Aerial photo overlooking southwest Iowa

Iowa West Foundation

Communities where families love to live and businesses thrive

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From murals to main streets, fire stations to childcare centers—rural communities across Pottawattamie County are thriving thanks to local partnerships and the support of the Iowa West Foundation. This video celebrates the people, places, and projects shaping the future of small-town Iowa. Hear directly from residents, business owners, and local leaders as they share what makes their towns strong—and how strategic investments are helping them grow even stronger.

In Partnership with the Iowa West Racing Association (IWRA)

The Iowa West Racing Association (IWRA) was created when the state of Iowa passed laws requiring gaming licenses to be either held or sponsored by nonprofit organizations. The IWRA is the nonprofit license holder for Horseshoe Casino (formerly Bluffs Run) and the license sponsor Ameristar and Harrah’s casinos. The latter two operators pay license fees to the IWRA. In addition, two transactions in 1999 and 2004 involving Bluffs Run allowed the IWRA to make significant contributions to the Iowa West Foundation for charitable grantmaking. The sole recipient of funds from the Iowa West Racing Association (IWRA) is the Iowa West Foundation, which is an independent private foundation that further distributes the funds in the form of grants and initiatives.

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