Central Iowa's success begins with our health and well-being.
Too often, policies and systems create barriers for people to access what they need to live healthy lives and fully contribute in our communities. Social and economic conditions especially influence a family's well-being and can having lasting, multi-generational impacts.
By working collaboratively to rethink our systems and targeting our attention and resources to underinvested areas, we can create equitable opportunities for people to thrive.
Our Approach
Mid-Iowa Health Foundation cultivates stakeholder engagement to address the social determinants of health. We connect a community-informed and data-driven understanding of health with new approaches and decision-making opportunities. We value working alongside our grantees to respond to emerging needs, share key learnings, elevate their successes, and inform future investments.
How We WorkPowerful Stories
Central Iowans are leading long-lasting changes in our systems and communities to support lifelong health and well-being. We are proud to partner in this work.
Cultivating the Soil for Culturally Responsive Health Care
How DMU is transforming the way health sciences education is delivered
Zeroing in on Health Needs
How a needs assessment of Oakridge Neighborhood residents is informing ways to improve health and well-being
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Doula Care Becomes Essential Health Care
An Iowa Doula Project is expanding community-based health care to improve Black maternal health outcomes.
Improving Health through Community Advocacy
How AMOS engaged hundreds of advocates to push for a children's mental health crisis response system
Media's Role in Improving Health
How support to Iowa Public Radio is building awareness of factors that influence well-being
Latinx Project tells story of strength and opportunity
New report highlights central Iowa Latinos contributions and disparities and elevates Latinx leaders
Improving Health through Social Supports
MercyOne's community health worker model improves outcomes for families.
Re-Imagining How Iowa's Systems Work Together to Best Serve Families
The Vision Council has led conversations on how Iowa's families and children can be safe, secure, healthy, and well in our communities.
Champions for Change: A Collective Commitment to Children's Health
Outcomes from Mid-Iowa Health Foundation's HealthConnect Fellowship, October 2019-June 2021
Elevating the Latinx Community
How nonprofit leaders brought attention to the Latinx community and built new systems of support during the pandemic
Central Iowa Youth Drive Change for Better Health
uVoice high school students commit to learning about and addressing issues, including vaping and racial justice, in central Iowa.
The Dream Cube: Art for Social Impact
The Dream Cube, a monolithic structure constructed of pillows piled 8-feet high, popped up in downtown Des Moines late last fall. The provocative piece sparked conversations about the potential of our youth—if they have a safe place to dream.
How Youth Are Driving Community Efforts to End Homelessness
dsm Magazine features a unique collaboration that is engaging youth who’ve experienced homelessness in identifying new solutions to address this issue in central Iowa.
Protecting Those Who Protect Our Kids
Iowa ACEs 360 shares this story about how supervisors in the Polk County Dept. of Human Services’ Child Welfare Division are addressing trauma in their workforce.
A New Approach to Supporting Youth in Juvenile Detention
Teenagers in jumpsuits lying on yoga mats, their eyes closed, their bodies still. This is the image Megan Hoxhalli describes as remarkable for juvenile detention, a place where youth arrive shaken, dysregulated, and scared about their future.
Our Investments
We invest in ideas—and the people who drive them—to reimagine how our systems can surround children, youth, and families with nurturing relationships, safe and stable environments, and supportive communities.
Grant PrioritiesRecent Grants
HealthConnect Blog
Promoting the power of connections to inspire creative approaches for improving community health.
Meet the team leading UpLift – The Central Iowa Basic Income Pilot
HealthConnect Fellows: Engaging authentically in systems change
Health disparities for Black pregnant Iowans: What you should know
4 insights from researching housing instability in central Iowa
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A closer look at mental health in schools during the pandemic
