The Bright Foundation | Foundation Profile

GrantBay analyzes IRS Form 990-PF data to help grant seekers find fit funders like The Bright Foundation. Data shown is extracted from Form 990-PF filings.

EIN: 42-6073848

Foundation Overview

Based in Des Moines, IA, The Bright Foundation has awarded 68 grants totaling $23,291,908 to organizations in Iowa. Individual grants range from $600 to $952,587, with a median award of $233,867.5.

Latest Tax Year
2024
Total Giving (all years)
$23,291,908
Total Assets
$56,466,924
Median Grant (all grants)
$233,867.5

Latest Form 990-PF Snapshot

Total Grants
3
Median Grant
$803,406
% Median Grant Growth
+9% (vs previous year)
Data extracted from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Last filing year: February 2026

Foundation Intelligence

Advanced analytics and strategic insights to help nonprofit organizations assess grant opportunities and optimize their application strategies

New Applicant Friendliness
Limited Sample: 0%

3 total grants. Insufficient data for reliable pattern analysis. Foundation may be highly selective or recently established.

Geographic Focus
Iowa

100% of all grants are concentrated in Iowa, demonstrating highly focused geographic giving. This foundation prioritizes deep community impact in its primary service area. Within Iowa, funding concentrates in Des Moines (25%), Ames (16%), Iowa City (16%).

Funding Trajectory
+29%

Moderate 29% growth trend over 8 years suggests stable and gradually increasing funding capacity. This positive trajectory indicates reliable grant-making resources and sustainable philanthropic commitment.

Program Areas
Education + General Purposes

Dual focus on education (83%) and general purposes, indicating strategic concentration in complementary program areas.

Where is The Money Going?

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Grants & Funding

Analyzing past grantees provides valuable insights into The Bright Foundation's funding preferences, organizational priorities, and grant making patterns. This historical data helps potential applicants understand the foundation's strategic focus and identify successful funding approaches.

Name Amount Location Purpose Year
Iowa State University Foundation $904,396 Ames, IA, US Scholarships 2024
University Of Iowa Center For Advancement $803,406 Iowa City, IA, US Scholarships 2024
University Of Northern Iowa Foundation $494,686 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2024
Des Moines Area Community College $20,568 Ankeny, IA, US Scholarships 2023
Iowa State University Foundation $952,587 Ames, IA, US Scholarships 2023
University Of Iowa Center For Advancement $860,526 Iowa City, IA, US Scholarships 2023
University Of Northern Iowa Foundation $615,814 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2023
Des Moines Area Community College $20,568 Ankeny, IA, US Scholarships 2023
Iowa State University Foundation $952,587 Ames, IA, US Scholarships 2023
University Of Iowa Center For Advancement $860,526 Iowa City, IA, US Scholarships 2023
University Of Northern Iowa Foundation $615,814 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2023
Des Moines Area Community College $33,057 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Indian Hills Foundation $9,607 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Iowa State University Foundation $871,302 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2022
Southwestern Community College $35,986 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2022
University Of Iowa Center For Advancement $732,931 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2022
University Of Northern Iowa Foundation $553,680 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Des Moines Area Community College $33,057 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Indian Hills Foundation $9,607 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Iowa State University Foundation $871,302 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2022
Southwestern Community College $35,986 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2022
University Of Iowa Center For Advancement $732,931 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2022
University Of Northern Iowa Foundation $553,680 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Des Moines Area Community College $33,057 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Indian Hills Foundation $9,607 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Iowa State University Foundation $871,302 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2022
Southwestern Community College $35,986 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2022
University Of Iowa Center For Advancement $732,931 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2022
University Of Northern Iowa Foundation $553,680 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2022
Des Moines Area Community College $14,297 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2021
Indian Hills Foundation $221,331 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2021
Iowa State University $674,313 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2021
Southwestern Community College $246,404 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2021
University Of Iowa $540,944 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2021
University Of Northern Iowa $376,634 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2021
Artforce Iowa $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2020
Des Moines Area Community College $10,345 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2020
Des Moines Public Schools $15,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2020
Indian Hills Foundation $2,876 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2020
Iowa State University $704,376 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2020
Latinas Latinos Al Exito Inc $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2020
Pi515 (pursuit Of Innovation) $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2020
Rundsm Scholarship Fund $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2020
Southwestern Community College $7,868 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2020
University Of Iowa $632,322 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2020
University Of Northern Iowa $347,377 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2020
Des Moines Area Community College $16,858 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2018
Des Moines Public Library $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2018
Indian Hills Foundation $67,774 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2018
Iowa State University $702,793 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2018
Southwestern Community College $59,727 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2018
University Of Iowa $787,056 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2018
University Of Northern Iowa $377,960 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2018
Des Moines Area Community College $3,552 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2017
Des Moines Public Library $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2017
Des Moines Public Schools $600 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2017
Indian Hills Foundation $75,529 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2017
Iowa State University $784,625 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2017
Southwestern Community College $59,826 Creston, IA, US Scholarships 2017
University Of Iowa $581,894 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2017
University Of Northern Iowa $398,657 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2017
Des Moines Area Community College $8,510 Des Moines, IA, US Scholarships 2016
Des Moines Public Library $10,000 Des Moines, IA, US General Fund 2016
Indian Hills Foundation $87,678 Ottumwa, IA, US Scholarships 2016
Iowa State University $752,200 Ames, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2016
Southwestern Community College $23,928 Creston, IA, US General Fund 2016
University Of Iowa $439,705 Iowa City, IA, US General Fund/scholarships 2016
University Of Northern Iowa $387,782 Cedar Falls, IA, US Scholarships 2016

Foundations Similar to The Bright Foundation

Discover 5 foundations with comparable assets ($33,298,038-$69,165,825), similar grant patterns, and geographic focus in IA that may also align with your organization's funding needs and grant seeking strategy.

Foundation Name Total Assets Typical Grant Size Service Area Similarity Match

EIN: 42-1356715 | 13 grants awarded
$58,411,168
(≈ Similar)
$250,000
median grant
Urbandale, IA
Same state
100%
Excellent match

EIN: 51-0192624 | 58 grants awarded
$69,165,825
(↑ Larger)
$250,000
median grant
Des Moines, IA
Same state
91%
Excellent match

EIN: 83-6549400 | 8 grants awarded
$38,717,404
(↓ Smaller)
$120,333
median grant
Cedar Rapids, IA
Same state
86%
Excellent match

EIN: 42-1410022 | 49 grants awarded
$34,913,802
(↓ Smaller)
$240,159
median grant
Mount Vernon, IA
Same state
83%
Excellent match

EIN: 42-6315781 | 22 grants awarded
$33,298,038
(↓ Smaller)
$277,561.5
median grant
West Des Moines, IA
Same state
81%
Excellent match

Contact Information

Official contact details for The Bright Foundation as registered with the IRS. These details are essential for grant applications, correspondence, and due diligence processes.

EIN 42-6073848
Website http://www.brightiowa.org
Address 2961 100TH ST STE 2 Urbandale, IA 50322-5505

Key People (9)

Board members, trustees, and key staff who oversee The Bright Foundation's grant making decisions and strategic direction. Understanding leadership composition can provide insights into foundation priorities and potential networking opportunities.

President Meredith Dohmen
Chairman & Managing Director Thomas E Press
Vice Chair & Director Jerry Deegan
Director Kelly L Nieman
Secretary & Director Stacy Wanderscheid

Forms 990-PF

IRS Form 990-PF filings provide comprehensive financial information, grant details, and operational data. These documents are essential resources for understanding foundation capacity, giving patterns, and strategic priorities.

Form 990-PF Research Tips
  • Review Part XV for detailed grant recipient information and funding purposes
  • Check Part I for total assets, annual giving amounts, and payout requirements
  • Examine Part VIII for key personnel compensation and board structure
  • Look for trends across multiple years to understand giving patterns

About This Foundation Profile

This comprehensive foundation profile for The Bright Foundation is powered by Grant Bay's advanced foundation research platform. Our system analyzes IRS Form 990-PF filings, grant histories, and philanthropic patterns to provide nonprofit organizations with actionable intelligence for grant seeking success.

Data Sources & Accuracy

All information is derived from official IRS filings and public records. Grant Bay processes thousands of Form 990-PF documents to extract grant details, financial data, and organizational information. Data accuracy depends on foundation reporting quality and IRS filing completeness.

Research Applications

Use this profile for prospect research, grant strategy development, application preparation, and relationship building. Combine this data with additional research on foundation priorities, application processes, and board member backgrounds for comprehensive grant seeking strategies.

Data Currency: Last updated February 2026 based on IRS Form 990-PF filings. Foundation information reflects most recent available tax year data.