Foundations that fund organizations in Council Bluffs, Iowa
Worked out from where the grants went, not where the foundations sit.
Funding landscape for Council Bluffs nonprofits
68 private foundations gave $21M to Council Bluffs organizations in their latest filings; 31 of the 68 that say either way accept applications.
207 grants in total, with a typical foundation's median grant to Council Bluffs around $5,000. 13 of these funders are based in Iowa; the rest give here from elsewhere.
- Foundations giving here
- 68
- Accept applications
- 31
- of 68 that state a policy
- Dollars to Council Bluffs
- $21M
- latest filings
- Grants
- 207
- Typical median grant
- $5,000
- Based in IA
- 19%
- of funders listed
Funders, by dollars given to Council Bluffs organizations
| Foundation | Based in | Grants here | Dollars here | Median | Accepts applications | Typical purposes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iowa West Foundation | Council Bluffs, IA | 61 | $13M | $68K | Yes | General operating; Operating support; Aspire rural pottawattamie careeer preparedness |
| The Lozier Foundation | Omaha, NE | 16 | $2.5M | $53K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc | Council Bluffs, IA | 11 | $1.2M | $30K | Yes | Contribution for general purposes |
| The Sherwood Foundation | Omaha, NE | 10 | $880K | $50K | Preselected only | 2026 operating grant; 2025 operating grant; Veterans permananet supportive housing project |
| Lilly Endowment Inc | Indianapolis, IN | 1 | $750K | $750K | Yes | Nurturing children-worship & prayer |
| Walter Scott Family Foundation | Omaha, NE | 2 | $505K | $253K | Preselected only | Program support; Next generation |
| The Rod Rhoden Foundation C/O Rodney D Rhoden | Omaha, NE | 1 | $500K | $500K | Yes | Unrestricted |
| The Hawks Foundation | Omaha, NE | 9 | $325K | $30K | Yes | Support health care; Support youth mental health; Support children's book collection |
| Todd and Mary Heistand Family Foundation | Woodbine, IA | 5 | $315K | $50K | Yes | Operating; Community services; Ffe new building |
| Herbert J Lavigne Family Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $300K | $300K | Preselected only | Donation |
| Robert B Daugherty Foundation | Omaha, NE | 4 | $225K | $50K | Yes | General Operating Support |
| Mutual of Omaha Foundation | Omaha, NE | 7 | $190K | $25K | Preselected only | Project Support; General Operating Support |
| Richard Brooke Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $150K | $150K | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Peter Kiewit Foundation | Omaha, NE | 2 | $140K | $70K | Preselected only | To support vocational scholarships for the 2024, 2025, and…; To provide three years of general operating support. |
| Gilbert M and Martha H Hitchcock Foundation | Omaha, NE | 2 | $125K | $63K | Yes | To further thecharitable purposeof the recipient |
| Leland J & Dorothy H Olson Charitable Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $68K | $68K | Yes | Program support |
| The William & Patricia Penn Private Foundation | Sidney, IA | 1 | $45K | $45K | Yes | Scholarships for continued education |
| The Charles and Mary Heider Family Foundation | Omaha, NE | 2 | $43K | $21K | Preselected only | Charitable |
| Oea Foundation Inc | Omaha, NE | 3 | $27K | $10K | Yes | Scholarship |
| Richey Estelle Tuw | St Louis, MO | 1 | $22K | $22K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Opus Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | 2 | $20K | $10K | Preselected only | Avenue Scholars Southwest Iowa; Pathways to Success Work Training Program |
| Ny Foundation | Glenwood, IA | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | Grant |
| The Gonsoulin Charitable Trust C/O Al a Gonsoulin | Sugarland, TX | 1 | $20K | $20K | Preselected only | Charitable contribution |
| Helen Kelly Trust | Eagan, MN | 1 | $19K | $19K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Ef & Sylvia Schildberg Foundation | Greenfield, IA | 7 | $17K | $2,000 | Preselected only | General operations |
| Robert J Brown Trust Fbo Christian Home | Columbus, OH | 1 | $15K | $15K | Preselected only | General operating |
| Dwight and Marilyn Conover Foundation | Okoboji, IA | 1 | $12K | $12K | Yes | Student engagement & activities |
| The Edward T Robinson Jr Family Foundation | Waterloo, NE | 1 | $10K | $10K | Preselected only | General purpose |
| Sulentic Family Foundation | Wilmington, DE | 1 | $10K | $10K | Preselected only | General & Unrestricted |
| Thomas C Hickey & Gertrude Char | Milwaukee, WI | 1 | $9,971 | $9,971 | Preselected only | General operating |
| Alice Oth Charitable Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $7,500 | $7,500 | Preselected only | Scholarship |
| Blue Adobe Foundation | Gardnerville, NV | 1 | $7,000 | $7,000 | Preselected only | Carry out charitable purpose of fdn |
| Hirschfeld Family Foundation Inc | Kearney, NE | 1 | $6,000 | $6,000 | Yes | Programming |
| Larue Coffee Charitable Foundation Charitable Foundation C/O Ken Kuhlm | Lincoln, NE | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | To further the charitable purpose of |
| Carl Frohm Memorial Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Preselected only | Historical exhibits |
| Bnsf Railway Foundation | Fort Worth, TX | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | Health & human services |
| Iowa Peo Project Fund Inc | Washington, IA | 1 | $5,000 | $5,000 | Yes | Grant |
| Marguerite V Brown | Eagan, MN | 2 | $4,578 | $2,289 | Yes | Scholarships |
| The Richard M Schulze Family Foundation | Minneapolis, MN | 1 | $4,125 | $4,125 | Yes | Human services |
| Dick's Sporting Goods Foundation | Coraopolis, PA | 2 | $4,000 | $2,000 | Yes | Grant for youth sports |
| Gross Family Foundation Inc | Vail, CO | 1 | $4,000 | $4,000 | Preselected only | Annual appeal |
| Eli Namen Trust | Eagan, MN | 2 | $3,389 | $1,694 | Yes | Scholarship; General operating |
| First Interstate Bancsystem Foundation Inc | Billings, MT | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Yes | School Project |
| The Miccio Foundation | Iowa City, IA | 1 | $3,000 | $3,000 | Yes | Adoption and caging |
| Komarek Charitable Trust | St Louis, MO | 1 | $2,543 | $2,543 | Yes | General operating |
| The Fred and Sally Bekins Foundation C/O Sandy von Riesen | Omaha, NE | 1 | $2,500 | $2,500 | Yes | Unsolicated request for funds |
| The Galasso Foundation | Clarence, NY | 2 | $2,500 | $1,250 | Preselected only | Contribution |
| Carl Barnes Charitable Trust | Dallas, TX | 1 | $2,360 | $2,360 | Preselected only | Unrestricted general |
| The Charter Foundation Inc | Orlando, FL | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Yes | Scholarship |
| James M Cox Foundation | Eagan, MN | 1 | $2,000 | $2,000 | Yes | Scholarship |
| Osaic Foundation Inc | Scottsdale, AZ | 2 | $1,750 | $875 | Preselected only | General operating support |
| Spartannash Foundation | Byron Center, MI | 1 | $1,575 | $1,575 | Preselected only | Fighting hunger |
| Dorothy & Chester Smith Charitable Foundation | Santa Barbara, CA | 1 | $1,500 | $1,500 | Preselected only | General support |
| Russ Kurth Foundation | Logan, IA | 3 | $1,500 | $500 | Yes | Scholarship; Schoalrship |
| Ghidotti Wm Marian T U a | Eagan, MN | 1 | $1,080 | $1,080 | Yes | Scholarships |
| Physicians Mutual Insurance Company Foundation | Omaha, NE | 2 | $1,000 | $500 | Preselected only | General |
| Alan & Marcia Baer Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Yes | General operations |
| Burstein Charitable Foundation | New York, NY | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | General |
| J Wesley Graham Tw | West Des Moines, IA | 1 | $1,000 | $1,000 | Preselected only | CHARITABLECONTRIBUTIONChristian Home Association Foundation |
| Proverbs Three Nine Foundation | Everett, WA | 1 | $564 | $564 | Preselected only | Evangelism and educatio |
| Bluestem Prairie Foundation | Omaha, NE | 1 | $500 | $500 | Preselected only | unrestricted |
| Tractor Supply Company Foundation | Brentwood, TN | 1 | $500 | $500 | Yes | Hometown heroes donation |
| Spreetail Foundation | Lincoln, NE | 3 | $290 | $90 | Preselected only | Donation match; Donation Match; Milestone Donation |
| Magc Foundation | Glenwood, IA | 1 | $250 | $250 | Preselected only | General |
| Lincoln Financial Foundation Inc | Radnor, PA | 2 | $203 | $101 | Yes | Matching gifts |
| Edward Jones Foundation | St Louis, MO | 1 | $100 | $100 | Preselected only | Community improvement |
| Swaddling Clothes Inc Nfp | Ballwin, MO | 1 | $100 | $100 | Preselected only | to buy diapers wipes and car seats for families in need |
| Shea Family Charitable Trust | Storm Lake, IA | 1 | — | Preselected only | Charity |
Source: IRS Form 990-PF Part XV, latest electronic return per foundation (2026-10-28). "Accepts applications" reflects the foundation's own checkbox on Part XV line 2. Grants to individuals excluded.
Common questions
Which foundations give to nonprofits in Council Bluffs, Iowa?
Iowa West Foundation, The Lozier Foundation, Charles E Lakin Foundation Inc, The Sherwood Foundation, Lilly Endowment Inc and 63 others reported grants to Council Bluffs organizations on their latest Form 990-PF.
How do I approach a foundation that doesn't accept applications?
A foundation that checks "contributes only to preselected organizations" on its 990-PF won't review a cold proposal. Look at who it funds, find a shared board member, grantee or advisor, and ask for an introduction. Foundations that accept applications usually list a contact and deadlines in Part XV; we show that text on each foundation's page.
Is this list complete?
No. It covers private foundations (Form 990-PF filers) whose latest electronic return lists at least one grant to an organization in Council Bluffs. Community foundations and corporate giving programs file different forms and are not included yet.