Building Direction for Families Inc

Public charity · Grantmaker Independence, IA EIN: 20-8773885

Bdf is the local Iowa community empowerment area and de-categorization project in buchanan, Delaware and Fayette counties in Iowa involving local community members and early care, health and education professionals in collaborative efforts. These state supported initiatives encourage community people to develop strategies to reach six results.

Building Direction for Families Inc at a glance

In short: Building Direction for Families Inc gave $651K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $72K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.

Annual giving (2025)
$651,183
+1.8% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
9
+0.0% vs 2024
Average grant
$72,354
+1.8% vs 2024
Median grant
$57,882
Total assets
$733,593
-22.1% vs 2024
Primary geography
Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who Building Direction for Families Inc funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 9 recipients in 2025

Parent Share & Support: $157KParent Share & Support$157KRegional Medical Center: $121KRegional Medical Center$121KChild Care Resource & Referra: $109KChild Care Resource & Referra$109KFamilies Inc: $78KFamilies Inc$78KPreschool Scholarships: $58KPreschool Scholarships$58KCentral Iowa Juvenile Detenti: $58KCentral Iowa Juvenile Detenti$58KNe Iowa Community Action: $50KNe Iowa Community Action$50KNorth Fayette Valley Comm Act: $10KNorth Fayette Valley Comm Act$10KHelping SRVCS for Youth & Fam: $10KHelping SRVCS for Youth & Fam$10K

The largest 2025 recipient was Parent Share & Support ($157K). Together the top 9 received $651K.

Grant Size Distribution

45 grants across all recorded years

13<$50K19$50–100K13$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 19 grants of 45 (42%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.

States

Cities

IndependenceManchesterOelweinDecorahDes MoinesEldoraJesup

How Building Direction for Families Inc gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+4%). Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.

Giving History

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K$800K11 grants2020 9 grants2021 8 grants2022 10 grants2023 9 grants2024 9 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $615K (2021) to $679K (2023). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $651K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Parent Share & Support Oelwein, IACrisis Care/Parent Ed$157,499
Regional Medical Center Manchester, IAParent Ed$120,605
Child Care Resource & Referra Independence, IAScholarship/Development$108,892
Families Inc Manchester, IAMental Health Services$78,176
Preschool Scholarships Independence, IAPreschool Scholarships$57,882
Central Iowa Juvenile Detenti Eldora, IAJuvenile Care$57,562
Ne Iowa Community Action Des Moines, IAPrograms$49,959
North Fayette Valley Comm Act Decorah, IAPrograms$10,330
Helping SRVCS for Youth & Fam Decorah, IAPrograms$10,278
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsNet Investment Income
2025$733,593$541,213$785,228$651,1839$1,563
2024$942,071$693,429$763,590$639,8729$1,563
2023$1,078,288$770,313$806,450$679,49710$252
2022$1,278,081$1,063,082$791,476$628,5728$25
2021$1,092,453$984,660$828,462$614,6689$103
2020$1,058,504$997,468$793,536$630,20711$352

About Building Direction for Families Inc

Based on IRS filings

Building Direction for Families Inc is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Independence, IA. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $734K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 9 grants totaling $651K. Net investment income was $2K.

Focus Areas

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Building Direction for Families Inc is led by Beth Ownby, Executive Director on every filing since 2020; 2 of 15 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Beth Ownby

    Executive Director

    On filings since 2020

    40 hrs/week

    $52K (2023) → $57K (2025)

  • Greg Gates

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Jenna Hope

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Jennifer Hahn

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Joe Payne

    Director

    Chairman → Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Pete Buschmann

    Director

    Vice Chairman → Director, 2021

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Stacie Schroeder

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    No compensation reported

  • Alisa Payne

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

  • Delma Hardin

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

  • Jake Bass

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

  • Dawn Vogel

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    No compensation reported

  • Amy Huntington

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    No compensation reported

  • Jeff Bunn

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    No compensation reported

  • Lawrence Daniel

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    No compensation reported

  • Jackie Heinz

    Community Liason

    On filings since 2024

    20 hrs/week

    $7K (2024) → $16K (2025)

Former officers (14)
  • Former: Dan Wheeler (2024) — Director
  • Former: Dawn Sage (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Don Shonka (2020–2023) — Director
  • Former: Dave Brinkmoeller (2022–2023) — Director
  • Former: Nicole McGreevy (2022–2023)
  • Former: Alisa Nelson (2023) — Director
  • Former: Janell Bradley (2023) — Director
  • Former: Jeanine Tellin (2020–2022) — Director
  • Former: Julie Davison (2022) — Director
  • Former: Marilyn Althoff (2022) — Director
  • Former: Carla Harden (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Kris Martin (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Ruth Frush (2020–2021) — Director
  • Former: Suzette Galpin (2020–2021)

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

Beth Ownby — Executive Dir.: $57KBeth OwnbyExecutive Dir.$57KJackie Heinz — Community Liason: $16KJackie HeinzCommunity Liason$16K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $57K, to Beth Ownby (Executive Dir.). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Frequently asked questions about Building Direction for Families Inc

How much does Building Direction for Families Inc give each year?

Building Direction for Families Inc gave $651K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $640K across 9 grants.

What is Building Direction for Families Inc's typical grant size?

Building Direction for Families Inc's median grant in 2025 was $57,882, and its average grant was $72,354, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.

Where does Building Direction for Families Inc give grants?

Building Direction for Families Inc gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Manchester, IA (2 grants), Independence, IA (2 grants) and Decorah, IA (2 grants).

Does Building Direction for Families Inc give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Building Direction for Families Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Programs" (3 grants).

Who are Building Direction for Families Inc's largest grantees?

Building Direction for Families Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Parent Share & Support ($157,499), Regional Medical Center ($120,605) and Child Care Resource & Referra ($108,892), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Building Direction for Families Inc?

Building Direction for Families Inc reported $734K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $541K.

What is Building Direction for Families Inc?

Building Direction for Families Inc is a public charity focused on Human Services, based in Independence, IA. It holds $734K in total assets as of 2025.

What is Building Direction for Families Inc's EIN?

Building Direction for Families Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-8773885. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 16, 2020)
  2. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 16, 2021)
  3. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS February 10, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS February 6, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 14, 2025)
  6. Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS December 9, 2025)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from Building Direction for Families 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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