Ways to Contribute

Ways to Contribute

Every dollar ICF raises goes directly to our 23 member colleges and universities and their students.

Since 1952, the Iowa College Foundation (ICF) has helped independent colleges and universities in Iowa ensure that access to private higher education is an affordable option for students from all backgrounds. ICF welcomes unrestricted gifts as well as those earmarked for scholarships.

Unrestricted Gifts

Gifts to ICF’s unrestricted Annual Fund are the most important kind of investment. As unrestricted support, this is also the most difficult type of funding for campuses to raise, yet it is absolutely essential. Donors who make unrestricted gifts to this fund understand the importance of providing operating support to our member colleges and universities. These dollars help pay for lab equipment, computers, utilities, aid in attracting and retaining world-class faculty, and are a component of need-based financial assistance to students.

Scholarship Gifts

Our Let’s Keep Iowa Students in Iowa challenge program is in place to help leverage your support and provide additional tuition assistance for students. This fund matches dollar-for-dollar all new, increased and reinstated gifts of $250 or more. The funds gathered through this initiative ensure that the benefits of a liberal arts education are available to all of Iowa’s students by awarding scholarships based solely on financial need. More than 70% of Iowa’s independent college graduates continue to live and work in Iowa following graduation, so this program is a significant investment in Iowa’s future workforce.

Restricted Scholarship Gifts

These gifts are donor directed to meet a variety of needs such as support for students in a specific academic discipline; students who maintain a certain grade point; students from a particular geographic region; students from low income families; first generation students; or, any criteria that serve a corporation's, foundation's, or individual's philanthropic goal(s).

Named Scholarship Gifts

These scholarship funds are created for a variety of reasons such as the desire to recognize a company or honor an individual and offer many opportunities to customize the way in which that particular scholarship is administered.

The criteria for these scholarships may also be customized in a variety of ways such as for students in a specific major or from a specific region. They may also be directed toward specific school(s) and may be based on need, merit or both.

To make a gift

You may indicate your desire to donate to ICF by conveniently clicking on the "Donate to ICF" button: 

Donate to ICF

ICF is a 501(c)(3) non-profit foundation supporting private colleges and universities in Iowa. Your gift to ICF is tax deductible. Our fiscal year ends June 30.

ICF Accepts:

• Pledges
• Checks
• Corporate Matching Funds – If your company matches employee contributions, please include your match form and ICF will be happy to process that document for you.
• Memorial Tributes
• Planned Giving/Bequests – You may make ICF the beneficiary of a will, insurance policy or trust. Consult your attorney or estate planning professional about the tax advantages of planned giving. Please contact our office if you have questions or would like to discuss these options.
• Gifts of stock – May help you avoid tax on capital gains and receive a deduction for the market value of your stock gift. Please let us know if you have an interest in making a gift of stock and we will provide you the necessary information to do so.