Corporate Responsibility: In the Community: Grants
The Principal Financial Group® Foundation, Inc., was formed in 1987. The charitable giving programs of the company and foundation were created for the purpose of supporting nonprofit organizations in the areas of health & human services, education, arts & culture and civic, community & environment. Grants awarded reflect the needs and concerns of the communities in which we have a significant employee presence. Those communities are:
- Des Moines, IA
- Mason City, IA
- Pella, IA
- Ottumwa, IA
- Cedar Falls, IA
- Grand Island, NE
- Spokane, WA
- Wilmington, DE
- Appleton, WI
Giving Focus
Grant making is organized into a quarterly system, based on an organization’s area of focus. In addition, our signature project currently under construction is The Principal Riverwalk; a $70 million dollar project revitalizing the downtown Des Moines riverfront.
See a list of our current grant recipients. (PDF: 148 KB)
Quarterly Grant Categories and Deadlines
Please apply for funding in the quarterly grant category that most closely aligns with the mission of your organization.
Application deadlines refer to the received by date, not the postmark date. Deadlines are applicable in all cases, even if a deadline falls on a weekend or a holiday.
1st Quarter: Health & Human Services
Application Deadline: Must be received by March 1
- Health-related organizations and programs funded through this cycle include:
- Those that provide access to primary and preventative health services to medically underserved populations. Special preference is given to programs targeting nutrition and care for the elderly.
- Public health outreach programs.
- Programs that facilitate disease and disorder prevention/awareness and education.
- Substance abuse prevention and treatment programs.
- Human service contributions focus on organizations and services that:
- Support community initiatives to strengthen families by building positive social networks.
- Assist families in their efforts toward self-sufficiency and financial independence. This includes financial literacy, affordable housing, and workforce preparedness programs.
- Promote physical and social independence for older adults.
- Support youth development through mentoring programs, school readiness, and healthy baby initiatives.
2nd Quarter - Education
Application Deadline: Must be received by June 1
- Our contributions in education center on:
- Providing access to higher education for diverse populations of students.
- Promoting areas of study important to the business objectives of the Principal
Financial Group. These areas include, but are not limited to:
- Actuarial Science
- Business
- Information Technology
- Accounting
- Finance
- Rewarding high performing students.
3rd Quarter: Arts & Culture
Application Deadline: Must be received by September 1
- Our contributions in arts and culture center on promoting the arts as a key component of viable communities.
- Special consideration is given to programs that celebrate cultural diversity and make the arts more accessible to all audiences.
4th Quarter - Civic, Community, & Environment
Application Deadline: Must be received by December 1
- Organizations and programs funded through this cycle include quality-of-life attractions and civic betterment programs that promote the vitality of communities.
Consider these guidelines before applying
- Only one grant request will be accepted per organization per calendar year.
- Notice of award decisions will be made by letter to organizations within eight to ten weeks after the application deadline.
Ineligible Requests
We are unable to act favorably on all requests received. Each grant request is carefully evaluated to determine general eligibility and compliance with our guidelines and available funds. Awards are generally not made to the following:
- Athletes or athletic organizations
- Capital fund drives for hospitals or health care facilities
- Conference or seminar attendance
- Courtesy or goodwill advertising in benefit publications
- Endowments or Memorials
- Fellowships
- Fraternal organizations (police, fire associations, Greek letter societies)
- Individual K-12 schools (except those where The Principal is the official business partner)
- Individuals
- Political parties, campaigns or candidates, partisan political organizations
- Private foundations
- Retirement communities or nursing homes
- Sectarian, religious and denominational organizations
- Social organizations
Grant Evaluations
Should you receive a grant, we ask that you print, complete and return the grant evaluation form (PDF: 30 KB) at the time of your next grant application or within one year of the grant award (whichever occurs first).
Ready to apply?
Find out how to apply for a grant and where to send your application.
