Iowa Lakes Electric Members
Iowa Lakes Electric Members is a private foundation based in Estherville, Iowa. Its filing says grants are intended primarily for the local area served by the cooperative and for charitable and educational purposes.
Iowa Lakes Electric Members at a glance
In short: Iowa Lakes Electric Members gave $74K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), mostly in Iowa. 71% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $73,683
- +7.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- +10.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $3,509
- -2.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $36,333
- -19.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 71% first-time grantees (15 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Iowa Lakes Electric Members
- How to Apply
-
Submit the official application form with the required materials.
- Review Cycle
- Deadlines are determined annually by the foundation board.
- Deadline
- Deadlines are determined annually by the foundation board.
- Contact
Application contact: Iowa Lakes Electric Members Charita
Mailing address: 702 1St Ave S, Estherville, IA 51334
Phone: (800) 225-4532
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Iowa Lakes Electric Members funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Dickens Fire and Rescue ($8K). Together the top 10 received $48K.
Grant Size Distribution
106 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 106 grants of 106 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2024 filing says grants are intended primarily for the local area served by the cooperative. In 2025, all reported grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Iowa Lakes Electric Members open to new grantees?
71%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 15 of 21 grantees (71%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $4K; repeat grants $3K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 0% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+5%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out well above its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $52K (2023) to $81K (2020). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $74K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Dickens Fire and Rescue Dickens, IA | Safety Equipment | $7,500 |
| City of Peterson Peterson, IA | Ambulance CRU Facility | $5,000 |
| City of Rolfe Rolfe, IA | Sunset Ridge Park Project | $5,000 |
| Discovery House Inc Spirit Lake, IA | Bathroom Remodel | $5,000 |
| Estherville FFA Estherville, IA | Agricultural Learning Center--Chicken Coop | $5,000 |
| Palo Alto County Conservation Board Ruthven, IA | Geothermal Update at Lost Island Nature Center | $5,000 |
| Hudsons Crew Rolfe, IA | Pocahontas Splash Pad Funded by Hudson's Crew | $4,000 |
| Regional Wellness Center Estherville, IA | Purchase an Infrared Sauna | $4,000 |
| Swea City Improvement League Swea City, IA | Inclusive Playground | $4,000 |
| Clay County Ag Extension Spencer, IA | Outdoor Garden Classroom | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Iowa Lakes Electric Members?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $36,333 | $73,123 | $81,759 | $73,683 | 21 | $78,932 | — | $1,592 |
| 2024 | $44,969 | $80,907 | $76,481 | $68,515 | 19 | $73,794 | — | $4,186 |
| 2023 | $40,543 | $83,636 | $59,560 | $52,450 | 18 | $57,210 | — | $915 |
| 2022 | $16,467 | $73,159 | $73,017 | $69,950 | 27 | $69,950 | $9 | $529 |
| 2021 | $16,325 | $67,752 | $71,379 | $69,141 | 21 | $69,141 | — | — |
| 2020 | $19,952 | $79,230 | $82,153 | $81,453 | 52 | — | — | — |
| 2019 | $22,875 | $68,187 | $65,384 | $62,575 | 20 | — | — | — |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Iowa Lakes Electric Members reported a distributable amount of $2K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s filing says it generally makes grants to nonprofit, civic, or community-based organizations committed to enhancing quality of life in the region. Projects should fit one or more of these categories: community service, economic development, education and/or youth, environment, or disaster relief.
Grantees’ stated missions illustrate the range of organizations supported. Discovery House Inc. says it provides rooms for people experiencing homelessness, assists with job finding, and offers prevention and rehabilitation programs addressing some root causes of homelessness, including alcohol and drug addiction. Northwest Iowa Mental Health Center describes its mission as guiding individuals and families toward a meaningful and fulfilling life. Hudsons Crew describes itself as organized for charitable, religious, educational, literary, and scientific purposes, including distributions to organizations that qualify as exempt organizations.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $73,683. Grant amounts ranged from $1,200 to $7,500, with a median of $3,000. Among the largest grants were $7,500 to Dickens Fire and Rescue for safety equipment; $5,000 each to the City of Peterson for an ambulance crew facility, the City of Rolfe for the Sunset Ridge Park project, Discovery House Inc. for a bathroom remodel, Estherville FFA for an agricultural learning center chicken coop, and Palo Alto County Conservation Board for a geothermal update at Lost Island Nature Center.
The foundation’s 2024 filing says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applications must use the official Iowa Lakes Electric Members Charitable Foundation form and include a completed application, a budget showing how requested funds will be spent, proof of 501(c)( ) or nonprofit status, pages 1 and 2 of the previous year’s IRS Form 990, and three letters of recommendation or support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Jarrett Smith as chairman; Janet Deim as vice chair; Ruth Brown as secretary; Sheila Borchers as treasurer; Bob Emgarten, Robin Hauswirth, Lynn Winterhof, and Dan Sievers as directors; and Jennifer Sievert as VP Corp Relations.
Iowa Lakes Electric Members is led by Jarrett Smith, Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2019); none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jarrett Smith
Chairman
Vice Chair → Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dan Sievers
Director
Treasurer → Director, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Winterhof
Director
Board Member → Director, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robin Hauswirth
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bob Emgarten
Director
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Deim
Vice Chair
Chairman → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ruth Brown
Secretary
Board Member → Director, 2022
Director → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jennifer Sievert
Vice President Corp Relations
Vice President Corp Relatio → Vice President Corp Relations, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sheila Borchers
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Bruce Chrestiansen (2019–2022) — Director
- Former: John Boettcher (2019–2022) — Secretary
- Former: Robert Beneke (2019–2021) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Iowa Lakes Electric Members
How much does Iowa Lakes Electric Members give each year?
Iowa Lakes Electric Members gave $74K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $69K across 19 grants.
What is Iowa Lakes Electric Members's typical grant size?
Iowa Lakes Electric Members's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $3,509, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Iowa Lakes Electric Members that year got $4K on average.
Where does Iowa Lakes Electric Members give grants?
Iowa Lakes Electric Members gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Estherville, IA (4 grants), Spencer, IA (3 grants), Rolfe, IA (2 grants) and Spirit Lake, IA (2 grants).
Does Iowa Lakes Electric Members give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on Iowa Lakes Electric Members's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Iowa Lakes Electric Members's largest grantees?
Iowa Lakes Electric Members's largest 2025 grantees include Dickens Fire and Rescue ($7,500), City of Peterson ($5,000) and City of Rolfe ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Iowa Lakes Electric Members?
Iowa Lakes Electric Members reported $36K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $79K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Iowa Lakes Electric Members fund?
The foundation’s filing says it generally makes grants to nonprofit, civic, or community-based organizations committed to enhancing quality of life in the region. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Iowa Lakes Electric Members?
Submit the official application form with the required materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Iowa Lakes Electric Members's EIN?
Iowa Lakes Electric Members's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-5248472. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 28, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS July 8, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS March 18, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 2, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 30, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Live grants for the work Iowa Lakes Electric Members funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Iowa Lakes Electric Members's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Iowa Lakes Electric Members funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/iowa-lakes-electric-members-morg_0493cbb5b98848b4b3ed7a9acbef6768
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_825248472_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Iowa Lakes Electric Members funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/iowa-lakes-electric-members-morg_0493cbb5b98848b4b3ed7a9acbef6768},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 Iowa Lakes Electric Members'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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