Community Foundation Resources: County Endowment Fund Program

Annual County Endowment Fund Reporting (typically began in June and due Mid-August): This included a detailed grant listing of each CEFP grant from each of the 84 participating counties, their current assets and fund total, and a detail of their affiliate advisory committee members + contact information. ICoF had always made this, as well as a master version of all of these grants, available to IEDA, and published more broadly in the Building Iowa Communities Annual Report in partnership with the Iowa Gaming Association.

Answer from IEDA:
IEDA does not administer the County Endowment program. IAC 15E.311 (County Endowment Fund) does not include specific reporting requirements. The Council and/ or Foundations should consult with legal counsel on this matter as IEDA is not in the position to make a legal determination on this.

Update from ICoF:
The annual CEFP reporting we have done for the past several years was a requirement of the Lead Philanthropy Entity Contract itself. Based on the information we have received from IEDA and IDR, we do not believe this level of reporting will be required this year. September 2025 update: A legal opinion we obtained on this matter confirms there is no reporting requirement.

However, we are working on some alternative data collection and communication strategies to help you all share about the CEFP impact in your region. Look for that request to come in January. A preview of information we hope to continue collecting has been distributed to CF CEOs.

Inquiry to Iowa Department of Revenue:
IEDA communicated with ICoF that the CEFP is not administered by their office. Is it correct that the Iowa Department of Revenue is the administrator, as you annually coordinate the disbursement of CEFP funds to the 84 participating community foundations? If so, can we direct community foundations to this email address should they have any questions about CEFP moving forward?

Historically, we have confirmed the community foundations that are accredited through the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations, a requirement to participate in the CEFP, and confirmed this with your office before distribution. As we no longer hold the contract, should we put you in touch with our contact at Standards to confirm this moving forward?

Answer from Iowa Department of Revenue:
The Department of Revenue (IDR) has been responsible for payments to foundations/affiliates from the county endowment fund under Iowa Code 15E.311. SF657 did not change this and we will continue to be responsible for these payments. Our involvement with the program is limited to just the payments. If anyone has questions about the payments, please contact IDR-LocalGov@iowa.gov.

You asked about who now determines eligible recipients for this program. An “eligible county recipient” is defined as “an endow Iowa qualified community foundation or community affiliate organization, as defined in section 15E.303. . . .” Id. § 15E.311(4)(c). An endow Iowa qualified community foundation is defined in section 15E.303 as “a community foundation organized or operating in this state that attains the national standards established by the national council on foundations as determined by the authority [IEDA] in collaboration with the Iowa council of foundations.” These definitions did not change as a result of SF657, so SF657 did not make IDR responsible for making this determination.

Anticipate payments by end of August moving forward.

Iowa Department of Revenue will continue to handle payments under Iowa Code 15E.311. If anyone has questions about the payments, please contact IDR-LocalGov@iowa.gov.

Banking changes should be submitted to the Iowa Department of Administrative Services two months in advance.

• 515-281-6624
• EFT Authorization Form