Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa
Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization headquartered in Des Moines, Iowa. Founded in 1937, the organization is dedicated to improving the lives of children throughout Iowa who are underprivileged, at-risk, critically ill, or living with special needs. Since 1975, Variety has raised more than $134 million to support Iowa's children.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$7.0M
+32.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$4.1M
+44.4% YoY
Grant Count
63
-7.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$65K
+55.8% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
Variety's mission is to improve the lives of children in Iowa who are underprivileged, at-risk, critically ill, or living with special needs through funding for capital projects, essential medical equipment, and special programs.
The organization operates through several primary program areas:
Grant & Van Program for Nonprofits: Annual grants to children's nonprofits across Iowa for programs and tangible items aligned with Variety's mission. Applications open in mid-March and close the Friday before Memorial Day.
Specialized Mobility Program: Provides adaptive bicycles, gait trainers, mobile standers, specialized strollers, and other mobility equipment to families in need. Applications are processed through children's physical or occupational therapists.
Compassion Fund: Enables frontline social workers to identify immediate financial needs and distribute funds to families of critically ill children at partner hospitals in central and eastern Iowa, including Blank Children's Hospital, ChildServe, Mary Greeley Medical Center, MercyOne Des Moines, Mercy Medical Center, and UnityPoint Health – St. Luke's Hospital.
All-Inclusive Playgrounds: Provides playgrounds designed for children of all abilities to play together and foster friendship.
Hospital Partnership Programs: Partners with Iowa hospitals to help critically ill children and their families by providing comfort, care, and fulfilling immediate financial needs.
Grantmaking
Variety makes grants to qualified agencies throughout Iowa. Recent grant activity includes:
Review Cycle
. All funds raised in Iowa stay in Iowa.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Variety funds organizations and programs throughout the state of Iowa, with particular emphasis on central and eastern Iowa regions where hospital partnerships are established.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Most Recent (2024)
- Total Revenue: $6,223,654
- Total Expenses: $6,151,903
- Total Assets: $7,041,948
- Employees: 8
Prior Year (2023)
- Total Revenue: $4,301,115
- Total Expenses: $4,063,003
- Total Assets: $5,308,168
- Employees: 9
Overall Impact
- Since 1975, Variety has raised more than $134 million to support Iowa's children
The organization holds a 97% rating and Four-Star designation based on its accountability and financial practices. Variety is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit with EIN 42-6077108, tax-exempt since November 1965. Donations are tax-deductible.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $7,041,948 | $5,308,168 | $5,073,530 |
| Revenue | $6,223,654 | $4,301,115 | $4,223,560 |
| Expenses | $6,151,903 | $4,063,003 | $3,575,003 |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | $296,587 | $141,732 | $30,276 |
| 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
100 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa
Compassion Fund
VARIETY - THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY OF IOWA
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Mobility Equipment Program
VARIETY - THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY OF IOWA
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Traditional Bikes Program
VARIETY - THE CHILDREN'S CHARITY OF IOWA
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Childserve ($713,850), Ellipsis ($300,000), Ellipsis ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| AMERICAN HOME FINDING ASSOCIATION OTTUMWA, IA | SHELTER FACILITY IMPROVEMENTS | $23,500 |
| ASAP THE AFTER SCHOOL ARTS PROGRAM DES MOINES, IA | FREE ARTS PROGRAMS SUPPLIES | $13,000 |
| BEST BUDDIES IN IOWA DES MOINES, IA | FRIENDSHIP BALL | $10,000 |
| BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF CENTRAL IOWA CLIVE, IA | YOUTH MENTORING CENTER GAME ROOM FURNISHINGS | $20,000 |
| BLEEDING DISORDERS OF THE HEARTLAND DURANT, IA | CAMP FEES, COUNSELORS/MEDICAL STAFF, MEDICAL SUPPLIES | $15,400 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF CENTRAL IOWA DES MOINES, IA | TRANSFORMATION OF A CLUB ROOM INTO A STEAM CENTER | $20,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF SIOUXLAND SIOUX CITY, IA | EQUIPMENT FOR EXERGAME PROGRAMMING | $15,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF STORY COUNTY AMES, IA | REMODEL AND EXPANSION OF ROOFING AND SHEET METAL SECTION | $75,000 |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER DUBUQUE DUBUQUE, IA | REDESIGNED GAME ROOM WITH SPECIALIZED FURNITURE | $20,145 |
| CAMP FIRE HEART OF IOWA DES MOINES, IA | SCHOLARSHIP ASSISTANCE FOR UNDERSERVED AND MINORITY YOUTH | $20,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
- Wendy Ingham: Executive Director
- Alexa Lord: Director of Programs
- Kevin Culver: Board Member
- Jessica Hupp: Board Member
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SHERI MCMICHAEL | FORMER EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 50 | $146,427 |
| WENDY INGHAM | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR (START MAY '24) | 50 | — |
| DANNY BEYER | PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| KATIE STULL | VP OPERATIONS | 5 | — |
| STUART RUDDY | VP MARKETING | 5 | — |
| MATT DAVIS | VP DEVELOPMENT | 5 | — |
| TOM TRIPLETT | VP FINANCE | 5 | — |
| POLLY LONEMAN | IMMEDIATE PAST PRESIDENT | 5 | — |
| DAVID ADAMS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KATHY ANDERSON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LISA BAKER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DOUG BEECH | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| MIKE BREWINGTON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| NICK CALLISON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KENNY CHASTEN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| CHRISTINA COOPER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| LIZ CUMPTON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| HEATHER DAYTON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KIM HEGEDUS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| AARON JONES | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| DAN KOSTER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TODD LANTZ | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JENICA LENSMEYER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOSH LOEFFLER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ABBY MCCONAUGHHAY | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOE MILNES | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| TOM NUCARO | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| GABE OLSON | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JON PHILLIPS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| RYAN ROBERTS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| PAIGE ROTH | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| GAVIN SCROGGIN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JOE SHERIDAN | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| KEVIN SHERLOCK | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| ROSS TAETS | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| JASON WEGNER | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| NANCY WILES | MEMBER | 1 | — |
| BRET WILTSE | MEMBER | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
Variety has continued active grantmaking to support children's organizations across Iowa. Recent grant recipients include Boys and Girls Clubs of Central Iowa, Shoes That Fit (which received $30,000), and MercyOne Central Iowa (which received more than $125,000). The organization also awarded grants to the Iowa Healthiest State Initiative.
Variety - the Children\u2019s Charity awards more than $125,000 to MercyOne\Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa fund?
Variety's mission is to improve the lives of children in Iowa who are underprivileged, at-risk, critically ill, or living with special needs through funding for capital projects, essential medical equipment, and special programs. The organization operates through several primary program areas: • **Grant & Van Program for Nonprofits**: Annual grants to children's nonprofits across Iowa for programs and tangible items aligned with Variety's mission. Applications open in mid-March and close the Fr…
How do I apply for a grant from Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa?
Variety makes grants to qualified agencies throughout Iowa. Recent grant activity includes: • **2024**: $713,850 to ChildServe Foundation for Des Moines Center Construction • **2023**: $306,713 to UnityPoint Health-Des Moines Foundation for Reynolds Family NICU Project The organization supported 102 nonprofits throughout Iowa in recent grant cycles. All funds raised in Iowa stay in Iowa.
Where does Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa make grants?
Variety funds organizations and programs throughout the state of Iowa, with particular emphasis on central and eastern Iowa regions where hospital partnerships are established.
What size grants does Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa award?
In 2024, Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa awarded 63 grants totaling $4.1M — an average of about $65K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
What is Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa's EIN?
Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6077108. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Variety - the Children's Charity of Iowa's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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