Principal Financial Group, Inc. and the Principal Financial Group Foundation have awarded $450,000 in grants to 28 organizations forcused on providing access to the higher education necessary for today's work force.  Among the grant recipients: Institute for Character Development (Character Counts), Iowa Association of Business and Industry Foundation, Hispanic Scholarship Fund and Iowa Jobs for America's Graduated. Principal has awarded more than $1,569,000 in grants so far in 2012.