United Way of Spencer
United Way of Spencer is a public charity based in Spencer, Iowa, that distributes funds collected from the public through its annual fund drive to local charities. Its 2026 filing reports 12 grants totaling $341,000.
United Way of Spencer at a glance
In short: United Way of Spencer gave $341K across 12 grants in 2026 (avg $28K), mostly in Iowa. 17% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $341,000
- -48.7% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 12
- +9.1% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $28,417
- -53.0% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $11,375
- Total assets
- $1,203,800
- -9.8% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 17% first-time grantees (2 of 12, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Iowa (84% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2026; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to United Way of Spencer
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 616, Spencer, IA 51301
Phone: (712) 262-0380
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who United Way of Spencer funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Hartley Community Daycare ($166K). Together the top 10 received $329K.
Grant Size Distribution
58 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 58 (88%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2026 grant dollars were reported as 84% to recipients in Iowa and 16% to recipients in Washington, DC. The listed grants include recipients in Spencer and other Iowa communities, as well as the American Red Cross in Washington, DC.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
Cities
Is United Way of Spencer open to new grantees?
17%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 2 of 12 grantees (17%) were first-time recipients. With only 12 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $32K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $11K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2026). 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 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $113K (2021) to $665K (2025). In 2026 it made 12 grants totaling $341K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Hartley Community Daycare Hartley, IA | — | $166,000 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | — | $55,000 |
| Upper Des Moines Opportunity Spencer, IA | — | $30,000 |
| Outreach of Spencer Spencer, IA | — | $17,500 |
| Catholic Charities Sioux City, IA | — | $14,250 |
| Clay County Council on Aging Spencer, IA | — | $12,750 |
| Caasa Spencer, IA | — | $10,000 |
| Atlas of Spencer Spencer, IA | — | $8,250 |
| Family Crisis Center Sioux City, IA | — | $8,000 |
| Lutheran Services of Iowa Spencer, IA | — | $7,000 |
Ready to take the next step with United Way of Spencer?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $1,203,800 | $260,222 | $391,595 | $341,000 | 12 | $16,700 |
| 2025 | $1,334,220 | $261,135 | $721,199 | $664,565 | 11 | $24,549 |
| 2024 | $1,794,284 | $919,377 | $615,073 | $565,400 | 15 | $30,259 |
| 2023 | $1,489,980 | $1,660,793 | $520,740 | $461,350 | 10 | $3,031 |
| 2022 | $349,927 | $327,729 | $186,393 | $134,354 | 10 | $200 |
| 2021 | $209,663 | $206,878 | $170,068 | $113,150 | 9 | $212 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
United Way of Spencer states that its mission is to distribute funds collected from the public in an organized manner through its annual fund drive.
In its 2025 program description, the organization said its funding helped high-risk children receive daycare, supported the local Red Cross office’s crisis assistance and a domestic violence office’s services for battered women, helped feed elderly people through Meals on Wheels, supported the Boys and Girls Club’s work with children, and helped fund the local humane society.
The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Hartley Community Daycare says its primary purpose is providing quality daytime supervision for minor children. Clay County Council on Aging says it provides activities and entertainment for senior citizens. Arts on Grand says its mission is to build awareness of visual and performing arts by making them accessible to people in Spencer and the surrounding northwest Iowa area. Upper Des Moines Opportunity says it works to build stronger communities by addressing the effects of poverty on individuals and families.
Grantmaking
In 2026, United Way of Spencer reported 12 grants totaling $341,000. Grant amounts ranged from $6,000 to $166,000, with a median of $11,375. The largest grants included $166,000 to Hartley Community Daycare, $55,000 to the American Red Cross, $30,000 to Upper Des Moines Opportunity, and $17,500 to Outreach of Spencer. Other grants included $14,250 to Catholic Charities, $12,750 to Clay County Council on Aging, and $10,000 to CAASA.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists Donna Call as secretary, Suzi Harper as treasurer, and Kraig Kurger, William Muller, and Dakota York as board members.
United Way of Spencer's 2026 filing lists 5 officers; 1 of 5 officers listed in 2026 is compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Donna Call
Secretary
On filings since 2021
10 hrs/week
$10K (2021) → $10K (2026)
William Muller
Board Member
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dakota York
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kraig Kurger
Board Member
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Suzi Harper
Treasurer
On filings since 2025
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Randy Cauthron (2021–2025) — Board Member
- Former: Eric Monroe (2024–2025) — Board Member
- Former: Julie Weaver (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Levi Morris (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Dave Aalberts (2021–2023) — Board Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $10K, to Donna Call (Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about United Way of Spencer
How much does United Way of Spencer give each year?
United Way of Spencer gave $341K across 12 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. In 2025 it gave $665K across 11 grants.
What is United Way of Spencer's typical grant size?
United Way of Spencer's median grant in 2026 was $11,375, and its average grant was $28,417, across 12 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from United Way of Spencer that year got $12K on average.
Where does United Way of Spencer give grants?
United Way of Spencer gives mostly in Iowa: 84% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was District of Columbia (16%). The most frequent recipient cities were Spencer, IA (8 grants) and Sioux City, IA (2 grants).
Who are United Way of Spencer's largest grantees?
United Way of Spencer's largest 2026 grantees include Hartley Community Daycare ($166,000), American Red Cross ($55,000) and Upper Des Moines Opportunity ($30,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990. Together they received 74% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is United Way of Spencer?
United Way of Spencer reported $1.2M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $260K.
What does United Way of Spencer fund?
United Way of Spencer states that its mission is to distribute funds collected from the public in an organized manner through its annual fund drive. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from United Way of Spencer?
United Way of Spencer has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is United Way of Spencer's EIN?
United Way of Spencer's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 21-7188191. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS February 6, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS August 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 14, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS August 11, 2026)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS September 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS August 15, 2022)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). United Way of Spencer funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 5, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-spencer-morg_27e6089caf164429a5c7fff1d3d0d796
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_217188191_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{United Way of Spencer funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/united-way-of-spencer-morg_27e6089caf164429a5c7fff1d3d0d796},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-05. 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 United Way of Spencer'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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