In 1993, the John and Mary Pappajohn Clinical Cancer Center opened for service after receiving a generous $25 million donation from the Pappajohn family in Des Moines.

These funds initiated a major renovation for the center. Following these donations and grants, the facility eventually offered a comprehensive level of care and the name of the center was officially changed to “The Holden Comprehensive Cancer Center.”

in 1996, he donated $1.5 million to establish the John Pappajohn Entrepreneurial Center at the University of Iowa to help revive the startup spirit, along with funding to create centers at four other universities and colleges in Iowa.