The Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines has awarded $500,000 in Leadership Grants to support initiatives that help students prepare for college and careers and assist families with housing during financial emergencies.

Two grants were awarded to the By Degrees Foundation for the expansion of its K-12 feeder pattern model and to the Central Iowa Emergency Rental Assistance Study, which is being convened by the Mid-Iowa Health Foundation.

“As families navigate rising housing costs and students prepare for an evolving workforce, these grants represent investments in the long-term health and resilience of our community,” Kristi Knous, president of the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines, said in a prepared statement. “They strengthen pathways for the next generation and help individuals and families maintain stable housing.”

The By Degrees Foundation’s $250,000 grant will expand the organization’s whole-school K-12 feeder pattern model in north Des Moines. The program prioritizes long-term student success by pairing educational programming with financial investments to close opportunity gaps and promote generational wealth-building.

The initiative will introduce its programming at new elementary schools and triple elementary student participation to 1,100 annually. It also includes caregiver engagement efforts such as financial literacy family nights, whole-school events and other supports that meet immediate family needs.

“Funding from the Community Foundation strengthens our community by helping students and families build more stable financial futures through education,” Emily Westergaard, CEO of By Degrees Foundation, said in a prepared statement. “By expanding By Degrees’ K-12 school partnerships, we are making postsecondary and career exploration, along with early financial investment, a deliberate part of each student’s journey from kindergarten through graduation.”

The $250,000 grant to Mid-Iowa Health Foundation will support the Central Iowa Emergency Rental Assistance Study, which is expected to activate about $1.7 million in emergency rental assistance over the next two years for people and families experiencing a housing crisis in Polk, Dallas or Warren counties, leveraging an existing provider network.

The study will generate evidence that could help guide municipalities and nonprofits in optimizing the delivery and effectiveness of emergency rental assistance. The goal of the project is to provide policy guidelines and practical program modifications that could be used in Greater Des Moines for years to come.

“As evidenced through the 2025 Blueprint to Address Homelessness, our community has identified the need for better solutions to prevent homelessness,” Nalo Johnson, president and CEO of Mid-Iowa Health Foundation, said in a prepared statement. “The Central Iowa Emergency Rental Assistance Study is an opportunity to improve our current systems by investing in research to provide recommendations to design, augment and implement emergency rental assistance programs to more effectively keep community members experiencing a crisis stably housed.”

The Community Foundation spring Leadership Grant cycle will be announced in February. To learn more about the Leadership Grant, visit desmoinesfoundation.org.