HOME, Inc. Receives $150,000 Grant from Principal® Foundation

Des Moines, IA – (June 12, 2025) – HOME, Inc. announced today that it has received a $150,000 grant from Principal^® Foundation, a global nonprofit organization committed to helping people and communities build financially secure futures. The contributions will support their Property Development Program for 2 years.

HOME, Inc. is the oldest nonprofit housing organization in Des Moines with the mission to empower their neighbors by helping them overcome the barriers to obtaining and maintaining safe, stable, affordable housing. They do this through education, housing counseling, neighborhood revitalization, and affordable housing development.

“Safe, stable housing is foundational to financial security. That’s why Principal Foundation is proud to support HOME, Inc.’s work to expand access to affordable housing in Des Moines,” said Jo Christine Miles, director of Principal Foundation and Community Relations. “Their efforts go beyond building homes—they help break down barriers to affordable housing, strengthen neighborhoods, and create lasting opportunities for Des Moines residents to build financially secure futures for themselves and future generations.”

This grant and invaluable support from Principal Foundation has been instrumental for HOME, Inc., enabling them to hire a Property Development Coordinator and significantly expanded their property development program, allowing them to build more homes than ever before. This year, HOME, Inc. is excited to announce that they have 12 homes slated for construction – a remarkable achievement that would not have been possible without the support of Principal Foundation. Their investment in HOME, Inc.’s mission has not only strengthened the team, but has also made a profound impact on the community by increasing the availability of affordable housing.

“With the assistance of this grant we hired our new Property Development Coordinator, Kelsey Leahy, last Fall. To say that this was a much-needed position is a massive understatement. Each of the homes that we build, while acting as the general contractor and the developer for, is funded by federal funds that require an extensive amount of compliance paperwork. With 20 plus different contractors per house and 12 houses under construction, Kelsey has been an extremely valuable asset in keeping projects on track, under compliance, and impressively organized. Without Principal Foundation’s grant and consequently without our new Property Development Coordinator, there is no way our small staff would be able to impact the lives of 12 families this year. In short, we are deeply grateful for Principal Foundation’s support and for Kelsey.”  — Clint Webster, Director of Property Development

Principal Foundation supports a diverse community of 85 charitable organizations across the globe as of August 1, 2024. Through its grantmaking, Principal Foundation ensures access to essential needs, fosters social and cultural connections, and promotes financial inclusion. 

To learn more about what HOME, Inc. is doing in the community and the resources that are available to you, visit https://www.homeincdsm.org.

For more information about Principal Foundation, visit https://www.principalfoundation.org.