Believers Stewardship Services Inc
Believers Stewardship Services Inc is a public charity based in Dubuque, Iowa, and is now doing business as Legacy Ministry Services. It provides estate-planning, planned-giving, fund-management, tax-preparation, and governance services, and supports local New Testament churches and associated ministries through financial and governance-related work.
Believers Stewardship Services Inc at a glance
In short: Believers Stewardship Services Inc gave $3.8M across 58 grants in 2025 (avg $65K), top state New Jersey. 33% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,798,597
- +17.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 58
- +13.7% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $65,493
- +3.5% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $18,834
- Total assets
- $24,228,747
- +3.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 33% first-time grantees (19 of 58, 2025)
- Primary geography
- New Jersey (27% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Believers Stewardship Services Inc
- Contact
Mailing address: 2250 Chaney Road, Dubuque, IA 52001
Phone: (563) 582-4818
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Believers Stewardship Services Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Christian Missions in Many Lands Inc ($985K). Together the top 10 received $2.7M.
Grant Size Distribution
303 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 245 grants of 303 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, the largest shares of grant dollars went to recipients in New Jersey (27%), Indiana (18%), Tennessee (11%), Iowa (8%), and Florida (6%). The grants listed also included recipients in North Carolina, Kansas, Michigan, Arizona, and New Hampshire.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 58 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Believers Stewardship Services Inc open to new grantees?
33%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 19 of 58 grantees (33%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $76K; repeat grants $60K. How we count
Medians: $18K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 52% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−12%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.7M (2021) to $4.3M (2022). In 2025 it made 58 grants totaling $3.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Christian Missions in Many Lands Inc Spring Lake, NJ | General Support | $984,991 |
| Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc Indianapolis, IN | General Support | $683,555 |
| Mountain Top Youth Camp Pinnacle, NC | General Support | $210,147 |
| Emmaus University Dubuque, IA | General Support | $167,623 |
| Land O'Lakes Bible Chapel Lutz, FL | General Support | $125,000 |
| Christian Workers Fellowship Fund Inc Kansas City, KS | General Support | $121,084 |
| Rest Haven Homes Inc Grand Rapids, MI | General Support | $106,800 |
| Believers' Chapel Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $102,653 |
| Renewed Life Ministries Outreach Murfreesboro, TN | General Support | $100,000 |
| Cumberland Wilderness Retreat Inc Altamont, TN | General Support | $100,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Believers Stewardship Services Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In 2025, the organization reported 58 grants; in 2024, 51; and in 2023, 72.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $24,228,747 | $4,544,986 | $5,106,118 | $3,798,597 | 58 | $983,215 |
| 2024 | $23,409,163 | $4,776,002 | $4,583,491 | $3,226,872 | 51 | $1,135,990 |
| 2023 | $22,648,425 | $11,717,584 | $4,461,332 | $3,519,246 | 72 | $1,762,149 |
| 2022 | $15,426,767 | $5,402,636 | $5,557,491 | $4,309,445 | 79 | $913,727 |
| 2021 | $18,487,302 | $3,760,622 | $3,383,469 | $1,684,880 | 43 | $519,178 |
| 2020 | $15,661,597 | $3,227,788 | $4,111,768 | $2,753,385 | 59 | $407,150 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated mission is to glorify God through biblical stewardship by helping Christians meet financial and estate-planning goals and supporting local New Testament churches and associated ministries with financial and governance matters.
Its services include managing donor-advised and other funds; assisting with wills, trusts, powers of attorney, and tax returns; administering charitable gift annuities and charitable remainder trusts; providing donor education; and advising churches and ministries on governance, compliance, tax matters, and asset dissolution. Its website also describes assistance with bylaws and facility-use policies.
The organization’s 2025 grants went to a range of organizations. For example, Mountain Top Youth Camp described its work as presenting the Gospel to youth and other congregation attendees; Emmaus Bible College said it educates and equips learners for service in ministries, professions, and communities; and Rest Haven Homes described operating a home and providing care for older adults who cannot support or care for themselves. These are the grantees’ descriptions of their own missions.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the organization reported 58 grants totaling $3,798,597. Grant amounts ranged from $5,450 to $984,991, with a median of $18,834. The listed grants were for general support.
The largest grants included $984,991 to Christian Missions in Many Lands Inc, $683,555 to Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc, $210,147 to Mountain Top Youth Camp, $167,623 to Emmaus University, and $125,000 to Land O’Lakes Bible Chapel. Other notable grants included $106,800 to Rest Haven Homes, $100,000 to Renewed Life Ministries Outreach, and $88,850 to Camp Berea.
The filing says that before an initial disbursement to a domestic organization, the organization obtains its 501(c)(3) determination letter and confirms its current status, or obtains reasonable support that it is a church. For organizations not funded for a prolonged period, it reconfirms 501(c)(3) status. It may request project updates and financial reports. Contributions to 501(c)(3) organizations are given as unrestricted general support; any suggestions for their use remain subject to the recipient organization’s control.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert Sullivan as President and CEO, William Coyle as Chairman, Samuel Thorpe Jr as Vice Chairman, Walter Skip Elliott as Treasurer, Mark Keller as Risk Officer, Paul Bonner as Secretary, and John Peasland as Director. The organization’s website identifies Robert Sullivan as its President.
Believers Stewardship Services Inc is led by Robert Sullivan, President & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 1 of 7 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Robert Sullivan
President & CEO
President → President & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$110K (2020) → $122K (2025)
William K Coyle Jr.
Chairman
Chairman → Chairman & Assistant Secretary, 2021
Chairman & Assistant Secretary → Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John Peasland
Director
On filings since 2024
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Samuel D Thorpe Jr.
Vice Chairman
On filings since 2020
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Keller
Risk Officer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Walter Skip Elliott
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Paul Bonner
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2023
0.2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Emily Morrell (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Thomas C Harrington (2020–2021) — Secretary & Risk Officer
- Former: Andrew C Tuecke (2020) — Assistant Secretary
- Former: David E Barczewski (2020) — Treasurer
- Former: David M Allison (2020) — Executive Vice President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $122K, to Robert Sullivan (President & CEO).
Frequently asked questions about Believers Stewardship Services Inc
How much does Believers Stewardship Services Inc give each year?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc gave $3.8M across 58 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.2M across 51 grants.
What is Believers Stewardship Services Inc's typical grant size?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc's median grant in 2025 was $18,834, and its average grant was $65,493, across 58 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Believers Stewardship Services Inc that year got $76K on average.
Where does Believers Stewardship Services Inc give grants?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc's top state is New Jersey, with 27% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990. The next largest states were Indiana (18%) and Tennessee (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Dubuque, IA (4 grants), Murfreesboro, TN (4 grants), Orlando, FL (3 grants) and Modesto, CA (2 grants).
Does Believers Stewardship Services Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Believers Stewardship Services Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (58 of 58) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Believers Stewardship Services Inc's largest grantees?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Christian Missions in Many Lands Inc ($984,991), Renaissance Charitable Foundation Inc ($683,555) and Mountain Top Youth Camp ($210,147), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Believers Stewardship Services Inc?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc reported $24.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $4.5M.
What does Believers Stewardship Services Inc fund?
The organization’s stated mission is to glorify God through biblical stewardship by helping Christians meet financial and estate-planning goals and supporting local New Testament churches and associated ministries with financial and governance matters. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Believers Stewardship Services Inc?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Believers Stewardship Services Inc's EIN?
Believers Stewardship Services Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1782614. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 17, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 24, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Believers Stewardship Services Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/believers-stewardship-services-inc-morg_851cee62152c43288131e52d8a734755
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311782614_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Believers Stewardship Services Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/believers-stewardship-services-inc-morg_851cee62152c43288131e52d8a734755},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Believers Stewardship Services Inc's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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