Iowa West Foundation
Iowa West Foundation is a private foundation based in Council Bluffs, Iowa. Its mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities for current and future generations, with grantmaking focused on southwest Iowa and on priorities identified by local residents.
Iowa West Foundation at a glance
In short: Iowa West Foundation gave $15.9M across 134 grants in 2024 (avg $118K), mostly in Iowa. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $15,877,150
- -4.7% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 134
- -12.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $118,486
- +8.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $25,000
- Total assets
- $495,744,138
- +0.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (31 of 96, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (89% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Iowa West Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a Letter of Inquiry through the foundation’s online application process. The LOI is used to assess eligibility and fit with funding priorities; applicants invited to proceed complete a full application. The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The annual cycle schedule lists LOI and completed application deadlines of January 1 and January 15 for the spring cycle, May 1 and May 15 for the summer cycle, and September 1 and September 15 for the fall cycle. Award notifications are scheduled for the fourth week of March, July, and November, respectively. Deadlines are 11:59 p.m.; when a deadline falls on a weekend or holiday, it moves to the next business day.
- Deadline
- The annual cycle schedule lists LOI and completed application deadlines of January 1 and January 15 for the spring…
- Contact
Application contact: Iowa West Foundation
Mailing address: 4201 Rivers Edge Parkway Suite 400, Council Bluffs, IA 51501
Phone: (712) 325-3133
Email: jackiedix@iwf.org
Website: https://iowawestfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Iowa West Foundation
Who Iowa West Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was City of Council Bluffs and Sinc ($3.2M). Together the top 10 received $11.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
555 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 303 grants of 555 (55%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s Iowa funding footprint includes 14 counties, with primary funding in Council Bluffs and Pottawattamie County. It also serves Adams, Audubon, Carroll, Cass, Crawford, Fremont, Harrison, Mills, Monona, Montgomery, Page, Shelby, and Taylor counties. In the Omaha metropolitan area, it funds organizations that benefit Iowa residents through direct services into Iowa or regional amenities with Iowa audiences and no equivalent in its Iowa giving area.
In filing year 2024, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa and 11% to recipients in Nebraska.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 134 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Iowa West Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 31 of 96 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $159K; repeat grants $169K. How we count
Medians: $25K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 57% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 92% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $12.0M (2020) to $16.7M (2023). In 2024 it made 134 grants totaling $15.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| City of Council Bluffs and Sinc Council Bluffs, IA | Iowa Riverfront Phase 4 | $3,166,667 |
| City of Council Bluffs Council Bluffs, IA | River's Edge Gateway | $2,350,614 |
| Green Hills Area Education Agency Council Bluffs, IA | Pottawattamie County Preschool | $1,350,000 |
| Iowa West Foundation Initiative Council Bluffs, IA | Multi-Agency Campus Building | $1,000,000 |
| Southwest Iowa Nonprofit for Collective Impact Omaha, NE | Riverfront Revitalization | $393,570 |
| Anawim Housing Des Moines, IA | Supportive Housing Gap | $360,000 |
| Heartland Family Service Omaha, NE | Iowa Operating | $330,000 |
| Council Bluffs Schools Foundation Council Bluffs, IA | Aspire Investments - Stars | $297,657 |
| Council Bluffs Community School District Council Bluffs, IA | Aspire Plus One Pathways | $275,000 |
| Neighborworks Home Solutions Council Bluffs, IA | Hillside Estates Townhomes Phase II | $259,650 |
Ready to take the next step with Iowa West Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $495,744,138 | $87,802,495 | $35,326,852 | $15,877,150 | 134 | $19,146,012 | $78,597,600 | $20,918,869 |
| 2023 | $492,648,687 | $25,911,626 | $23,185,583 | $16,667,097 | 153 | $20,028,691 | $14,460,266 | $19,927,601 |
| 2022 | $461,641,781 | $34,390,946 | $22,787,896 | $16,645,993 | 136 | $19,663,964 | $23,323,345 | $20,216,943 |
| 2021 | $531,828,155 | $56,969,163 | $26,567,438 | $14,958,154 | 75 | $17,903,373 | $45,124,517 | $20,583,539 |
| 2020 | $471,775,154 | $19,855,547 | $23,388,088 | $11,972,319 | 57 | — | $7,842,943 | $17,244,352 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Iowa West Foundation reported a distributable amount of $20.9M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities for current and future generations. It describes its approach as catalyzing creativity and collaboration, empowering partners for community success, fostering leadership that reflects the community, and supporting people-focused outcomes. Its four stated outcomes are belonging, financial stability, opportunity, and well-being.
Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) public charities and government entities. The foundation’s 2024 grants included support for education, housing, community development, and other services. For example, the an individual recipient Nonprofit for Collective Impact describes its mission as providing education, financial services, fundraising assistance, and project management to nonprofits in Council Bluffs and southwest Iowa. Anawim Housing describes its mission as providing safe, affordable housing to stabilize low-income families and revitalize neighborhoods. Heartland Family Service describes its mission as strengthening individuals and families through education, counseling, and support services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 134 grants totaling $15,877,150. Grant amounts ranged from $1,585 to $3,166,667, with a median of $25,000. Among the largest awards were $3,166,667 to the City of Council Bluffs and SINC for Iowa Riverfront Phase 4; $2,350,614 to the City of Council Bluffs for River’s Edge Gateway; $1,350,000 to Green Hills Area Education Agency for Pottawattamie County Preschool; and $1,000,000 to Iowa West Foundation Initiative for a multi-agency campus building. Other 2024 awards included $393,570 to an individual recipient Nonprofit for Collective Impact for riverfront revitalization, $360,000 to Anawim Housing for a supportive housing gap, and $330,000 to Heartland Family Service for Iowa operating support.
The foundation accepts Letters of Inquiry year-round for consideration in one of three annual grant cycles. Applicants submit an LOI online; the foundation reviews it for eligibility and fit with funding priorities, and eligible applicants receive a link to the full application. The application process is online. A budget narrative is required if an applicant does not use the foundation’s budget template. The foundation funds public charities and government entities, not individuals, private businesses, or private foundations. It also requires past grantees to be in good standing, with current grants compliant and reporting complete.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Tara Slevin as chair, Tammy Pavich as vice chair, and Amy Crawford, Ron Dickinson, Steve Baumert, Jason James, Kirk Madsen, Jack Ruesch, and Vergarie Sanford as board members. Brenda Mainwaring is listed as president and CEO.
The foundation’s website describes its organization as having a 16-member volunteer board, two ex-officios, and 11 volunteer Advisory Committee members who review grant applications.
Iowa West Foundation is led by Brenda Mainwaring, President & CEO on every filing since 2020; 1 of 10 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Brenda Mainwaring
President & CEO
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$77K (2020) → $304K (2024)
Tara Slevin
Chair
Vice Chair → Vice Chairman, 2022
Vice Chairman → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jason James
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ron Dickinson
Board Member
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kirk Madsen
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tammy Pavich
Vice Chair
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jack Ruesch
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vergarie Sanford
Board Member
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Crawford
Board Member
Secretary & Treasurer → Board Member, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Baumert
Board Member
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Matt Gronstal (2020–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Rick Killion (2020–2022) — Board Member
- Former: Phil Reed (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: Susan Miller (2020–2021) — Board Member
- Former: F. Peter Tulipana (2020) — President & CEO
- Former: Kate Cutler (2020) — Secretary & Treasurer
- Former: Rick Crowl (2020) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $304K, to Brenda Mainwaring (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Iowa West Foundation
How much does Iowa West Foundation give each year?
Iowa West Foundation gave $15.9M across 134 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $16.7M across 153 grants.
What is Iowa West Foundation's typical grant size?
Iowa West Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $25,000, and its average grant was $118,486, across 134 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Iowa West Foundation that year got $159K on average.
Where does Iowa West Foundation give grants?
Iowa West Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Nebraska (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Council Bluffs, IA (61 grants), Omaha, NE (31 grants), Neola, IA (5 grants) and Des Moines, IA (3 grants).
Does Iowa West Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 9% of Iowa West Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 134) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Disaster Response Initiative" (13 grants).
Who are Iowa West Foundation's largest grantees?
Iowa West Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include City of Council Bluffs and Sinc ($3,166,667), City of Council Bluffs ($2,775,327 across 7 grants) and Green Hills Area Education Agency ($1,350,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 46% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Iowa West Foundation?
Iowa West Foundation reported $495.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $19.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $20.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Iowa West Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to improve lives and strengthen communities for current and future generations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Iowa West Foundation?
Submit a Letter of Inquiry through the foundation’s online application process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Iowa West Foundation's EIN?
Iowa West Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1391990. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Iowa West Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Iowa West Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 8, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/iowa-west-foundation-morg_d477f5f2da8b46c184d66d7bc9d957db
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_421391990_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Iowa West Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/iowa-west-foundation-morg_d477f5f2da8b46c184d66d7bc9d957db},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-08. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Iowa West Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Iowa West Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?