Join Us in Being Part of Something Bigger

The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines improves quality of life for all by promoting charitable giving, connecting donors with causes they care about and providing leadership on important community issues…we’re simply better together.

For the latest stories of impact from the Community Foundation, download our
2024 Annual Report.

For a look at where we're going, download our Strategic Framework.

Strong Communities Start With a Strong Foundation

In 1969, community leaders came together with the tremendous foresight and vision to create a foundation to serve the pressing needs and promising opportunities of our community. They recognized that in order to have a world-class community, we needed a foundation that would stand as a pillar to provide sustainable support for organizations and community projects, challenge us to invest in collaborative, systemic change and serve our generous neighbors who wanted to give back to the causes they care about. These leaders recognized what we still know to be true, we’re simply better together. 

Your Passion is Our Purpose

The charitable spirit of Iowans is evident in the charitable giving funds that have been established at the Community Foundation by donors who want to simplify and maximize their giving in tax-wise ways. These charitable giving funds can be established to make a difference today or to benefit the causes and communities you care about for generations to come. Our team of charitable giving experts is here to provide advice on how best to maximize your giving, provide professional fund management, offer maximum tax savings and provide connections to hundreds of local nonprofits.

Community Leadership

We are a planner, convener and catalyst to address the pressing needs and promising opportunities in our community. We develop partnerships and pool resources with others to create real and sustainable change to make our community not only better together, but better forever.

Connections that Count

We are invested in the continued success of our local nonprofit sector. Through our nonprofit trainings we provide an opportunity for board members and staff to learn and grow in service to their organizations. Through our grantmaking we can support organizations as they build capacity to fulfill their missions and, thanks to the Better Together Fund, invest in tidal wave change for our community today and for generations to come.

Our Guideposts

These are the pillars we stand firmly upon and guide us in our work.

We believe in inspiring greater giving to build strong communities.

We strive to know our donors well and understand their giving priorities. We help them give strategically and strengthen the communities they care about. We are committed to providing a local, “uniquely yours” experience to our donors and other partners. 

We are a trusted steward of assets and an expert philanthropic resource.

We carefully steward the resources entrusted with us to build sustainable support for the charitable organizations and communities we serve. We invest in our staff to build a team of charitable giving experts serving our community and state. We value the relationships we have with professional advisors and work to constantly build that partnership.

Building on our successful track record, we continue to strive to bring visionary community leadership to the region, to keep equity and inclusion at the forefront of our work and to bring civility and neutrality to the conversations we lead.

We lend our table, reputation, and leverage, in leading on important community issues and opportunities.  We serve as an honest broker in forging solutions to complex problems.  

We believe partnering creates greater impact.

We create greater impact through partnerships with donors, other funders, nonprofit organizations, professional advisors, affiliate communities and other community stakeholders. 

We aim for transformation, not simply transactions.

We are much more than a charitable checking account. We are nimble and in touch with our community’s needs and opportunities. We invest philanthropic capital strategically to transform the nonprofits and communities we serve.