The Wellmark Foundation
The Wellmark Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 1991 and based in Des Moines, Iowa. It is a company-sponsored foundation created by Wellmark Blue Cross and Blue Shield of Iowa to engage in charitable giving and serve as a catalyst in bringing groups together to positively impact health within communities.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$3.2M
-10.1% YoY
Grant Count
27
-27.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$117K
+23.1% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports programs designed to improve the health of Iowans and South Dakotans and their communities. Special emphasis is directed toward:
- Promoting active living and building environments
- Increasing access and consumption of nutritious foods
- Community-based wellness and prevention initiatives
- Healthy aging
- Mental and behavioral health
- Rural community health
- Maternity and newborn health
The foundation prioritizes sustainable initiatives—projects that continue after grant funding ends.
Grantmaking
The foundation operates two primary competitive grant programs:
Review Cycle
with different deadlines and requirements
How to Apply
- Applications are accepted and available on the foundation's website
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation funds initiatives exclusively in Iowa and South Dakota.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Giving (2023)
- Total Assets: $74.3 million
- Total Liabilities: $402,000
- Total Revenue: $6.77 million
- Total Expenses: $4.19 million
- Total Giving: $3.5 million
- Giving Rate: 4.7% of assets
Assets & Giving (2024)
- Total Assets: $80 million
- Total Giving: $3.7 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 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 2024
Grant Size Distribution
150 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation is governed by a board of directors:
- Laura Jackson, Chairperson
- Christa D Kuennen, Treasurer
- Scott A Sundstrom, Secretary
- Kris DeGraff, Director
- Mary Beth Hart, Director
- Cammy Jenkins, Director
- Jennifer Mentele, Director
- Sherwin Robinson, Director
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kris DeGraff | Director | 1 | — |
| Mary Beth Hart | Director | 1 | — |
| Cammy Jenkins | Director | 1 | — |
| Jennifer Mentele | Director | 1 | — |
| Laura Jackson | Chairperson | 1 | — |
| Christa D Kuennen | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Scott A Sundstrom | Secretary | 1 | — |
| Sherwin Robinson | Director | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced a new $5 million youth mental health grant program to expand mental and behavioral health services in rural Iowa schools, addressing the youth mental health crisis in the state.
Wellmark Foundation awards $5M grant to expand youth mental ...The foundation also provided support to the University of Iowa's SIM-IA Program.
The Wellmark Foundation Supports University of Iowa\u2019s SIM-IA ProgramPast grantees have included Growing Great Gardens, Herreid Area Housing Development, and the Keosauqua Riverfront Trail.
Related Funders
Similar funders by location and focus area
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Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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