Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County
The Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County is a private foundation located in Burlington, Iowa, dedicated to supporting individuals with disabilities and chronic health conditions. Incorporated in 1951 by concerned citizens, the foundation provides direct services and assistance to Des Moines County residents. The organization operates from 829 Harrison Avenue, Burlington, Iowa 52601, and can be reached at 319-752-8222.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$81K
+29.7% YoY
Grant Count
27
+28.6% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$3K
+0.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's mission is twofold:
- To provide direct service to children and adults with disabilities and chronic health conditions
- To offer assistance to improve the health, welfare, rehabilitation, employment, education, recreation, and daily activities for children and adults with disabilities in Des Moines County, Iowa
The foundation prioritizes scholarships for students with disabilities, with preference given to those majoring in health-related fields, though scholarships are available to students with disabilities majoring in any field of study.
Grantmaking
The foundation makes grants primarily in the form of scholarships and support for rehabilitation services. Recent grant recipients have included:
Grant Range
s have ranged from $1,000 to $43,396.
Review Cycle
is April 1 annually.
How to Apply
** The submission deadline is April 1 annually.
Ready to take the next step with Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation exclusively serves Des Moines County, Iowa. All programs, including medical equipment and supplies, are available only to Des Moines County residents. Equipment and supplies are available for loan at no charge.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent Financial Data (2025):
- Total Assets: $3,844,951
- Total Revenues: $118,349
- Total Expenses: $251,280
- Number of Employees: 1
Previous Year (2023):
- Latest financial data available: June 2023
The foundation is classified as a private foundation under IRS 501(c)(3) status, with EIN 42-1090677.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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
106 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2025 grants, the largest include Southeastern Community College ($13,030), University of Iowa ($9,650), Central College ($4,180).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| BROWN UNIVERSITY PROVIDENCE, RI | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| CENTRAL COLLEGE Pella, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,180 |
| CLARKE UNIVERSITY Dubuque, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| CORNELL COLLEGE Mount Vernon, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| CREIGHTON UNIVERSITY Omaha, NE | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| DRAKE UNIVERSITY Des Moines, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $4,180 |
| GRANDVIEW UNIVERSITY Des Moines, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| INDIAN HILLS COMMUNITY COLLEGE Ottumwa, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| IOWA STATE UNIVERSITY Ames, IA | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
| JOHNS HOPKINS UNIVERSITY Baltimore, MD | SCHOLARSHIPS | $2,090 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Mark McGuire, President
- Margie Swanner, Vice President
- Amy Hayes, Secretary
- William Fry, Treasurer
- Ricci Neilson, Executive Director
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| RUTH METZGER | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| PAT CUMMINGS | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| SUE KRISTENSEN | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| DENNIS STEWART | 1ST VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| JILL MEHAFFY-NALLEY | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| JODI REUSCH | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| CHRISTINE ERTZ | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| BRIAN HELLING | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| MARK MCGUIRE | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| BURTON PRUGH | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| JUDY RIFFEL | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| MARGIE SWANNER | PRESIDENT | — | — |
| ED CARTER | TREASURER | — | — |
| ROBIN CUSHMAN | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| WILLIAM FRY | BOARD MEMEBER | — | — |
| JANELLE MCGUIRE | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| JOANIE POWER | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| EVELYN SWEARINGEN | VOLUNTEER | — | — |
| US BANK | TRUSTEE | — | — |
| BARB GARCIA | SECRETARY | — | — |
| Debbie LONGCORE | Volunteer | — | — |
| Sue SATTLER | Volunteer | — | — |
| Janet SCHNOEBLEN | Volunteer | — | — |
| Gary ORTH | Volunteer | — | — |
| WAYNE HELMUS | CASE SERVICES COORDINATOR | — | — |
| LEAH MATTESON | 2ND VICE PRESIDENT | — | — |
| HEATHER KIENOL | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
| RHONDA MILLER | BOARD MEMBER | — | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County fund?
The foundation's mission is twofold: • To provide direct service to children and adults with disabilities and chronic health conditions • To offer assistance to improve the health, welfare, rehabilitation, employment, education, recreation, and daily activities for children and adults with disabilities in Des Moines County, Iowa The foundation prioritizes scholarships for students with disabilities, with preference given to those majoring in health-related fields, though scholarships are availa…
How do I apply for a grant from Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County?
The foundation makes grants primarily in the form of scholarships and support for rehabilitation services. Recent grant recipients have included: • Central College ($4,180 for scholarships) • Drake University ($4,180 for scholarships) • Indian Hills Community College ($2,090 for scholarships) • Special Olympics ($2,049) • Clarke University ($1,914) • Cornell University ($3,828) • Western Illinois University ($1,914) The foundation made 19 grants in its most recent reporting period. Grant sizes …
Where does Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County make grants?
The foundation exclusively serves Des Moines County, Iowa. All programs, including medical equipment and supplies, are available only to Des Moines County residents. Equipment and supplies are available for loan at no charge.
What size grants does Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County award?
In 2025, Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County awarded 27 grants totaling $81K — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County's EIN?
Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1090677. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program
SOUTHEASTERN, PA
Assets
$22.2B
Grants
24,269
Total Given
$3.0B
National Philanthropic Trust
JENKINTOWN, PA
Assets
$42.2B
Grants
18,583
Total Given
$5.1B
Morgan Stanley Global Impact Funding Trust Inc
INDIANAPOLIS, IN
Assets
$9.1B
Grants
19,253
Total Given
$1.2B
Pella Rolscreen Foundation
PELLA, IA
Assets
$22.4M
Grants
433
Total Given
$1.9M
Charities Aid Foundation America
ALEXANDRIA, VA
Assets
$444.9M
Grants
10,157
Total Given
$466.3M
Fahrney Education Fdtn Trust
MILWAUKEE, WI
Assets
—
Grants
17
Total Given
$233K
Tulsa Community Foundation
TULSA, OK
Assets
$1.1B
Grants
1,066
Total Given
$158.6M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
SAINT LOUIS, MO
Assets
—
Grants
9,499
Total Given
$73.1M
J Ralph and Gladys Meier
CEDAR RAPIDS, IA
Assets
—
Grants
8
Total Given
$6K
Roy J Carver Charitable Trust
MUSCATINE, IA
Assets
—
Grants
69
Total Given
$12.1M
Ibm International Foundation
ARMONK, NY
Assets
$357.7M
Grants
16
Total Given
$11.7M
The Us Charitable Gift Trust
BOSTON, MA
Assets
$2.2B
Grants
6,518
Total Given
$231.4M
Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
What could you do with Special Needs Foundation of Des Moines County on Grantable?
- Assess strategic fit with your organization
- Draft a tailored letter of inquiry
- Find open RFPs from this funder
- Monitor for new funding opportunities