Walden Charitable Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Arnolds Park, IA EIN: 82-3195023

Walden Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Arnolds Park, Iowa. Its 2025 filing states that requests must support charitable and educational causes and organizations.

Walden Charitable Foundation at a glance

In short: Walden Charitable Foundation gave $183K across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$183,000
+44.1% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
23
+35.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$7,957
+6.5% vs 2024
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$2,399,182
-5.4% vs 2024
Primary geography
Iowa (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.

How to apply to Walden Charitable Foundation

How to Apply

The 2025 filing lists C B Kitty Conover as the contact, states that there is no standard form, and says requests must support charitable and educational causes and organizations. It also states that giving is not restricted to preselected organizations.

Contact

Application contact: C B Kitty Conover
Mailing address: 1215 Grand Avenue, Spencer, IA 51301
Phone: (712) 580-4101

Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Who Walden Charitable Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

River's Edge Methodist Church: $30KRiver's Edge Methodist Church$30KSpencer Regional Healthcare Foundation: $15KSpencer Regional HealthcareFoundation$15KAtlas of Spencer: $13KAtlas of Spencer$13KAtlas of Lakes Area: $13KAtlas of Lakes Area$13KCreston Area Food Pantry: $13KCreston Area Food Pantry$13KLutheran Lakeside Camp: $12KLutheran Lakeside Camp$12KCreston Area Food Shelf DBA Creston Food Pantry Inc: $11KCreston Area Food Shelf DBACreston Food Pantry Inc$11KTri County Food Pantry: $10KTri County Food Pantry$10KDickinson County Hunger Coalition: $10KDickinson County HungerCoalition$10KMorningside University: $8KMorningside University$8K

The largest 2025 recipient was River's Edge Methodist Church ($30K). Together the top 10 received $134K.

Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name.

Grant Size Distribution

90 grants across all recorded years

90<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 90 grants of 90 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Iowa. The listed grants include recipients in Arnolds Park, Creston, Sioux City, Spencer, Spirit Lake, and What Cheer, Iowa.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.

States

Cities

SpencerSpirit LakeCrestonSioux CitySioux CenterArnolds ParkMilfordOrientSigourneyDes MoinesLemarsOmahaWebsterIda GroveUrbandaleWhat CheerAnkenyCliveEsthervilleFort Dodge

How Walden Charitable Foundation gives

  • 65% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 62% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 148% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). 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

$0$50K$100K$150K$200K34 grants2020 5 grants2021 18 grants2022 27 grants2023 17 grants2024 23 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $30K (2021) to $183K (2025). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $183K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
River's Edge Methodist Church Spencer, IAUpper des moines kits for homeless individuals. Childcare center. Caasa kits for adults and children needing emergency supplies.$30,000
Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation Spencer, IABehavioral health unit adding a second security room for mental health patients$15,000
Atlas of Spencer Spencer, IAFunds to cover salaries, staff training, emergency funds, and homeless help$13,000
Atlas of Lakes Area Arnolds Park, IAFunds to Pay for Staffing and Benevolence.$13,000
Creston Area Food Pantry Creston, IAFood Pantry 150 Households Weekly$12,500
Lutheran Lakeside Camp Spirit Lake, IAProvide foster kids a week at camp and captial campaign to replace/repair water/sewer issues$12,000
Creston Area Food Shelf DBA Creston Food Pantry Inc Creston, IAPre-k-12 grade backpack program, shut in bags and weekend bags for college students, holiday baskets for easter & christmas$10,500
1 grant to individuals Recipients not named —$10,000
Tri County Food Pantry What Cheer, IAFood pantry 70-100 families 2x/month, school pantry serves 50-60 kids per month, school snack cabinets$10,000
Dickinson County Hunger Coalition Spirit Lake, IA$5000 covers the cost of food for one month, working to take some food to terrill as well as their milford location$10,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsNet Investment IncomeDistributable Amount
2025$2,399,182$65,750$203,587$183,00023$184,050$55,406$124,330
2024$2,537,019$501,088$137,693$127,00017$128,030$366,425$110,316
2023$2,173,624$197,474$108,734$107,00027$108,250$47,474$99,963
2022$2,084,884$328,368$122,615$112,65018$113,850$119,907$91,590
2021$2,105,143$320,531$30,700$29,5005$30,700$70,531$97,223
2020$1,815,312$515,585$76,903$69,50034—$11,243$73,208

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Walden Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $124K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported organizations and projects involving food assistance, housing and emergency support, health care, education, and other community needs.

The grantees describe their own work in varied terms. Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation says it supports health care technologies and programs in the region served by Spencer Municipal Hospital. Creston Area Food Pantry Inc says it provides food and necessities to people who cannot afford them. Love Takes Root Inc describes charitable, educational, and humanitarian support for children in the developing world and says its current project addresses basic needs at an orphanage in Haiti. Morningside University describes its educational experience as cultivating lifelong learning, ethical leadership, and civic responsibility. Family Crisis Centers Inc says it supports people facing violence with safety, support, and hope.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation awarded 23 grants totaling $183,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $30,000, with a median of $5,000.

Among the larger 2025 grants were $30,000 to River’s Edge Methodist Church for emergency supplies, a childcare center, and kits for homeless individuals; $15,000 to Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation for a second security room in its behavioral health unit; and $13,000 each to Atlas of Spencer and Atlas of Lakes Area for staffing and related support. Other notable awards included $12,500 to Creston Area Food Pantry, $12,000 to Lutheran Lakeside Camp, and $10,000 each to Creston Area Food Shelf DBA Creston Food Pantry Inc, an individual recipient, Tri County Food Pantry, and Dickinson County Hunger Coalition.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Kitty Shean Conover as director and president; Cornelius B Conover IV as director; Cornelius B Conover V as director and vice-president; Nicole K Steele as director and secretary; Brandon J Conover as director; and Joseph W Conover as director and treasurer.

Walden Charitable Foundation is led by Kitty Shean Conover, Director & President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Kitty Shean Conover

    Director & President

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brandon J. Conover

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cornelius B. Conover IV

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cornelius B. Conover V

    Director & Vice President

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Joseph W. Conover

    Director & Treasurer

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nicole K. Steele

    Director & Secretary

    On filings since 2020

    0.1 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about Walden Charitable Foundation

How much does Walden Charitable Foundation give each year?

Walden Charitable Foundation gave $183K across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $127K across 17 grants.

What is Walden Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?

Walden Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $7,957, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Walden Charitable Foundation give grants?

Walden Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Spencer, IA (8 grants), Spirit Lake, IA (3 grants), Creston, IA (2 grants) and Arnolds Park, IA (2 grants).

Does Walden Charitable Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on Walden Charitable Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.

Who are Walden Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?

Walden Charitable Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include River's Edge Methodist Church ($30,000), Spencer Regional Healthcare Foundation ($15,000) and Atlas of Spencer ($13,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($10,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Walden Charitable Foundation?

Walden Charitable Foundation reported $2.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $184K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $124K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Walden Charitable Foundation fund?

No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants supported organizations and projects involving food assistance, housing and emergency support, health care, education, and other community needs. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Walden Charitable Foundation?

The 2025 filing lists C B Kitty Conover as the contact, states that there is no standard form, and says requests must support charitable and educational causes and organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Walden Charitable Foundation's EIN?

Walden Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 82-3195023. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

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

Data update history

(6)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 10, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 16, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Walden Charitable Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/walden-charitable-foundation-morg_24ebb2606b3e4990a74550c9191c09bd

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_823195023_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Walden Charitable Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/walden-charitable-foundation-morg_24ebb2606b3e4990a74550c9191c09bd},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Walden Charitable Foundation'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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