Central Iowa Hospital Corporation is overwhelmingly focused on supporting its regional health system and local health services, highlighted by one very large commitment to the Iowa Physicians Clinic/UnityPoint network. Outside that dominant health-system grant, the foundation makes a broad set of smaller, local investments in community health services (visiting nurses, Ronald McDonald House), health-related event sponsorships, and civic/downtown capital projects that boost community vitality. Its giving reads as mission-aligned hospital philanthropy combined with civic stewardship of downtown Des Moines and regional quality-of-life initiatives.
Central Iowa Hospital Corporation’s giving is anchored by repeated, nine-figure support for Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation Dba Unitypoint Clinic, with grants of $47,875,389 in 2023, $45,255,417 in 2024, and $46,069,149 in 2025 for program support. That pattern makes the foundation’s role clear: it is a major institutional funder for the regional health system, while also backing the local organizations that surround patient care and community health in central Iowa. Beyond the main health-system commitment, the foundation supports organizations that help patients and families directly, including Ronald Mcdonald House and Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa. It also funds health-related partnerships such as the American Heart Association and JDRF International, showing an interest in both care delivery and health fundraising. Alongside those medical grants, Central Iowa Hospital Corporation extends support to civic and downtown organizations, including Downtown Events Group and the Greater Des Moines Partnership, as well as outdoor and recreation infrastructure through groups like Great Outdoors Foundation and Icon Water Trails. The overall picture is of a health-system-centered funder with a strong local civic footprint.
In institutional health support, Central Iowa Hospital Corporation gave $103,420 in 2025 to Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines for program support, alongside much larger support to the Unitypoint Clinic network. In patient and family support, it awarded $65,000 in 2023 to Ronald Mcdonald House Charities of Central Iowa Inc for a capital building campaign and $10,000 in 2025 to Ronald Mcdonald House for program support. The foundation also funds community health services. Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa received $11,000 in 2023, $10,000 in 2024, and $11,000 in 2025 for program support, indicating repeated support across multiple years. For health fundraising and public engagement, American Heart Association received $45,000 in 2024 and $27,500 in 2025 as event sponsorships. In recreation and water-trail infrastructure, Icon Water Trails received $20,000 in 2025 for program support.
Typical grants are moderate in size, with a p25 of $10,750, a median of $30,000, and a p75 of $78,288, though the distribution is pulled upward by one very large health-system grant. The recent record shows both recurring support and one-off awards: Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa appears in three consecutive years, and American Heart Association appears in 2024 and 2025, while many civic and event grants are single-year awards. The foundation makes program-related investments and uses a mix of program support, capital campaign funding, and event sponsorship. Its recipient base is heavily local, concentrated in Iowa.
$46.6M
$1.8B
$1.4B
$1.2B
Most grants fall between $11K and $78K, with a median of $30K.
25th Percentile
$11K
Median
$30K
75th Percentile
$78K
About 96% of grants go to recipients in IA.
JON ROZENFELD
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Highly concentrated: one very large multi-million institutional gift dominates total dollars, while the remainder is dispersed across many smaller, often recurring local grants and event sponsorships. Emphasis on repeat support for regional health providers and targeted capital or event-support gifts that strengthen downtown and community health infrastructure.
Notable grantees: Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation (UnityPoint Clinic), Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Iowa, Downtown Events Group / Downtown Partnership (downtown Des Moines capital and events), American Heart Association
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 96% of grants go to recipients in Iowa, and all recent grants in the sample are in the United States. Des Moines is the main recipient city, with multiple awards going there across health, civic, and event categories. West Des Moines also appears as a recipient location, including support for Unitypoint Clinic and Icon Water Trails. Johnston appears in the large 2023 grant to Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation Dba Unitypoint Clinic, showing that the foundation’s giving reaches across the central Iowa health system corridor.
The foundation primarily supports its regional health system and local health services. Recent grants include repeated program support to Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation Dba Unitypoint Clinic, plus awards to Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa, Ronald Mcdonald House, American Heart Association, JDRF International, and civic partners in Des Moines.
Yes. Visiting Nurse Services of Iowa received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and American Heart Association received awards in 2024 and 2025. The foundation also made three large annual grants to Iowa Physicians Clinic Medical Foundation Dba Unitypoint Clinic across 2023, 2024, and 2025.
The grant-size distribution centers at a median of $30,000, with a p25 of $10,750 and a p75 of $78,288. The recent record also includes several much larger awards tied to the health system, which makes the upper end of the distribution much higher than the median.
Its giving is highly concentrated in Iowa: 96% of grants go to recipients in the state. Recent recipient cities include Des Moines, West Des Moines, and Johnston, and the country distribution in the recent grants list is entirely U.S.-based.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| IOWA PHYSICIANS CLINIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION DBA UNITYPOINT CLINIC | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $46,069,149 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DOWNTOWN EVENTS GROUP | DES MOINES, IA | $266,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN |
| COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DES MOINES | DES MOINES, IA | $103,420 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DOWNTOWN DES MOINES SELF-SUPPORTED MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT | DES MOINES, IA | $46,667 | 2025 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | DES MOINES, IA | $27,500 | 2025 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| ICON WATER TRAILS | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $20,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GREAT OUTDOORS FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $12,500 | 2025 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $11,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| BRAVO GREATER DES MOINES | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2025 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| IOWA PHYSICIANS CLINIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION DBA UNITYPOINT CLINIC | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $45,255,417 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP | DES MOINES, IA | $262,500 | 2024 | CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN |
| GREATER DES MOINES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $246,125 | 2024 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| GREAT OUTDOORS FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $64,100 | 2024 | CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN |
| DOWNTOWN DES MOINES SELF-SUPPORTED MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT | DES MOINES, IA | $46,667 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | DES MOINES, IA | $45,000 | 2024 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| DOWNTOWN EVENTS GROUP | DES MOINES, IA | $19,403 | 2024 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| DES MOINES AREA SPORTS COMMISSION | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2024 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| IOWA PHYSICIANS CLINIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION DBA UNITYPOINT CLINIC | JOHNSTON, IA | $47,875,389 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DOWNTOWN EVENTS GROUP | DES MOINES, IA | $250,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN |
| GREATER DES MOINES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $118,150 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CENTRAL IOWA INC | DES MOINES, IA | $65,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN |
| DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP INC DBA DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY ALLIANCE | DES MOINES, IA | $38,805 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| DOWNTOWN DES MOINES SELF-SUPORTED MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT | DES MOINES, IA | $35,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| STRANDS OF STRENGTH | WEST DES MOINES, IA | $25,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| JDRF INTERNATIONAL | NEW YORK, NY | $20,000 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION | DES MOINES, IA | $15,000 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| IOWA CLINIC HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | DES MOINES, IA | $15,000 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF IOWA | DES MOINES, IA | $11,000 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| DES MOINES AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION | ANKENY, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| DES MOINES AREA SPORTS COMMISSION | DES MOINES, IA | $10,000 | 2023 | EVENT SPONSOR |
| GRANDVIEW UNIVERSITY | DES MOINES, IA | $5,500 | 2023 | PROGRAM SUPPORT |
IOWA PHYSICIANS CLINIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION DBA UNITYPOINT CLINIC
$46,069,149PROGRAM SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN EVENTS GROUP
$266,000CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN
COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF GREATER DES MOINES
$103,420PROGRAM SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN DES MOINES SELF-SUPPORTED MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
$46,667EVENT SPONSOR
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
$27,500EVENT SPONSOR
ICON WATER TRAILS
$20,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
GREAT OUTDOORS FOUNDATION
$12,500EVENT SPONSOR
VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF IOWA
$11,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
BRAVO GREATER DES MOINES
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
IOWA PHYSICIANS CLINIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION DBA UNITYPOINT CLINIC
$45,255,417PROGRAM SUPPORT
THE GREATER DES MOINES PARTNERSHIP
$262,500CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN
GREATER DES MOINES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$246,125EVENT SPONSOR
GREAT OUTDOORS FOUNDATION
$64,100CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN
DOWNTOWN DES MOINES SELF-SUPPORTED MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
$46,667PROGRAM SUPPORT
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
$45,000EVENT SPONSOR
DOWNTOWN EVENTS GROUP
$19,403EVENT SPONSOR
DES MOINES AREA SPORTS COMMISSION
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
AMERICAN RED CROSS
$10,000EVENT SPONSOR
VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF IOWA
$10,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
IOWA PHYSICIANS CLINIC MEDICAL FOUNDATION DBA UNITYPOINT CLINIC
$47,875,389PROGRAM SUPPORT
DOWNTOWN EVENTS GROUP
$250,000CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN
GREATER DES MOINES COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$118,150EVENT SPONSOR
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES OF CENTRAL IOWA INC
$65,000CAPITAL BUILDING CAMPAIGN
DOWNTOWN PARTNERSHIP INC DBA DOWNTOWN COMMUNITY ALLIANCE
$38,805EVENT SPONSOR
DOWNTOWN DES MOINES SELF-SUPORTED MUNICIPAL IMPROVEMENT DISTRICT
$35,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
STRANDS OF STRENGTH
$25,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
JDRF INTERNATIONAL
$20,000EVENT SPONSOR
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION
$15,000EVENT SPONSOR
IOWA CLINIC HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$15,000EVENT SPONSOR
VISITING NURSE SERVICES OF IOWA
$11,000PROGRAM SUPPORT
DES MOINES AREA COMMUNITY COLLEGE FOUNDATION
$10,000EVENT SPONSOR
DES MOINES AREA SPORTS COMMISSION
$10,000EVENT SPONSOR
GRANDVIEW UNIVERSITY
$5,500PROGRAM SUPPORT