2024 Year in Review

Mid-Iowa Health Foundaiton strengthens central Iowa by elevating data-driven community informed, system change initiatives.

Support for innovative and bold projects and initiatives rooted in the best available evidence, analysis and science to improve community health outcomes.

View Grants
$1,185,766

went to initiatives focused on improving community health in 2024.

2024 Strategic Investments

Community Based Engagement

  • 2024 Community Health Needs Assessment: Support area nonprofits to promote authentic and effective community engagement methods to gather data on community needs.
  • Polk County Housing Trust Fund: Support robust outreach strategy in the analysis of fair housing access and opportunity within central Iowa.

Shifting Systems

  • By Degrees Foundation: Champion asset building for future college and career attainment through establishment of 529 savings accounts for all Des Moines Public Schools' Harding Middle School students.
  • Iowa CareGivers: Collect updated data regarding employment experiences and well-being of the caregiver workforce to identify an advocacy strategy for workforce improvements.
  • Project IOWA: Evaluate the effectiveness of the Rooted Model navigation strategy to address the social drivers of health in the food pantry population.
  • Iowa Black Doula Collective: Improve maternal care by training and mentoring 15 doulas to reduce maternal health disparities among health disparate populations.

Informing Community Solutions

  • Des Moines Area Regional Transit Authority: Support expert analysis and increased community engagement strategy to inform the Reimagine DART initiative.
  • Iowa ACEs 360: Expand previous Iowa ACEs reports and demonstrate the overall impact of trauma on children and families' health and well-being.

Community Development

  • Iowa Public Health Association: Increase awareness in underresourced communities of the civic process and the connection between civic engagement and health outcomes.
  • Community Youth Concepts: Promote youth leadership and engagement through uVoice, a youth philanthropy board focused on community health issues impacting central Iowa youth.

Cultivates Engagement

The Foundation collaborates with a wide range of stakeholders in its goal to address the social drivers of health.

Funded Collaborations

  • UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot provided education and awareness on basic needs through community conversations and publications, including hosting a storytelling panel of UpLift participants. Publications on topics such as public benefits and barriers to housing, developed alongside numerous community partners, proved to be impactful resources utilized throughout the state.
  • HealthConnect Fellowship: participated in a book club series focused on Matthew Desmond’s Poverty, By America and Evicted. Fellows discussed the historical and present nature of poverty in the nation as well as the efficacy of current and potential strategies to reduce the experience of poverty in central Iowa.
  • Community learning for innovation: included support of educational opportunities around areas of health and well-being. Opportunities included the Harkin Wellness Symposium, Orchard Place Trauma Informed Care Conference, the Public Health Conference of Iowa, the Iowa Maternal Health Symposium, and the My City My Health - Health Equity Conference.

Communications Highlights

  • Social Media engagement has increased as posts have been leveraged to strengthen community connections, share valuable information, and build Foundation awareness. This engagement has centered on sharing local opportunities, resources, and celebrating community.
  • MIHF News, a bimonthly e-newsletter, remains the organization’s strongest mode of communication, sharing community health stories and resources with community partners, leaders, and other stakeholders.

Foundation Highlights

  • The Mid-Iowa Health Foundation celebrated its 40th Anniversary with past and present community partners, leaders, and stakeholders. The Foundation’s 40-year commitment to supporting a thriving central Iowa continues through collaboration, strategic investment, and a solutions-focused approach to be data-driven and community-informed as it partners to address community health needs.
  • New staff joined Mid-Iowa Health Foundation in support of optimizing operations through an organizational restructure.
  • A new Strategic Framework directs the Foundation with the goal of Imagining More for the community and the organization. The Foundation is committed to three strategic priorities of systemic impact, optimized operations, and a sustainable foundation to further the mission of serving as a catalyst and partner to improve health outcomes among underresourced populations in central Iowa.

View Past Reports

202320222021

Join Us

Change begins with learning together. Sign up to receive stories, updates, and invitations to explore issues that impact community health in central Iowa.

Subscribe for Updates