The Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. Awards Grants in Mason City Area; Funds Will Support Local Art and Culture Programs

The Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. Awards Grants in Mason City Area; Funds Will Support Local Art and Culture Programs

December 22, 2005

MASON CITY, Iowa–(BUSINESS WIRE)–Dec. 21, 2005–The Principal Financial Group Foundation Inc., in support of community needs in the Mason City area, provided grants totaling $5,500 during the third quarter to local art and culture organizations.

“By supporting art-related educational and cultural outreach programs, The Principal is able to bring a variety of diverse cultural elements to communities where they may otherwise not be available,” said Libby Jacobs, community relations director, the Principal Financial Group(R). “Providing these funds to organizations across the nation, ultimately improves the communities where our employees live and work.”

Organizations benefiting from the grants include:

— Clear Lake Arts Center – This grant will provide support for

the “What is Home?” program which supports

artists-in-residence, art exhibits and performing arts events.

— The Mason City Foundation – This grant will help support

renovations to the community rooms at Music Man Square.

These grants were provided as part of the quarterly charitable grants program of the Principal Financial Group and the Principal Financial Group Foundation. The third quarter grant cycle focuses on art and culture programs offered by a variety of not-for-profit organizations in targeted communities.

The Principal Financial Group and the Principal Financial Group Foundation awarded a total of $623,050.00 in grants during the third quarter to communities where The Principal(R) has a significant employee presence, including Cedar Falls, Des Moines, Ottumwa, Iowa; Grand Island, Neb.; Indianapolis, Ind.; Phoenix/Tucson, Ariz.; Spokane, Wash.; and Wilmington, Del. For a full list of 2005 grant recipients, visit www.principal.com/about/giving.

About the Principal Financial Group Foundation

The Principal Financial Group Foundation provides grants on a quarterly basis in the following categories: Health and Human Services (first quarter); Education (second quarter); Arts and Culture (third quarter); and Recreation and Tourism (fourth quarter). The Principal Financial Group Foundation, Inc. was formed in 1987 to help support communities in which the Principal Financial Group has a major employee presence. For more information about the Foundation grants program, visit www.principal.com.

About the Principal Financial Group

The Principal Financial Group(R) (The Principal (R))(1) is a leader in offering businesses, individuals and institutional clients a wide range of financial products and services, including retirement and investment services, life and health insurance, and banking through its diverse family of financial services companies. A member of the Fortune 500, the Principal Financial Group has $188.4 billion in assets under management(2) and serves some 15.3 million customers worldwide from offices in Asia, Australia, Europe, Latin America and the United States. Principal Financial Group, Inc. is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol PFG. For more information, visit www.principal.com.

(1) “The Principal Financial Group” and “The Principal” are registered service marks of Principal Financial Services, Inc., a member of the Principal Financial Group.

(2) As of September 30, 2005

Copyright Business Wire 2005