The Howe Foundation
The Howe Foundation is a private foundation established in 1992 and located in Muscatine, Iowa. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization and has been tax-exempt since October 1993. It functions as a grantmaking foundation supporting charitable organizations across the United States.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+413.5% YoY
Grant Count
25
-7.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$56K
+454.6% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is to make contributions to charitable organizations located in the United States whose principal purposes are in the areas of education, medical advancements, or game hunters associations.
Primary funding focus areas include:
- Education (including higher education and STEM education)
- Medical advancements and health
- Human services
- Arts and culture
- Performing arts
- Religion (specifically Christianity and Protestantism)
- Environment and animals
- Community improvement
Grantmaking
Grant Range
s & Activity:**
Average Grant
amounts and median grant amounts are tracked but specific figures vary by year
Review Cycle
August 1
How to Apply
**
Ready to take the next step with The Howe Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation serves all states within the United States. Specific cities and states where funding has been directed include:
Cities: Ames, Arlington, Cumming, Davenport, Des Moines, Hackensack, Irving, Lone Rock, Mesa, Mt. Pleasant, Muscatine, New York, Reston, Tulsa, Washington, and West Branch
States: Arizona, District of Columbia, Georgia, Iowa, Minnesota, New York, Oklahoma, Texas, and Virginia
Primary giving focus has been in Iowa, Minnesota, and Oklahoma.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2024:
- Total assets: $7,900,298
- Total expenses: $1,560,000
- Total revenue: $542,000
- Total liabilities: $0
Historical data (2023):
- Assets reported at approximately $8.9 million
- Annual expenses: approximately $454,412
- Annual revenue: $732,098
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- James Howe — President & CEO (serves without compensation)
- Helen H. Howe — Director (serves without compensation)
- Stanley M. Howe — Director
- Eric J. Thomsen — Treasurer (serves without compensation)
- Wells Fargo Bank, N.A. — Trustee
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ERIC J THOMSEN | Treasurer | 2 | — |
| HELEN H HOWE | Director | 1 | — |
| JAMES HOWE | President & CEO | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced scholarship opportunities for youth sports and women in the business of sports in 2022. Additionally, the Howe family made a $1 million gift to the Ashland Community and Civic Foundation in honor of the family.
The Howe Foundation - Wells FargoRelated Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
Main Street Fort Dodge Inc
FORT DODGE, IA
Assets
$315K
Grants
1
Total Given
$25K
John & Beverly Anderson Charitable Trust
VINTON, IA
Assets
—
Grants
18
Total Given
$22K
Barbara Jean Couturier Charitable T
DAVENPORT, IA
Assets
—
Grants
0
Total Given
—
The Joseph Andres Family Foundation
OKOBOJI, IA
Assets
—
Grants
6
Total Given
$7K
Lohse Family Foundation
BONDURANT, IA
Assets
—
Grants
2
Total Given
$400K
Vande Brake Family Foundation
ORANGE CITY, IA
Assets
$172K
Grants
6
Total Given
$47K
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with The Howe Foundation on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities