MID IOWA HEALTH FOUNDATION

What MID IOWA HEALTH FOUNDATION does

Mid-Iowa Health Foundation is a Des Moines-based private nonprofit philanthropic organization founded in 1984 that advances system-change solutions to improve community health outcomes for underresourced populations in central Iowa. Operating with 1-10 employees under a community-led model, the foundation convenes local partners, advocates, and community members while deploying grant funding, fellowship programs, and research-backed initiatives targeting the social, economic, and environmental drivers of health — including food insecurity, housing instability, poverty, childhood trauma, mental health, and youth homelessness.

The foundation's core offerings are not technology products but rather a portfolio of 14+ programs and initiatives. Major programs include the HealthConnect Fellowship (an advocacy fellowship engaging 18 fellows to advance system-change solutions for children's health), the UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot (providing $500 monthly payments over two years to 110 selected low-income individuals in Polk, Warren, and Dallas Counties), the MIHF Small Business Fellowship (in partnership with Iowa Public Health Association, targeting small business owners addressing social drivers of health), and initiatives such as Iowa ACEs 360, Healthy Homes Des Moines, Make It Okay, Nine2Thrive, The Latinx Project, and the Homeless Youth Demonstration Program. Distribution of value occurs through an Online Grant Management System (Grant Interface) for grant applications and through direct fellowship program deployment.

The foundation's business model is philanthropic grant-making: revenue is generated through donations, endowments, and partnerships with other funders, which are then awarded as grants to central Iowa organizations. There are no products sold or services priced; the foundation functions as a charitable intermediary. The foundation is governed by a board of directors and led by President & CEO Dr. Nalo Johnson, who succeeded Suzanne Mineck in October 2021. The foundation celebrated its 40th anniversary in December 2024, underscoring four decades of sustained community health investment in the region.

Name

MID IOWA HEALTH FOUNDATION

Legal name

Mid-Iowa Health Foundation

Website

https://midiowahealth.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1984

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Mid-Iowa Health Foundation is a Des Moines-based nonprofit, founded in 1984, that convenes partners and deploys grants and fellowships to advance system-change solutions improving health outcomes for underresourced populations in central Iowa.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Health Foundation

NAICS

Voluntary Health Organizations (813212)

SIC

Services-Misc Health & Allied Services, Nec (8090)

akta.pro primary industry

Health & Medical Research Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAL)

akta.pro secondary industries

Community Health, Prevention & Health Education (BPAGACAC), Health Equity & Social Determinants Program Funding (HLAJALAK)

Keywords

• Community health grants
• Philanthropic foundation
• Health equity advocacy
• Basic income pilot
• Social determinants health

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

Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales

Revenue model

1. Philanthropic Grant-Making: Mid-Iowa Health Foundation operates as a philanthropic organization that raises and deploys charitable funds to support community health initiatives. Revenue is generated through donations, endowments, and partnerships with other funders, which are then awarded as grants to central Iowa organizations addressing social drivers of health.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels2 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

Mid-Iowa Health Foundation is a private nonprofit foundation that invests in system-change solutions to advance health equity in central Iowa. It awards grants, runs leadership and small-business fellowships, operates the UpLift basic income pilot, and convenes partners to address the social drivers of health for underresourced communities.

Product overview

Mid-Iowa Health Foundation operates as a philanthropic organization focused on advancing system-change solutions to improve community health outcomes in central Iowa. The foundation does not offer a unified technology product but rather manages a portfolio of grant programs, fellowship initiatives, and community health programs. Key offerings include the HealthConnect Fellowship (an advocacy fellowship for health professionals), the UpLift Basic Income Pilot (providing $500 monthly payments to 110 low-income individuals), and the MIHF Small Business Fellowship. Additional programs address specific health issues including youth homelessness (Homeless Youth Demonstration Program, uVoice), mental health (Make It Okay, NAMI-DMU Partnership), childhood trauma (Iowa ACEs 360, Trauma-Informed Juvenile Detention), prenatal/maternal health (Nine2Thrive), housing (Healthy Homes Des Moines), and Latinx community health (The Latinx Project). The foundation also provides a Resource Library and HealthConnect Blog as educational platforms.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• HealthConnect Fellowship: An advocacy fellowship program that supports leaders in advancing system changes to improve children's health in central Iowa.
• UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot
• Small Business Fellowship

Products and services

• HealthConnect Fellowship A cohort-based leadership development fellowship for central Iowa nonprofit leaders working to address community health and social drivers of health, offered by Mid-Iowa Health Foundation.
• Small Business Fellowship A fellowship program supporting small business owners and leaders in central Iowa whose work advances community health and economic mobility goals.
• UpLift Basic Income Pilot A pilot program that provides direct cash transfers and wraparound support to selected underresourced individuals and families in central Iowa to test guaranteed basic income as a health-equity intervention.
• Iowa ACEs 360 A cross-sector collaborative initiative of Mid-Iowa Health Foundation that works with statewide partners to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) through prevention, early intervention, and community-level response.
• Community Health Grants Core competitive grantmaking program through which Mid-Iowa Health Foundation awards charitable funds to central Iowa nonprofit organizations advancing health equity and addressing social drivers of health.

Quantifiable outcome

• 110 individuals receive $500/month for two years through UpLift Basic Income Pilot
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Ten partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Iowa Public Health Association (IPHA)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 5 February 2026IPHA is a statewide leader in advocacy and civic engagement serving as the facilitation partner for the MIHF Small Business Fellowship. The partnership provides expertise in advocacy and civic engagement, offering Fellows resources including funding, capacity building, and networking opportunities to address social drivers of health.
• The Harkin Institute at Drake UniversitycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Harkin Institute houses the coordination team for UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot, including Lead Project Coordinator and Project Coordinator roles. The institute provides expertise in labor, employment, disability, wellness, and retirement security research.
• Center for Guaranteed Income ResearchminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerEstablished in 2020 at the University of Pennsylvania's School of Social Policy and Practice, the Center develops common knowledge on unconditional cash transfers. UpLift is the 32nd project the Center has been involved in developing.
• Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerDMARC is an interfaith organization with over 125 congregations working to address food insecurity. A HealthConnect Fellow from DMARC created a full-time advocacy role focused on policy changes to address root causes of poverty.
• Iowa ACEs 360coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCoalition providing research, tools, and network to address adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) in Iowa. Mid-Iowa Health Foundation supports this initiative through fellowship programs and advocacy for trauma-informed systems.
• Iowa Homeless Youth CentersminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerOrganization working to eliminate homelessness among children, youth, and young families in Central Iowa. Partner in youth homelessness initiatives including the Dream Cube art installation project.
• Bravo Greater Des MoinesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerLead investor and partner in the Dream Cube art installation project addressing youth homelessness. Provides arts and cultural funding for regional priorities.
• EveryStepminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerHealthcare and social services organization partnering on Nine2Thrive program providing community supports to expecting mothers and families referred by providers.
• Polk County Continuum of Care (Homeward)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFacilitates community response to homelessness through coordination of housing services and initiatives. Partner in youth homelessness demonstration program.
• Des Moines UniversityminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMedical education institution partnered with NAMI for mental health training, expanding culturally and socially responsive care education for medical students.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Maine Health Access Foundation: Maine-based health philanthropy providing grants to improve health and health care access — parallel state-level, mid-size grantmaking foundation with a similar systems-change lens.
• Northwest Health Foundation: Oregon-based health grantmaking foundation investing in equity, social determinants, and community leadership — directly comparable as a regional health-equity funder using fellowships and partner convening.
• Kansas Health Foundation: Statewide philanthropic foundation in Kansas focused on health for all Kansans through grantmaking, leadership development, and advocacy — directly comparable to MIHF's central Iowa footprint, health-equity framing, and grant-plus-fellowship model.
• Missouri Foundation for Health: Large regional health foundation serving Missouri communities with grantmaking, convening, and policy advocacy — closest analog to MIHF by mission, mid-size operational model, and portfolio of cross-cutting community health initiatives.
• Health Foundation of South Florida: South Florida philanthropy focused on community health, behavioral health, and systems change through grantmaking and partnerships — comparable regional scope and social-determinants focus.
• Colorado Health Foundation: Statewide grantmaking foundation investing in health equity, mental health, and community-driven solutions across Colorado — directly comparable systems-change orientation and portfolio breadth.
• Health Foundation for Western and Central New York: Regional health philanthropy serving western and central New York through grants, program-related investments, and capacity-building — closely mirrors MIHF's mid-size regional grantmaker + convening posture.

Regional players

• The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines: The Des Moines community foundation with overlapping donor pool, board overlap, and local grantmaking activities — directly comparable geography and partially overlapping focus areas.
• InHealth Foundation: Central Iowa-donor-advised and community health funding entity — geographically overlapping with MIHF's Des Moines footprint and addressing adjacent health and human services issues.

Broad incumbents

• Robert Wood Johnson Foundation: National health philanthropy that funds regional health-equity and social-determinants work — substantially larger scale than MIHF but the natural overarching peer by mission and systems-change framing.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights5 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/midiowahealth
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/mid-iowa-health

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles3 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about MID IOWA HEALTH FOUNDATION