Through the County Endowment Fund Program, over $5.4 million was distributed in 2005 to 85 community foundations and/or their affiliate organizations in almost every area of the state.  Each recipient received approximately $63,000 in the initial year of the County Endowment Fund Program.  The community foundation organizations then granted 75 percent of those funds to charitable projects within their counties and placed the remaining 25 percent in a permanent endowment fund, which is intended to attract other donations and provide a source of permanent funding for charitable projects within the county.

The source of funding for the Program is state gambling revenues, of which one half of one percent was designated for distribution to counties without a state gaming license.  Fourteen (14) counties were not eligible for the funding because state-licensed gaming facilities are located in or planned within those counties. 

The Program is administered by the Iowa Department of Economic Development (IDED) which works closely with the Iowa Council of Foundations (ICOF) in coordinating the program and determining the community foundation recipients of the funding. 

 To view a complete contact listing of the community foundation/affiliate organizations that were the 2005 County Endowment Fund Recipients, click here. 

For more information, please download the Iowa Department of Economic Development’s brochure.