The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Urbandale, IA EIN: 42-6521745

THE JOHN R AND ZELDA Z GRUBB is a private foundation based in Urbandale, Iowa. Its 2024 filing reports grants to charitable organizations, nearly all of the grant dollars going to recipients in Iowa.

Key facts about The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation

In short: The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation gave $569K across 13 grants in 2024 (avg $44K), mostly in Iowa. 31% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
42-6521745
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024)
$569,321
Grants made (2024)
13
Average grant
$43,794
Median grant
$15,000
New grantees (estimate)
31% first-time grantees (4 of 13, 2024)
Total assets
$11,999,085
Primary geography
Iowa (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Accepts unsolicited proposals
No
How to apply
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 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 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$12.0M

-3.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$569K

+46.1% YoY

Grant Count

13

-7.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$44K

+57.4% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $605K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Is The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation open to new grantees?

31%

first-time grantees, 2024

In 2024, 4 of 13 grantees (31%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $22K; repeat grants $54K. How we count

Medians: $13K first-time, $15K repeat.

  • 54% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
  • Giving grew 29% from 2021 to 2024. Method
  • In 2024 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, the Iowa Health Care Association Foundation says its mission is to provide scholarships for employees of member facilities pursuing further health care education. Tori’s Angels Foundation says it assists Iowa families whose children have life-threatening medical conditions. Children and Families of Iowa says it assists youth, individuals, and families in becoming fully functioning members of society. Hope Ministries describes its work as providing meals, shelter, and life-recovery support to people in need.

Grantmaking

In 2024, the foundation made 13 grants totaling $569,321. Grant amounts ranged from $3,000 to $250,250, with a median of $15,000. Among the largest reported grants were $250,250 to Variety Club, $84,000 to the Iowa Health Care Association Foundation for health care scholarships, $75,000 to Easter Seals Iowa, $57,071 to Urbandale Parks and Recreation, and $40,000 to First United Methodist Church in Des Moines.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Iowa and 1% to recipients in Arizona.

Grant Distribution by State

7states

Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 13 itemized grants.

Cities

Des MoinesWest Des MoinesTempeUrbandaleWaukeeAltoonaAnkenyArlingtonAudubonBooneCedar RapidsCoronadoDe SotoElkadorJohnstonKennesawPanoraRochesterSacramentoScottsdale

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$200K$400K$600K20 grants2020 15 grants2021 20 grants2022 14 grants2023 13 grants2024

From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $385K (2020) to $590K (2022). In 2024 it made 13 grants totaling $569K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Variety Club: $250KVariety Club$250KIowa Health Care Association Foundation: $84KIowa Health Care AssociationFoundation$84KEaster Seals Iowa: $75KEaster Seals Iowa$75KUrbandale Parks and Recreation: $57KUrbandale Parks and Recreation$57KFirst United Methodist Church: $40KFirst United Methodist Church$40KAnimal Rescue League of Central Iowa: $15KAnimal Rescue League ofCentral Iowa$15KFestival of Trees and Lights: $15KFestival of Trees and Lights$15KTori's Angels Foundation: $10KTori's Angels Foundation$10KChildren and Families of Iowa: $5KChildren and Families of Iowa$5KHope Ministries: $5KHope Ministries$5K

The largest 2024 recipient was Variety Club ($250K). Together the top 10 received $556K.

Grant Size Distribution

82 grants across all recorded years

70<$50K4$50–100K5$100–250K3$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 82 (85%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Variety Club Des Moines, IADonation to general fund to provide aid/services to childserve committment$250,250
Iowa Health Care Association Foundation West Des Moines, IADonation to General Fund for Health Care Scholarships$84,000
Easter Seals Iowa Des Moines, IADonation to General Fund$75,000
Urbandale Parks and Recreation Urbandale, IADonation to General Fund$57,071
First United Methodist Church Des Moines, IADonation to General Fund$40,000
Animal Rescue League of Central Iowa Des Moines, IAAnimal protection and welfare - prevention of cruelty to animals$15,000
Festival of Trees and Lights Des Moines, IA2024 PLEDGE$15,000
Tori's Angels Foundation Panora, IADonation to General Fund$10,000
Children and Families of Iowa Des Moines, IADonation to General Fund$5,000
Hope Ministries Des Moines, IADonation to general fund to provide basic human services to those in need$5,000

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Grant total Number of grants
2024 $569,321 13
2023 $389,650 14
2022 $590,250 20
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M$8M2020 2021 2022 2023 2024
Metric202420232022
Total Assets$11,999,085$12,455,378$12,755,731
Revenue$436,887$88,211$1,133,026
Expenses$728,735$529,370$905,493
Qualifying Distributions$598,390$419,270$720,893
Net Investment Income$427,779$433,516$321,495
Distributable Amount$605,263$577,462$533,284

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 9, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 15, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 12, 2025)
  6. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2024 filing lists John W. Grubb as president and Kimberly D. Grubb as vice president, secretary, and treasurer.

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation is led by John W. Grubb, President since 2024 (on filings since 2020); none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.

Officers on the 2024 filing

  • John W. Grubb

    President

    President & Secretary → President, 2024

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kimberly D. Grubb

    Vice President, Secretary & Treasurer

    New on the 2024 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Contact

Mailing address: 16131 Sharon Court, Urbandale, IA 50323
Phone: (515) 707-7202

Frequently asked questions about The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation

How much does The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation give each year?

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation gave $569K across 13 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $390K across 14 grants.

What is The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $43,794, across 13 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation that year got $22K on average.

Where does The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation give grants?

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Des Moines, IA (9 grants).

Does The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 69% of The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 13) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.

Who are The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Variety Club ($250,250), Iowa Health Care Association Foundation ($84,000) and Easter Seals Iowa ($75,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 72% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.

How large is The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation?

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $598K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $605K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.

What does The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, the Iowa Health Care Association Foundation says its mission is to provide scholarships for employees of member facilities pursuing further health care education. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation?

The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's EIN?

The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6521745. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.

Does The John R and Zelda Z Grubb Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?

No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑

Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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