History
The Iowa Council of Foundations (ICoF) was founded in 1998 by representatives from Iowa foundations and corporate giving programs, and has been staffed since 2006. The organization was established as a way to network those involved in grantmaking together to ultimately increase the effectiveness of philanthropy in Iowa.
The Iowa Community Foundation Initiative is a special initiative of the organization that has evolved into a statewide movement which has gained national attention. The Iowa Council of Foundations manages this initiative and has been named the Lead Philanthropic Entity for the State of Iowa each year since 2004.
In 2007, the ICoF assumed responsibility for the Youth Philanthropy Initiative. At that time the Initiative reached only four programs in Iowa; today the Initiative engages 24 youth philanthropy programs and continues to grow. The ICoF added its second staff member in 2010 with the addition of the Program Associate position.