Black Hawk County Gaming Association
Waterloo, IA · EIN 80-0103166. Reported 144 grants totalling $35.8M to 96 organizations across tax years 2020-2025, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For Black Hawk County Gaming Association, the IRS classifies it under community improvement rather than as a grantmaker (NTEE S31) -- it is an operating charity that also makes grants.
- How spread out its giving is. 96 distinct organizations, with 35% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 16% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 5 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 56% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% median for private foundations. It describes the organizations it already funds, not whether it would consider a new one.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $26,463. Half of what it reported fell between $19,474 and $100,000; the smallest was $7,000 and the largest $6,263,588. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
22 of those grants were non-cash -- goods, property or services worth $5,551,500 in total. In-kind giving is real support but it is not a cheque.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Waterloo Development Corporation | Waterloo, IA | $12.7M | 6 | 6 | 2025 |
| City of Waterloo - Waterloo Leisure Services | Waterloo, IA | $7,503,588 | 4 | 2 | 2021 |
| City of Cedar Falls | Cedar Falls | $2,574,800 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| Habitat for Humanity International Inc | Waterloo, IA | $2,072,626 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hawkeye Community College Foundation | Waterloo, IA | $1,500,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| University of Northern Iowa Foundation | Cedar Falls, IA | $1,301,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Northeast Iowa Food Bank Inc | Waterloo, IA | $1,069,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Peoples Community Health Clinic Inc | Waterloo, IA | $600,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Christian Community Development | Waterloo, IA | $536,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Waterloo Housing Trust Fund | Waterloo, IA | $448,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Black Hawk County Conservation Board | $400,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 | |
| Grout Museum Inc | Waterloo, IA | $384,600 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Elevate Housing Foundation | Lincolnwood, IL | $350,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cedar Valley Kids | Waterloo, IA | $300,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| City of Gilbertville | Gilbertville | $269,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| City of Waverly | $250,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 | |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley Inc | Waterloo, IA | $227,927 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| City of Evansdale | Evansdale | $197,278 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Family YMCA of Black Hawk County | Waterloo, IA | $170,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Exceptional Persons Inc | Waterloo, IA | $150,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Friends of the Waterloo Public Library | Waterloo, IA | $146,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| City of Hudson | Hudson, IA | $120,550 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Americans for Independent Living | Waterloo, IA | $115,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| 247 Blac | Waterloo, IA | $104,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Allen Memorial Hospital Corporation | Waterloo, IA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Central River Area Education Agency Foundation | Cedar Falls, IA | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| City of Janesville | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| City of Reinbeck | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| Friends of Ncc Charitable Trust | Waterloo, IA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Hospitality House of the Cedar Valley | Waterloo, IA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Sumner Daycare & Learning Center Inc | Sumner, IA | $75,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Youth Art Team | Waterloo, IA | $75,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Amani Community Services | Waterloo, IA | $74,352 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Cedar Valley Arboretum & Botanic Gardens | Waterloo, IA | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| City of Elk Run Heights | Elk Run Heights | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| One City United | Waterloo, IA | $59,000 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| North End Cultural Center Inc | Waterloo, IA | $58,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Butler County Conservation Board | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 | |
| Cedar Falls Housing Trust Fund | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | |
| City of Jesup | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| City of Sumner | Sumner, IA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Link Christian Development | Waterloo, IA | $50,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| City of Dunkerton | Dunkerton, IA | $45,251 | 2 | 1 | 2020 |
| City of Independence | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 | |
| The Salvation Army | Hoffman Estates, IL | $43,814 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Dysart Community Betterment Corporation | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 | |
| Job Foundation | Cedar Falls, IA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Lutheran Services in Iowa Inc | Des Moines, IA | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Try Pie | Waterloo, IA | $31,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Family and Childrens Council of Black Hawk County Inc | Hudson, IA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Operation Threshold Inc | Waterloo, IA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Back 2 Basics Inc | Waterloo, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| City of La Porte City | La Porte City, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| City of Winthrop | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | |
| Clarksville Food Pantry Inc | Clarksville, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Embracing Explorations | Waterloo, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Iowa Dental Foundation | Des Moines, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Iowa Healthiest State Initiative | Des Moines, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Vision to Learn | Los Angeles, CA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Waverly Public Library Foundation | Waverly, IA | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cedar Valley Youth Soccer Association | Waterloo, IA | $24,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Jesse Cosby Neighborhood Center Inc | Waterloo, IA | $22,500 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Buchanan County Conservation Board | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| City of New Hampton | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| City of Tama | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | |
| Ethinc Minorities of Burma Advocacy and Resource Center | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 | |
| Eye of the Needle | Waterloo, IA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Iowa Jag Inc | Des Moines, IA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Joyful Noise Daycare | Grundy Center, IA | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| North Star Community Services Inc | Waterloo, IA | $19,474 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cedar Valley Youth Sports Association | Waterloo, IA | $17,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| City of Fairbank | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | |
| Gr PTO | Reinbeck, IA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Independence Area Food Pantry | Independence, IA | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Tama County Iowa | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| Union Community School District | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | |
| City of Alta Vista | $14,700 | 1 | 1 | 2021 | |
| Cedar Valley Preschool and Child Care Center | Cedar Falls, IA | $14,250 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Waterloo Cedar Falls Symphony Orchestra Association | Cedar Falls, IA | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| City of New Hartford | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 | |
| Operation 11TH Hour | Independence, IA | $10,850 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Iowa Legal Aid | Des Moines, IA | $10,568 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Chickasaw Twp Fire Dist | Ionia, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| City of Fredericksburg | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | |
| City of Greene | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 | |
| Comprehensive Systems Inc | Charles City, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Friends of Cmh Sumner Community Memorial Hospital Foundation | Sumner, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Highland Neighborhood Association | Waterloo, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Plum Creek Art Council | Fredericksbrg, IA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cedar Valley Makers Inc | Waterloo, IA | $9,773 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Transformations By Austin Angels | Waterloo, IA | $9,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Project Flo Association | New Hampton, IA | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Waterloo Community Schools Foundation | Waterloo, IA | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Riverview Center Inc | Galena, IL | $7,350 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mlk New Jerusalem | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 | |
| Successlink Inc | Waterloo, IA | $7,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
34 of 96 (35%) received money in more than one year over the 6 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- City of Waterloo - Waterloo Leisure Services
TRANSFORMING GATES AND BYRNES PARKS - Waterloo Development Corporation
HARD COURT TOURNAMENT CENTER - City of Cedar Falls
CEDAR RIVER RECREATION PROJECT - Habitat for Humanity
WALNUT NEIGHBORHOOD REHABILITATION - University of Northern Iowa
ELEVATING THE FAN EXPERIENCE: UNI-DOME PHASE 2 - Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity
STRATEGIC GIVING INITIATIVE
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 59 of 96 recipients we could match to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's, not ours -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 23 | $3,778,806 | $25,000 |
| 2021 | 26 | $11.9M | $66,500 |
| 2022 | 29 | $2,766,564 | $34,000 |
| 2023 | 22 | $5,551,500 | $25,000 |
| 2024 | 19 | $6,107,950 | $20,000 |
| 2025 | 25 | $5,689,000 | $25,000 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
99% of its giving went to organizations in Iowa. Community foundations and federated funds are usually the most geographically bounded funders there are -- being outside the footprint is normally disqualifying in a way that a weak programme fit is not.
Down to the city
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $26,463 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in Iowa.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Black Hawk County Gaming Association's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 6 returns (tax years 2020-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Recipient classifications, the concentration and retention figures and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations from them, described in how we build this.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 25 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 0 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 114 E 4TH Street 300, Waterloo, IA, 50703.
EIN 80-0103166 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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