Giving Iowa has two legislative programs in existence related to Community Foundations. Endow Iowa was created to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of this state through increased philanthropic activity by encouraging new investments to existing community foundations and facilitating the creation of new community foundations; the program does this by awarding Endow Iowa Tax Credits. In addition to the Endow Iowa Program, the County Endowment Fund Program also works to build the capacity of local community foundations by focusing specifically on the countywide community foundations located in counties that do not hold a state issued gaming license.

ENDOW IOWA TAX CREDITS

Endow Iowa Tax Credits are state tax credits provided to individuals or businesses that donate to permanent endowment funds at qualified community foundations or community affiliate organizations serving the communities of Iowa. The Iowa Code (15E.305(2)) authorized $2 million for 2009, plus a very small percentage (less than 1/10 of 1%) of state gambling revenues.

The following is a summary of applications received by the IDED through 12/31/09 (some additional 2009 awards will be made in the coming weeks as paperwork for donations might not be received by the IDED until several weeks or more after the donation is actually made):

Approximately $1.9 million in Endow Iowa tax credits were applied for, and will be approved;
The applications showed more than $9.5 million in charitable giving was leveraged by the tax credits;
The $9.5 million in donations went to at least 78 different community foundations and/or community affiliate organizations;
The $9.5 million in donations was made through 1,496 separate donations.

COUNTY ENDOWMENT FUND

In this program, the State of Iowa provided over $11 million to 85 countywide, community foundations in the state. 75 percent of the funding must be granted out to charitable organizations and the remaining 25 percent must go into a permanent, unrestricted endowment fund. In the most recent year of grant awards (2009), 2,244 grants were made totaling more than $8.4 million. Collectively the Program generated more than 3,095 applications seeking funding of approximately $19.7 million for a wide range of needs. The Iowa Council of Foundations and the Iowa Gaming Association has prepared a report detailing all 2,244 grants. The report is entitled “Building Iowa’s Communities through Philanthropy” and is available from IDED, the Iowa Council of Foundations or the Iowa Gaming Association beginning at the end of January 2010.

Access the Full-length Endow Iowa Report [PDF: 514k]

Searchable Database

Endow Iowa was created to enhance the quality of life for the citizens of this state through increased philanthropic activity by encouraging new investments to existing community foundations and facilitating the creation of new community foundations. The program includes tax credits to donors and grants to newly formed community foundations (or affiliates). View the Searchable Project Portfolio.