Cindy Schaus

Cindy Schaus is an assistant director of the Grinnell College Office of Corporate, Foundation, and Government Relations. As the ‘Grants Office’ this team works with faculty and staff to pursue external funding for research, teaching, and campus-wide initiatives. Their office is focusing on identifying potential external funding sources, assisting in proposal development from concept to submission, and helping steward and administer funded grants.

Prior to joining Grinnell College in 2021, Schaus led corporate giving strategies and engagement with charitable foundations and nonprofits while she held leadership roles in financial services. Her experience includes leading corporate funding, communications, marketing, public relations, and shareholder engagement in the U.S. for the Netherlands-based Fortune 500 company, ING, and its North American subsidiaries Equitable of Iowa Companies, Aetna Financial Services, and ReliaStar Financial Services. Schaus is a two-time honoree for the ING Circle of Excellence awards.

Schaus holds a B.A. in Accounting from Simpson College and completed additional studies in art and art history at the University of Iowa, and master's in education at Iowa State University. She completed certification in Strategic Giving and Foundation Planning with Boston College, and has served as chair of the Central Iowa Contributions Consortium, and chair of the Financial Services Institute’s Council on Marketing, Growth, and Development.