Most Efficient Charities in Iowa
6 nonprofits ranked by Efficiency Score. 2 earn an A grade for excellent financial stewardship.
The 6 Iowa nonprofits in our dataset are ranked here by efficiency score. Top-of-list combines strong program-spending discipline, healthy reserves, and reasonable executive compensation.
Efficiency rankings do not necessarily favor large or small organizations — the rubric rewards organizations that allocate resources toward programs, run on stable funding, and pay executives in line with sector norms regardless of scale. Efficiency scores are recomputed each time we ingest new Form 990 filings; small movements year-to-year are normal as filing data updates.
| # | Organization | Category | Score | Grade |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Drake University Education | 82 | A | |
| 2 | Intermediaryed Education | 81 | A | |
| 3 | The Trustees Of Grinnell College Education | 68 | B | |
| 4 | State University Of Iowa Foundation Education | 63 | C | |
| 5 | Iowa State University Foundation Education | 63 | C | |
| 6 | Iowa Natural Heritage Foundation Environment & Animals | 63 | C |
See highest paid CEOs in Iowa or browse all Iowa nonprofits.
Frequently Asked Questions
The most efficient charities in Iowa are ranked above by our Efficiency Score. The top-ranked organization scores 82/100.
The Efficiency Score weighs four factors from IRS 990 data: program spending ratio (50%), revenue growth consistency (20%), fund reserves (20%), and CEO compensation relative to revenue (10%). Scores range from 0 to 100.