The Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. Awards Grants in Des Moines Area

Dec. 06, 2005 (Des Moines, Iowa) — The Principal Financial Group Foundation Inc., in support of community needs in the central Iowa area, provided grants totaling $594,000 during the third quarter to local art and culture organizations.

"By supporting art-related educational and cultural outreach programs, The Principal is able to bring a variety of diverse cultural elements to communities where they may otherwise not be available," said Libby Jacobs, community relations director, the Principal Financial Group^®. "Providing these funds to organizations across the nation, ultimately improves the communities where our employees live and work."

Organizations benefiting from the grants include:

Civic Center of Greater Des Moines - This grant will provide general operating support and support for the capital campaign.
Des Moines Art Center - This grant will underwrite the "Art of Richard Tuttle" exhibition in the spring of 2006 and provide funds for scholarships and educational programming related to the exhibition.
Des Moines Metro Opera - This grant will underwrite the 2006 production of "The Magic Flute" and the 2005 production of "Amahl and the Night Visitors."
Des Moines Symphony Orchestra Association - This grant will underwrite the Yankee Doodle Pops 2006 concert.

Other organizations receiving grants include:

Blank Park Zoo Foundation
Civic Music Association
Iowa Youth Chorus
The Des Moines Playhouse
Gateway Dance Theatre, Inc.
Greater Des Moines Community Foundation
Greater Des Moines Music Coalition
Hoyt Sherman Place Foundation
Living History Farms
Metro Arts Alliance of Greater Des Moines
Salisbury House
Science Center of Iowa
VSA Arts of Iowa
WOI-AM, FM & KTPR Radio

These grants were provided as part of the quarterly charitable grants program of the Principal Financial Group and the Principal Financial Group Foundation. The third quarter grant cycle focuses on art and culture programs offered by a variety of not-for-profit organizations in targeted communities.

The Principal Financial Group and the Principal Financial Group Foundation awarded a total of $623,050.00 in grants during the third quarter to communities where The Principal^® has a significant employee presence, including Cedar Falls, Mason City, Ottumwa, Iowa; Grand Island, Neb.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Phoenix/Tucson, Ariz.; Spokane, Wash.; and Wilmington, Del. For a full list of 2005 grant recipients, visit www.principal.com/about/giving.

About the Principal Financial Group Foundation
The Principal Financial Group Foundation provides grants on a quarterly basis in the following categories: Health and Human Services (first quarter); Education (second quarter); Arts and Culture (third quarter); and Recreation and Tourism (fourth quarter). The Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. was formed in 1987 to help support communities in which the Principal Financial Group has a major employee presence. For more information about the Foundation grants program, visit www.principal.com.

About The Principal Financial Group
The Principal Financial Group^® (The Principal^®)¹ is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $188.4 billion in assets under management² and serves some 15.3 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

^{1) "The Principal Financial Group" and "The Principal" are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.}
^{2) As of September 30, 2005.}