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                                                                      EX-99.CERT

                           CERTIFICATIONS PURSUANT TO
                  SECTION 302 OF THE SARBANES-OXLEY ACT OF 2002

I, Thomas S. Schreier, Jr., certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of First American Investment Funds,
Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash
flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash
flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and
have:

        a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
             disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
             supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
             registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
             to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
             period in which this report is being prepared;

        b)   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
             and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about
             the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of
             a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based
             on such evaluation; and

        c)   disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
             control over financial reporting that occurred during the
             registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second
             fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report) that has
             materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially affect,
             the registrant's internal control over financial reporting; and

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

        a)   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
             or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
             reasonably likely to

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             adversely affect the registrant's ability to record, process,
             summarize, and report financial information; and

        b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
             other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
             internal control over financial reporting.


Date: December 8, 2003


/s/ Thomas S. Schreier, Jr.
- ---------------------------------
Thomas S. Schreier, Jr.
President


I, Jonathan P. Lillemoen, certify that:

1. I have reviewed this report on Form N-CSR of First American Investment Funds,
Inc.;

2. Based on my knowledge, this report does not contain any untrue statement of a
material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to make the statements
made, in light of the circumstances under which such statements were made, not
misleading with respect to the period covered by this report;

3. Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
information included in this report, fairly present in all material respects the
financial condition, results of operations, changes in net assets, and cash
flows (if the financial statements are required to include a statement of cash
flows) of the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this report;

4. The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined in
Rule 30a-3(c) under the Investment Company Act of 1940) for the registrant and
have:

        a)   designed such disclosure controls and procedures, or caused such
             disclosure controls and procedures to be designed under our
             supervision, to ensure that material information relating to the
             registrant, including its consolidated subsidiaries, is made known
             to us by others within those entities, particularly during the
             period in which this report is being prepared;

        b)   evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
             and procedures and presented in this report our conclusions about
             the effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures, as of
             a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of this report based
             on such evaluation; and

        c)   disclosed in this report any change in the registrant's internal
             control over financial reporting that occurred during the
             registrant's most recent fiscal half-year (the registrant's second
             fiscal half-year in the case of an annual report)

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             that has materially affected, or is reasonably likely to materially
             affect, the registrant's internal control over financial reporting;
             and

5. The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed to the
registrant's auditors and the audit committee of the registrant's board of
directors (or persons performing the equivalent functions):

        a)   all significant deficiencies and material weaknesses in the design
             or operation of internal control over financial reporting which are
             reasonably likely to adversely affect the registrant's ability to
             record, process, summarize, and report financial information; and

        b)   any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or
             other employees who have a significant role in the registrant's
             internal control over financial reporting.


Date: December 8, 2003


/s/ Jonathan P. Lillemoen
- -----------------------------
Jonathan P. Lillemoen
Director, USBAM Fund Treasury