and the Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce. One recent grant went to Four Oaks Family and Children’s Services in Cedar Rapids. The grant record shows 28 grants to U.S. recipients, all within the state.
The grant record shows support for higher education, humanities, public affairs, international relations, human rights, sustainability, arts and culture, scholarships and financial aid, and local community partnerships. The active programs also point to campus humanities programming, public affairs events, and community investments in Grinnell and central Iowa.
The middle of the distribution is under $10,000: p25 is $7,233, median is $8,934, and p75 is $13,656. Recent grants also include larger awards, such as $87,396 to Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation and $35,000 to Ahrens Park Foundation.
Yes. Several recipients appear more than once in the recent grant list, including Greater Poweshiek Community Foundation, City of Grinnell, Grinnell Regional Medical Center, Grinnell Area Chamber of Commerce, Link Inc, Grinnell Newburg Community Schools, and Grinnell Community Daycare.
In the recent grant list, yes. All 28 grants went to U.S. recipients, and 100% of the recent grants were to organizations in Iowa. The strongest concentration is in Grinnell, with additional support in Cedar Rapids.
Yes. The profile identifies program-related investments as part of its activity in addition to annual grants. The same record also shows a grantmaking pattern with a median grant of $8,934 and a strong reliance on general support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $103,380 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC | GRINNELL, IA | $50,200 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER | GRINNELL, IA | $45,350 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER COMMERCE | GRINNELL, IA | $14,919 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL-NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL | GRINNELL, IA | $11,951 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP | DES MOINES, IA | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL FARM TO TABLE | GRINNELL, IA | $7,500 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAY CARE | GRINNELL, IA | $6,910 | 2026 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AHRENS PARK FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $35,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC | GRINNELL, IA | $29,680 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER | GRINNELL, IA | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY OF GRINNELL | GRINNELL, IA | $24,025 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LINK INC | GRINNELL, IA | $10,884 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | GRINNELL, IA | $8,384 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL-NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL | GRINNELL, IA | $8,090 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL FIRE AUXILIARY | GRINNELL, IA | $7,315 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MICA | GRINNELL, IA | $7,200 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $5,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL REGIONAL MEDICAL CENTER | GRINNELL, IA | $30,100 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $20,124 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY OF GRINNELL | GRINNELL, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | GRINNELL, IA | $9,235 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL VOLUNTEER FIRE ASSOCIATION | GRINNELL, IA | $8,633 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| LINK INC | GRINNELL, IA | $7,244 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FOUR OAKS FAMILY AND CHILDREN'S SERVICES | CEDAR RAPIDS, IA | $7,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS | GRINNELL, IA | $6,658 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAYCARE | GRINNELL, IA | $6,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL AREA ARTS COUNCIL | GRINNELL, IA | $5,900 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL UNITED WAY FUND INC | GRINNELL, IA | $5,100 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $87,396 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS | GRINNELL, IA | $11,500 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLAUDE W AND DOLLY AHERNS FOUNDATION | GRINNELL, IA | $10,925 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CITY OF GRINNELL | GRINNELL, IA | $9,936 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | GRINNELL, IA | $9,600 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| POWESHIEK ANIMAL LEAGUE SHELTER | GRINNELL, IA | $8,212 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAYCARE | GRINNELL, IA | $7,479 | 2023 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$103,380GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC INC
$50,200GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER COMMERCE
$14,919GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL-NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$11,951GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL FARM TO TABLE
$7,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAY CARE
$6,910GENERAL SUPPORT
AHRENS PARK FOUNDATION
$35,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL SCHOOL OF MUSIC
$29,680GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY OF GRINNELL
$24,025GENERAL SUPPORT
LINK INC
$10,884GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$8,384GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL-NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$8,090GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL FIRE AUXILIARY
$7,315GENERAL SUPPORT
MICA
$7,200GENERAL SUPPORT
GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$5,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$20,124GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY OF GRINNELL
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$9,235GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL VOLUNTEER FIRE ASSOCIATION
$8,633GENERAL SUPPORT
LINK INC
$7,244GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
$6,658GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAYCARE
$6,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL AREA ARTS COUNCIL
$5,900GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL UNITED WAY FUND INC
$5,100GENERAL SUPPORT
GREATER POWESHIEK COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$87,396GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL NEWBURG COMMUNITY SCHOOLS
$11,500GENERAL SUPPORT
CLAUDE W AND DOLLY AHERNS FOUNDATION
$10,925GENERAL SUPPORT
CITY OF GRINNELL
$9,936GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL AREA CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$9,600GENERAL SUPPORT
POWESHIEK ANIMAL LEAGUE SHELTER
$8,212GENERAL SUPPORT
GRINNELL COMMUNITY DAYCARE
$7,479GENERAL SUPPORT
Current and upcoming funding from Trustees of Grinnell College that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Proposals should briefly explain the social justice rationale, intended audience, community involvement, and budget. Preference is given to LGBTQIA-related events, but other issues are considered.
Deadline: No deadline specified; applications appear to be accepted on an ongoing basis.
Who can apply: Proposals are preferred for events with an interdisciplinary focus on humanities or humanistic inquiry. The page says funding is available to support student, staff, and faculty research and campus programming; applicants should clearly explain timeliness, audience, community benefit, and budget.
Deadline: First-come, first-served this year; funding is limited.
Who can apply: Requests should align with the center's co-sponsorship priorities, particularly virtual visits, though a limited number of in-person visits are also supported.
Deadline: No deadline specified; applications appear to be accepted on an ongoing basis subject to available funds.
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