Higher Education Grant Funders in Iowa
914 foundations with a documented higher education focus have made grants to Iowa nonprofits in recent years, together directing $311.0M to organizations across the state. Below are the most active — every funder links to a public funder overview, and Bespoke Grants will match all 914 against your nonprofit's specific mission. One lifetime free search includes up to three sourced matches; further searches and the full workflow are $19/month. No credit card is needed for the preview.
Most active higher education funders in Iowa
| # | Funder | Based in | Total Iowa giving | Grants | Latest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Iowa Western Community College | Iowa | $29.8M | 8 | 2025 |
| 2 | Dmacc Foundation | Iowa | $25.6M | 7 | 2025 |
| 3 | Graceland College Center for Prof Dev & Lifelong Learning Inc | Kansas | $14.2M | 5 | 2024 |
| 4 | Greater Cedar Rapids Community | Iowa | $12.0M | 166 | 2024 |
| 5 | Heart of Iowa School Tuition | Iowa | $10.2M | 72 | 2024 |
| 6 | North Iowa Area Community College | Iowa | $9.9M | 7 | 2024 |
| 7 | Iowa College Foundation | Iowa | $9.7M | 188 | 2025 |
| 8 | Miller Endowment Incorporated | Iowa | $9.6M | 12 | 2025 |
| 9 | Roy J Carver Charitable Trust | Iowa | $8.3M | 185 | 2025 |
| 10 | The Bright Foundation | Iowa | $6.2M | 19 | 2025 |
| 11 | Community Fdn of Greater Des Moines | Iowa | $6.1M | 461 | 2024 |
| 12 | Sid and Carol Verdoorn Family Foundation | Arizona | $5.5M | 6 | 2024 |
| 13 | Iowa Measurement Research Foundation | Iowa | $5.0M | 8 | 2025 |
| 14 | United Way of Central Iowa | Iowa | $4.9M | 37 | 2025 |
| 15 | Peo Foundation | Iowa | $4.7M | 10 | 2025 |
This list is ranked by size. Yours should be ranked by fit.
The funders above are the biggest higher education funders in Iowa — not necessarily the right ones for you. Bespoke Grants ranks all 914 against your nonprofit's actual mission, service area, and budget, and shows you why each one matches. One lifetime free search includes up to three sourced matches; further searches and the full workflow are $19/month. No credit card is needed for the preview.
Rank these funders for my nonprofit →