Principal Foundation

What Principal Foundation does

Principal Foundation (legal name: Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc.) is a 501(c)(3) charitable foundation established in 1989 and headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. It is the philanthropic arm of Principal Financial Group, Inc. (NYSE: PFG), from which it receives its funding, and operates as a distinct, independent nonprofit entity. The foundation's mission is to remove barriers and enable people and communities to build financially secure futures, organized around three strategic pillars: ensuring access to essential needs (housing, food, disaster recovery), fostering social and cultural connections (arts and creative sectors), and promoting financial inclusion (financial education, services, and resources). It claims a global footprint spanning U.S. and international markets, supporting 140+ charitable organizations in 2023 and having invested $30M+ over two years to impact more than 8 million people.

The foundation's core "product" is grant capital, distributed through a structured grant application process to nonprofit organizations and charitable causes aligned with its mission pillars. Notable recent grants include a $500,000 award to National Geographic Society (November 2025) for a Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C., $205,000 in inaugural Principal Financial Network Community Service Awards (December 2025) routed through the parent company's financial advisor network, and participation in an Everfi-led $1.5M multi-partner scholarship initiative alongside CalKIDS, OneMain Financial, and Edward Jones (February 2026). The foundation does not offer technology products, platforms, or APIs; its operational scope is charitable capital deployment rather than software or services delivery, and it explicitly does not practice or hold authorization for investment advisory services.

The business model is a corporate foundation grantmaking model with no commercial revenue streams, no products or services for sale, and no pricing mechanics. All inflows come from Principal Financial Group, Inc., and outflows are grants-in-aid to selected nonprofit grantees. Customer segments are twofold: downstream beneficiaries (individuals and families facing financial insecurity, particularly in essential needs, arts/culture, and financial inclusion verticals) and upstream grantees (140+ nonprofit organizations across the U.S. and globally). Distribution is conducted through direct grant applications and a growing advisor-channel mechanism via the Principal Financial Network, with marketing conducted through the foundation's website and earned media via PR Newswire.

Name

Principal Foundation

Legal name

Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc.

Website

https://principalfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1989

Operating status

Operating

Short description

Principal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit established in 1989 and funded by Principal Financial Group, Inc. It distributes grants to 140+ nonprofits across three pillars — essential needs, arts/culture, and financial inclusion — serving individuals and families worldwide.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropic Foundation

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking and Giving Services (8132)

akta.pro primary industry

Corporate Foundations & CSR Grantmaking (BPAGAKAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

Private Foundations (BPAGAKAA), Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Philanthropic grantmaking
• Nonprofit foundation
• Community grants program
• Financial inclusion funding
• Disaster recovery grants

Headquarters

HQ city

Des Moines

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grant Making: Principal Foundation receives funding from Principal Financial Group, Inc. and distributes grants to charitable organizations that align with its mission to build financial security in communities. The foundation operates as a 501(c)(3) entity and does not generate revenue from products or services.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels1 record

Marketing channels2 records

Core offering

Principal Foundation is a 501(c)(3) charitable organization that awards grants to nonprofit organizations working to build financial security in communities worldwide. It distributes funds across three strategic pillars: essential needs (housing, food, disaster recovery), social and cultural connections (arts and creative sectors), and financial inclusion (financial education and resources). The foundation receives its funding from Principal Financial Group, Inc. and operates as a distinct, independent entity.

Product overview

Principal Foundation is a charitable 501(c)(3) organization focused on grantmaking to support financial security. The foundation provides grants to nonprofit organizations across three focus areas: ensuring access to essential needs (housing, food, disaster recovery), fostering social and cultural connections (arts and creative sectors), and promoting financial inclusion (financial education and services). The foundation does not offer technology products or platforms but rather distributes charitable funds to grantee organizations.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Quantifiable outcome

• 140+ charitable organizations supported in 2023
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered major and core.

• EverfimajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Principal Foundation joined Everfi's multi-partner scholarship initiative totaling more than $1.5 million. The program provides financial support tied to financial and life skills education for students pursuing postsecondary education. Principal Foundation contributed to this initiative alongside CalKIDS, OneMain Financial, and Edward Jones to address declining college enrollment and rising tuition costs.
• CalKIDSmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026CalKIDS participated as a partner in Everfi's $1.5 million scholarship initiative with Principal Foundation and other organizations, focusing on providing financial support tied to financial and life skills education for students.
• OneMain FinancialmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026OneMain Financial joined Everfi's multi-partner scholarship initiative alongside Principal Foundation, contributing to financial support for students pursuing postsecondary education with financial and life skills education components.
• Edward JonesmajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 9 February 2026Edward Jones participated as a partner in Everfi's $1.5 million scholarship initiative with Principal Foundation and other organizations to support students with financial education tied to scholarships.
• Principal Financial NetworkcoreGTM or Marketing Partner · 9 December 2025Principal Foundation launched the inaugural Principal Financial Network Community Service Awards, granting $205,000 to nonprofit organizations across the United States. The awards recognize financial professionals' community service, with recipients honored at three levels: Pillar, Builder, and Shaper.
• National Geographic SocietymajorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 12 November 2025Principal Foundation awarded a $500,000 grant to National Geographic Society to support the transformation of its headquarters and the opening of a new Museum of Exploration in Washington, D.C. The project aims to inspire curiosity and deepen public connection to exploration and knowledge, with focus on community engagement and immersive experiences.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves3 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Market position

Competitive moat3 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments2 records

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Principal Foundation