Federal grants in Iowa
Federal agencies awarded $52 billion in grants to recipients in Iowa from fiscal 2021 to 2025. The largest program was Grants to States for Medicaid, with $27 billion.
- Iowa ranks 34th of the 50 states and DC for federal grant awards over five years.
- Federal grant money to recipients in Iowa rose from $11 billion in fiscal 2021 to $12 billion in fiscal 2025.
- State and local governments received the largest share, 89%.
- Grants to States for Medicaid alone accounted for 53%.
Grants in Iowa by type of organization
- Grants for state and local governments in Iowa
- Grants for colleges and universities in Iowa
- Grants for nonprofits in Iowa
- Grants for businesses in Iowa
- Grants for small businesses in Iowa
- Grants for tribes in Iowa
- Grants for individuals in Iowa
Private foundations based in Iowa: 966 foundations, with who accepts applications.
Project grants won in Iowa
Most federal grant money is formula and block grants that go to the state by law: $37 billion in Iowa, 72% of the total. Programs that pay project grants and cooperative agreements, which organizations apply for, brought $6.4 billion to recipients in Iowa. These are the largest:
Largest federal grant programs in Iowa
Largest grant recipients in Iowa
| Recipient | Type | Awards | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| IA Department of Human Services | State and local governments | 251 | $31 billion |
| Iowa Department of Transportation | State and local governments | 2,471 | $4.3 billion |
| Department of Education Iowa | State and local governments | 159 | $4.2 billion |
| The University of Iowa | Colleges and universities | 1,325 | $1.3 billion |
| Iowa Department of Public Health | State and local governments | 195 | $1.1 billion |
| Iowa Department of Natural Resources | State and local governments | 333 | $843 million |
| Iowa Homeland Security and Emergency Management Department | State and local governments | 71 | $833 million |
| Iowa State University of Science and Technology | Colleges and universities | 1,117 | $825 million |
| Iowa Department Management | State and local governments | 6 | $627 million |
| Economic Development Authority Iowa | State and local governments | 32 | $592 million |
| Department of Human Rights Iowa | State and local governments | 24 | $509 million |
| Workforce Development Center | State and local governments | 110 | $454 million |
| Iowa Department of Public Defense | State and local governments | 81 | $289 million |
| Des Moines Airport Authority | State and local governments | 31 | $180 million |
| Iowa State of Iowa Veterans Home | State and local governments | 7 | $124 million |
| Iowa Finance Authority | Other | 25 | $121 million |
| Dept of Pub Safety | State and local governments | 118 | $103 million |
| Iowa Soybean Association | Nonprofits | 6 | $99.6 million |
| The Krell Institute Inc | Other | 9 | $94.3 million |
| Iowa Department on Aging | State and local governments | 57 | $92.9 million |
Browse all 492 federal grant recipients in Iowa
Where the work happens
The totals above count grants by where the recipient is based. Counted by place of performance, where the funded work happens, grants in Iowa came to $51 billion. Grants for statewide or multi-county work count in no county, so county totals add up to less.
| County | Awards | Grants |
|---|---|---|
| Polk County | 1,460 | $6.4 billion |
| Johnson County | 1,396 | $1.5 billion |
| Story County | 1,211 | $968 million |
| Pottawattamie County | 214 | $481 million |
| Scott County | 257 | $431 million |
| Linn County | 314 | $416 million |
| Woodbury County | 284 | $342 million |
| Black Hawk County | 217 | $261 million |
| Dubuque County | 262 | $229 million |
| Des Moines County | 102 | $168 million |
| Marshall County | 84 | $168 million |
| Dallas County | 120 | $144 million |
| Benton County | 162 | $114 million |
| Webster County | 132 | $109 million |
| Wapello County | 130 | $106 million |