South Central Iowa Community Founda
South Central Iowa Community Foundation is a public charity based in Chariton, Iowa. It grows endowment funds and awards charitable grants and educational scholarships benefiting Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Ringgold, and Union Counties in south central Iowa.
Key facts about South Central Iowa Community Founda
In short: South Central Iowa Community Founda gave $386K across 26 grants in 2025 (avg $15K), mostly in Iowa. 38% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 42-1411234
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $386,470
- Grants made (2025)
- 26
- Average grant
- $14,864
- Median grant
- $10,780
- New grantees (estimate)
- 38% first-time grantees (10 of 26, 2025)
- Total assets
- $16,710,529
- Primary geography
- Iowa (56% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The foundation provides county grant application materials. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The Lucas County application overview lists March 1, 2025.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$16.7M
+7.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$386K
+5.4% YoY
Grant Count
26
+23.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$15K
-14.9% YoY
Is South Central Iowa Community Founda open to new grantees?
38%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 26 grantees (38%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $13K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $12K repeat.
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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to contribute to a better life for people in South Central Iowa by helping donors carry out their charitable intent and providing responsible stewardship of gifts for community purposes. It describes its grantmaking as support for charitable and community organizations, projects, and improvements, as well as educational scholarships.
Examples of supported organizations include Southwestern Community College, which received $23,300 in 2025. The college describes its mission as providing scholarships to its students and grants that encourage its academic development and growth. Graceland University, which received $23,220, describes its mission as helping students develop through intellectual, physical, social, and spiritual growth. Mayflower Heritage Christian School, which received $11,850, describes its mission as providing Christ-centered academic instruction for grades K–8.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 26 grants totaling $386,470. Grant amounts ranged from $5,000 to $82,350, with a median of $10,780. Among the largest awards were $82,350 to Decatur County Conservation, $28,500 to Ringgold County Fair, $24,990 to Ringgold County Public Health, and $23,300 to Southwestern Community College.
Review Cycle
** The Lucas County application overview lists March 1, 2025. The Union County overview lists April 1, with grants approved by June 1.
Grant Types
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from South Central Iowa Community Founda
Lamoni Freedom Fund Grant
South Central Iowa Community Founda
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
SCICF: Lucas County Grants
South Central Iowa Community Founda
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
SCICF: Union County Grants
South Central Iowa Community Founda
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Ready to take the next step with South Central Iowa Community Founda?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Clarke, Decatur, Lucas, Ringgold, and Union Counties in south central Iowa as its service area. Its county grant materials specify service in Lucas County or Union County for the respective opportunities.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 26 itemized 2025 grant dollars.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
Grant Size Distribution
126 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Decatur County Conservation | — | $82,350 |
| Ringgold County Fair Mount Ayr, IA | — | $28,500 |
| Ringgold County Public Health Mount Ayr, IA | — | $24,990 |
| Southwestern Community College Creston, IA | — | $23,300 |
| Graceland University Lamoni, IA | — | $23,220 |
| Iowa State University Ames, IA | — | $19,960 |
| Princess Theater Mount Ayr, IA | — | $17,910 |
| University of Iowa | — | $12,900 |
| Southern Prairie Family Fitness Cen Creston, IA | — | $12,780 |
| Ringgold County Teen Center Mount Ayr, IA | — | $12,280 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $16,710,529 | $1,925,585 | $709,096 | $386,470 |
| 2024 | $15,539,506 | $2,055,319 | $685,413 | $366,720 |
| 2023 | $14,165,099 | $1,248,440 | $560,257 | $279,916 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $16,710,529 | $15,539,506 | $14,165,099 |
| Revenue | $1,925,585 | $2,055,319 | $1,248,440 |
| Expenses | $709,096 | $685,413 | $560,257 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $1,660,769 | $1,706,429 | $1,169,629 |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Dennis Jeter as Board Chair, Shannon Lecy as Vice Chair, Erik Niggemeyer as Secretary, and Melissa Snell as Treasurer. It lists Ray Thurlby, Hanna Gwinn, Mike Frost, Tracy Barnes, and Sarah Long as directors.
South Central Iowa Community Founda is led by Dennis Jeter, Board Chair since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Dennis Jeter
Board Chair
Director → Board Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Frost
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ray Thurlby
Director
Director → Secretary, 2021
Secretary → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Tracy Barnes
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Hanna Gwinn
Director
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sarah Long
Director
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erik Niggemeyer
Secretary
Director → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Snell
Treasurer
Director → Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shannon Lecy
Vice Chair
Director → Vice Chair, 2024
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (23)
- Former: Diane Ross (2020–2024) — President & CEO
- Former: Judy Hopkins (2020–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Mary Stogdill (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Ann Schlapia (2021–2022) — Director
- Former: Adam Bahr (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Alysha Van Laar (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Barb Stephens (2020–2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Clint Spurrier (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Jim Wright (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kay Herring (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kristen Akers (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Kyle Wilson (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Liz Justice (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Mike Kucera (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Pennie Cheers (2020–2021) — Vice Chair
- Former: Steve Reynolds (2020–2021) — Director
- Former: Dave Hobbs (2021) — Director
- Former: Jodi Briggs (2021) — Director
- Former: Rhonda Giles (2021) — Director
- Former: David Hobbs (2020) — Director
- Former: Don Sheridan (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Mary Stierwalt (2020) — Director
- Former: Molly Murphy (2020) — Director
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 704 Ilion Ave, Chariton, IA 50049
Phone: (641) 217-9105
Website: https://scicf.org
Frequently asked questions about South Central Iowa Community Founda
How much does South Central Iowa Community Founda give each year?
South Central Iowa Community Founda gave $386K across 26 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $367K across 21 grants.
What is South Central Iowa Community Founda's typical grant size?
South Central Iowa Community Founda's median grant in 2025 was $10,780, and its average grant was $14,864, across 26 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from South Central Iowa Community Founda that year got $17K on average.
Where does South Central Iowa Community Founda give grants?
South Central Iowa Community Founda gives mostly in Iowa: 56% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Mount Ayr, IA (5 grants), Creston, IA (3 grants) and Lamoni, IA (2 grants).
Who are South Central Iowa Community Founda's largest grantees?
South Central Iowa Community Founda's largest 2025 grantees include Decatur County Conservation ($82,350), Ringgold County Fair ($28,500) and Ringgold County Public Health ($24,990), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is South Central Iowa Community Founda?
South Central Iowa Community Founda reported $16.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.9M.
What does South Central Iowa Community Founda fund?
The foundation’s mission is to contribute to a better life for people in South Central Iowa by helping donors carry out their charitable intent and providing responsible stewardship of gifts for community purposes. It describes its grantmaking as support for charitable and community organizations, projects, and improvements, as well as educational scholarships. Examples of supported organizations include Southwestern Community College, which received $23,300 in 2025. The college describes its m…
How do I apply for a grant from South Central Iowa Community Founda?
The foundation provides county grant application materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is South Central Iowa Community Founda's EIN?
South Central Iowa Community Founda's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1411234. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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