Gaming Integral for Building Communities Through Philanthropy!

The latest Building Communities Through Philanthropy annual report of grantmaking highlights how using a portion of gaming tax revenue results in tremendous benefit and impact. Thanks to the legislators’ vision more than 15 years ago, the 2020-2021 comprehensive report is impressive and shows the impact of the county endowment fund program grants and casino grantmaking.  

As communities across Iowa continued to navigate pandemic and disaster response and recovery this past year, philanthropy filled gaps and met the most pressing needs for Iowans. The hundreds of grants provided by a separate board of directors in each of the 85 non-casino county community foundations and 14 casino county Qualified Sponsoring Organizations (QSOs) have positively touched virtually every Iowa citizen. 

This grant project funding has provided so many essentials such as food, shelter, and healthcare while building and supporting strong, vibrant communities through grants to the arts, recreation, and community betterment. All Iowa communities – large and small, urban and rural – feel the impact of these grantmaking programs each day. 

Grantmaking activities support each of Iowa’s 99 counties and are a catalyst for significant philanthropic and public-private partnerships. These grants support various needs in Iowa communities, including human services, education, health, the arts, the environment, and community/public benefit.