Prairie Meadows & Polk County Board of Supervisors Charitable Giving Partnership Awards Grants

(Friday, September1, 2023 – Altoona, IA.) Prairie Meadows and the Polk County Board of Supervisors representatives will co-host a joint Community Impact Luncheon on Friday, September 1 at 11:30 a.m. at Prairie Meadows in The Meadows Events Center. The luncheon will recognize the partnership that Prairie Meadows and Polk County have had since 1989 and will celebrate the organizations who have received grant funding from Polk County and Prairie Meadows.

Prairie Meadows believes in the power of giving back. Through gaming taxes and charitable contributions, Prairie Meadows has helped transform the lives of thousands in Central Iowa communities. Since 1996, Prairie Meadows’ community betterment contributions have provided more than $2.1 billion to the state of Iowa.

Prairie Meadows and the Polk County Board of Supervisors have developed a public-private partnership to ensure revenue from Prairie Meadows lessens the burden of government. 

“Prairie Meadows and Polk County have been partners for 34 years and together uphold a long-term goal of promoting economic development, jobs and tourism for our community. Our work, in conjunction with that of many other public-private partnerships, is building a vibrant, dynamic Polk County. We have delivered over $2.1 billion in charitable giving and taxes to strengthen and expand opportunities, infrastructure and services offered to our community,” said Gary Palmer, President and CEO of Prairie Meadows.

Polk County Board of Supervisors Chair Tom Hockensmith said, “this partnership has helped the Polk County Board of Supervisors remain one of the most fiscally sound local governments in our state. This funding allows us to act quickly and fill funding gaps for substantial projects in our community as well as respond in times of disaster.” He added, “what I am most proud of, is the work that is accomplished by all of our local non-profit organizations who make a daily impact on our community.”

In 2023, $8 million was awarded to deserving organizations through Prairie Meadows’ Legacy Grant program, Community Betterment and Youth Sports & Recreational grants to help improve the lives of Iowans and $5 million to the Des Moines Airport renovation to enhance economic development and tourism. To learn more about grant recipients visit, https://www.prairiemeadows.com/about-us/grant program

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