The Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation Health Care Careers Scholarship Program began in 2005. IHERF is a subsidiary of the Iowa Hospital Association and a charitable nonprofit organization exempt from federal income tax under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code.

IHERF’s primary function is to oversee the Health Careers Scholarship Fund Program. This program’s goal is to fill health care positions with a substantial number of openings statewide and recruit students with the opportunity to obtain significant scholarship funding to help cover the cost of their health care education.

Scholarships of up to $7,000 ($3,000 per year for a maximum of two years) each have supported higher education for more than 800 Iowa college students.

Since 2020, the IHERF Disaster Relief Fund has contributed to hospital employees affected by natural disasters. Hospitals are asked to report the number of employees displaced from their homes because of a natural disaster. IHERF approves the funds, and the hospitals determine the distribution of funds to affected employees.

The IHERF Disaster Relief Fund has contributed:

$120,000 ($1,000 to each hospital’s employee assistance fund) during the COVID-19 pandemic
$156,500 for natural disaster relief
$100,000 divided among eight regional Iowa food banks to address food insecurity because of the COVID-19 pandemic
$75,000 to Iowa hospitals and $16,500 to Iowa hospital employees for relief from the 2020 derecho
$50,000 to Iowa hospital employees for tornado relief
$15,000 to Iowa hospital employees for flood relief

IHERF Disaster Relief Fund Form

Guidelines for members seeking hospital employee disaster relief funds:

A disaster must be weather-related.
Affected hospital employees must be displaced from their homes, either temporarily or permanently.
The member hospital’s (Institutional Type 1, dues-paying) request must be submitted on the IHERF Disaster Relief Fund Form and signed by the member hospital administrator.
IHERF funds will be distributed to the member hospital, which will then distribute them to the employee(s). If two or more hospital employees are affected, the member hospital will determine how the funds are disbursed.
IHERF does not request or maintain records of the names of the member hospital employees affected.

Contribute to IHERF

Contribute

Are you interested in supporting health care in Iowa? The IHERF Health Care Careers Scholarship Program helps ensure a consistent and strong workforce for Iowa hospitals while providing career advancement opportunities for students. Contact us and learn how you can help.

Contribute to IHERF

Register

Participate in events, such as our popular Swinging for Scholars golf outing. This is the primary fundraiser for the scholarship program, and your participation shows a commitment to the future of health care in Iowa.

Sponsorship

Are you interested in being a Swinging for Scholars sponsor? Call Michelle Ketelsen at 515-288-1955 or complete this FORM.

Apply

Click HERE to apply for college scholarships for health care careers. Applications are due Friday, Feb. 28, 2025.

Contact

Jennifer Nutt
Iowa Hospital Education and Research Foundation
100 E. Grand Ave., Suite 100
Des Moines, IA 50309
515-288-1955