← Back to US Funders Directory

Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines

Annual Giving
$84.0M
Grant Range
$5K - $0.1M

Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $84 million (2024); $62.2 million (2023)
  • Total Assets: $1.17 billion (as of November 2025)
  • Number of Awards: 1,511 grants (2023)
  • Grant Range: $5,000 - $100,000+
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Des Moines region and affiliate Iowa counties
  • Application Method: Mixed (rolling for Capacity Building; fixed cycles for Leadership)

Contact Details

Address: 1915 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50309
Phone: (515) 883-2626
Fax: (515) 309-0704
Website: www.desmoinesfoundation.org

Pre-Application Support:
Dannie Patrick-Valentin, Senior Director of Community Impact
Email: valentin@desmoinesfoundation.org
(Required for Leadership Grant applicants to schedule alignment conversation)

Financial Inquiries:
Kris Pete-Swanson, Chief Financial Officer
Phone: (515) 447-4200
Email: swanson@desmoinesfoundation.org

Overview

Established in 1969, the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines is Iowa's top grantmaker, administering $1.17 billion in assets across 2,701 charitable funds. The foundation improves quality of life by promoting charitable giving, connecting donors with causes, and providing leadership on important community issues. Operating under the tagline "Better Together. Better Forever," the foundation distributed over $84 million in grants in 2024. In 2013, the foundation underwent a significant leadership transition when Barry Griswell retired as CEO after five years of pro-bono service, with Kristi Knous advancing to President and Cara Heiden appointed Board Chair. The foundation utilizes a strategic grantmaking plan aligned with its Leadership Agenda, focusing resources on specific strategies and outcomes that address root causes rather than symptoms. The organization maintains National Standards accreditation for U.S. Community Foundations and undergoes annual independent audits per Generally Accepted Auditing Standards.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Leadership Grants: $100,000+
Support requests that drive systems change and challenge existing structures to address root causes of community issues. Designed to catalyze Greater Des Moines to effect significant community outcomes by expanding access to housing and transportation, advancing community health and resilience, fostering inclusive economic and workforce development, and cultivating a thriving and inclusive community. Applications require a two-stage process: Letter of Intent followed by invitation to full application. Recent recipients include Ballet Des Moines Campus for Arts and Education, Oakridge Neighborhood's Oakridge Studio, Habitat for Humanity's Building Our Future Campaign, Primary Health Care University Medical Clinic Expansion, YSS Ember Recovery Center, and The Directors Council ($25,000 for African American Leadership Forum).

Capacity Building Grants: $5,000 - $50,000
Strengthen nonprofit organizational effectiveness through funding for strategic initiatives in governance, management, and future planning. Accepts applications on a rolling basis throughout the year. Not eligible: tactical items such as hardware/equipment, collateral materials, donor management software, websites, or fund development/marketing strategy (excluding feasibility studies).

Strategic Alignment Grants: $5,000 - $50,000
Provide funding for exploration and/or implementation of strategic alignment strategies between two or more nonprofit organizations coming together to enhance systemic support around community issues, align operations/programming, or deepen partnerships. Defines strategic alignment as coordination (formal relationships around specific efforts leveraging efficiency) or collaboration (pooled/jointly secured resources with defined, measured outcomes beyond one organization).

Priority Areas

The foundation focuses on seven key areas drawn from community priorities:

  • Arts and Culture
  • Community Betterment
  • Education
  • Health
  • Social Capital
  • Strengthening Individuals and Families
  • Workforce Development

What They Don't Fund

  • Tactical items: hardware/equipment, collateral materials, donor management software, websites (for Capacity Building Grants)
  • Fund development/marketing strategy development, excluding feasibility studies (for Strategic Alignment Grants)
  • Projects outside their service area (though affiliate foundations cover Adair, Boone, Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clarinda, Clay, Dallas, Davis, Dickinson, Greene counties, and Greater Carlisle Community)

Governance and Leadership

President: Kristi Knous, MPA, CAP (Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy)
Kristi joined the Community Foundation in 2002 and was appointed President in 2013. She is responsible for all Community Foundation operations and donor relations, and provides leadership in identifying and addressing issues key to community sustainability, viability, and livability.

Board Leadership:

  • Franklin Codel (Chair)
  • Susan Fitzsimmons (Vice Chair)
  • Gerry Neugent (Secretary)
  • Steve Lacy (Treasurer)

Board Members: Mark Rupprecht, Marta Codina, Mary Coffin, Peter Cownie, Rob Feeney, Robert Riley, Sheldon Ohringer, Stephanie Brick Drey, Sunnie Richer, Suzanna De Baca, Todd Millang

Key Staff:

  • Kris Pete-Swanson, Chief Financial Officer
  • Dannie Patrick-Valentin, Senior Director of Community Impact
  • Emily Toribio, Vice President of Marketing and Communications

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Leadership Grants (Two-stage process):

  1. Required pre-application consultation: Contact Dannie Patrick-Valentin (valentin@desmoinesfoundation.org) to schedule a conversation with the Community Impact team to explore project alignment
  2. Letter of Intent: Submit by deadline (typically October 1 at 12:00 noon CT)
  3. Full Application: Invited applicants submit detailed proposals (typically due November 7 at 12:00 noon CT)

Capacity Building Grants: Rolling basis - applications accepted any time throughout the year

Strategic Alignment Grants: Check foundation website for current application cycles

Decision Timeline

Specific decision timelines vary by grant program. Leadership Grants follow a structured cycle with Letter of Intent review determining which applicants are invited to submit full proposals. Applicants should contact the foundation directly for current timeline information.

Success Rates

Not publicly disclosed. However, the foundation distributed 1,511 awards in 2023 and 1,555 awards in 2022, indicating substantial grant activity.

Reapplication Policy

Specific reapplication policies for unsuccessful applicants are not publicly disclosed. Contact the foundation directly for guidance on reapplication.

Application Success Factors

The Community Foundation emphasizes several key factors for successful applications:

Systems-Level Thinking: The foundation explicitly states they are "looking to invest in solutions, not solely projects." Leadership Grants must demonstrate how they will "drive change and challenge existing systems to address root causes to community issues" rather than treating symptoms.

Pre-Application Alignment: The required consultation with the Community Impact team before applying is critical. The foundation states this is "to facilitate strong applications," signaling they want to guide applicants toward alignment with strategic priorities before submission.

Strategic vs. Tactical: The foundation's exclusions reveal their preference for strategic initiatives. They explicitly won't fund "tactical items" like hardware or collateral materials through Capacity Building Grants, preferring investments in governance, management systems, and strategic planning.

Collaboration and Partnership: The existence of Strategic Alignment Grants as a distinct program demonstrates the foundation's commitment to multi-organizational approaches. They define successful collaboration as achieving "social impact beyond one organization."

Geographic Service: Applications must clearly serve the Greater Des Moines region or affiliated county areas (Adair, Boone, Buena Vista, Cherokee, Clarinda, Clay, Dallas, Davis, Dickinson, Greene, and Greater Carlisle Community).

Measurable Outcomes: The foundation's emphasis on "defined and measured outcomes" in their Strategic Alignment Grant criteria indicates they expect clear metrics and accountability frameworks.

Recent Example Projects: Successful Leadership Grant recipients include Ballet Des Moines Campus for Arts and Education, Oakridge Neighborhood's Oakridge Studio, Habitat for Humanity's Building Our Future Campaign, Primary Health Care University Medical Clinic Expansion, and YSS Ember Recovery Center—all representing significant infrastructure or systems-level initiatives.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • Schedule the pre-consultation early: For Leadership Grants, the required conversation with Dannie Patrick-Valentin is not optional—build this into your timeline well before the Letter of Intent deadline
  • Frame proposals around systems change: Avoid project-focused language; emphasize how your initiative addresses root causes and creates lasting structural change aligned with their seven priority areas
  • Demonstrate collaborative approach: Whether applying for Leadership, Capacity Building, or Strategic Alignment grants, show how your work connects with broader community efforts and existing systems
  • Match grant type to need: Capacity Building is for internal organizational strengthening (governance, management, planning); Strategic Alignment is for multi-organization partnerships; Leadership is for large-scale community impact initiatives
  • Think beyond individual projects: The foundation manages 2,701 charitable funds and distributed over $84 million in 2024—they're looking for transformative investments, not incremental improvements
  • Leverage the rolling deadline strategically: Capacity Building Grants accept applications year-round, allowing you to time your submission when your organization is ready rather than rushing to meet arbitrary deadlines
  • Understand the two-tier system: Leadership Grants require a Letter of Intent before invitation to full application—invest time in crafting a compelling LOI that clearly demonstrates alignment with the foundation's strategic focus on housing/transportation access, health/resilience, economic/workforce development, or inclusive community cultivation

References

← Back to US Funders Directory