State Appropriation: $156,389
Founded in 2000, the Larned A. Waterman Iowa Nonprofit Resource Center (INRC) is a university-wide interdisciplinary center that strengthens Iowa’s nonprofit sector through engagement, education, and research. Services range from developing board and executive leadership capacity to strategic planning to clarifying local, state, and federal rules that regulate nonprofit and tax-exempt entities. Education includes creating and delivering presentations and workshops to professionals from across the state, as well as teaching a series of courses at the University of Iowa. Research involves quantitative and qualitative analyses of data that inform understanding of sector conditions and emerging trends. The activities of the INRC are made possible by a strong network of collaborators.
In FY 2026, the INRC served over 300 unique entities from 69 counties through more than 450 direct services focused on formation, tax-exempt recognition, leadership, governance, fundraising, and more. The INRC engaged dozens of organizations across the state in several in-depth projects, including strategic planning, capacity building, board development, executive leadership development, and succession planning. Our website, social media, and listserv connected thousands of nonprofit leaders with vital information and resources. Along with several partners, the INRC co-produced the 2025 Iowa Nonprofit Summit—the largest nonprofit leadership conference in Iowa. The INRC collaborated with over 30 nonprofit, private, and public partners to deliver programming to over 1,000 participants.
The proposed FY 2027 appropriation of $156,389 remains unchanged from FY 2022 through FY 2026 appropriation levels. This funding supports 1.38 FTEs.
- This funding fully supports our administrative services specialist. Our specialist manages client inquiries, maintains our client database, and distributes important informational resources directly to Iowa nonprofits. The specialist also supports the associate director and director on a multitude of projects—including assembling materials, compiling survey data, and reconciling accounts.
- A portion of this appropriation supports our associate director. The associate director provides information and guidance to hundreds of nonprofit board and executive leaders each year in areas including formation, governance, and compliance with state and federal requirements. The associate director also delivers presentations on nonprofit topics in boardrooms, classrooms, and conferences, and teaches two courses at the University of Iowa with a nonprofit nexus.
- A portion of this appropriation supports our director. The director is responsible for leading all aspects of the INRC. The director cultivates collaborations with dozens of partners each year to increase INRC impact in areas of nonprofit law and leadership. The director delivers bespoke services to nonprofit organizations focused on board development, executive development, strategic planning, succession planning, and more. The director teaches two nonprofit courses at the University of Iowa.
The INRC’s work strengthens nonprofit leadership across the state at a time when demands on the charitable and philanthropic sector continue to grow. Organizations from rural, suburban, and urban communities alike rely on the INRC for guidance, education, and capacity-building support. Through strong state and national partnerships, the INRC serves nonprofit staff, board members, and volunteers, as well as the professionals who serve the nonprofit sector such as accountants, attorneys, consultants, educators, financial advisors, and fundraisers.