Omaha’s Henry Doorly Zoo has drawn more than 25 million visitors over the past 40 years, many of those families from the Omaha-Council Bluffs region. The Iowa West Foundation has shown support for the zoo with three grants in the past three years.

In 2007, a $400,000 grant was awarded to assist with the construction of  the zoo’s Butterfly and Insect Pavilion. In 2008, zoology educational programming from the zoo for southwest Iowa students received $100,000 in funding. Most recently in late 2009, the foundation provided a $400,000 for the creation of the Madagascar Exhibit.