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Wapello County Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Ottumwa, IA EIN: 42-1212642 Website

The Wapello County Foundation is a private foundation based in Ottumwa, Iowa, that supports nonprofit organizations and governmental entities serving Wapello County residents. Its stated purpose is to enhance quality of life and community development in the county.

Wapello County Foundation at a glance

In short: Wapello County Foundation gave $76K across 11 grants in 2026 (avg $7K), mostly in Iowa. 45% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2026)
$76,031
+25.5% vs 2025
Grants made (2026)
11
+57.1% vs 2025
Average grant
$6,912
-20.1% vs 2025
Median grant
$4,770
Total assets
$1,635,025
+14.0% vs 2025
New grantees (estimate)
45% first-time grantees (5 of 11, 2026; small sample)
Primary geography
Iowa (100% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).

How to apply to Wapello County Foundation

How to Apply

The foundation’s guidelines state that eligible applicants are IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and governmental entities serving Wapello County residents. Applications may be submitted online or at South Ottumwa Savings Bank. Materials listed include proof of nonprofit status, governing-body endorsement when applicable, a project budget, and the organization’s most recent balance sheet and profit-and-loss statement. The 2025 filing instructions also request a project description, a profile of people to be assisted, a continuation plan for ongoing projects, and the names of organizations providing similar services. Grants are for 12 months, and a follow-up is due July 1 after project completion.

Review Cycle
The website’s guidelines state that applications are accepted until August 31, with grants announced later in the fall. August 31, 2026, has passed.
Deadline
The website’s guidelines state that applications are accepted until August 31, with grants announced later in the fall.
Contact

Application contact: Wapello County Foundation
Mailing address: South Ottumwa Savings Bank, 320 Church St PO Box 516, Ottumwa, IA 52501
Phone: (641) 682-7541
Website: https://wapellofoundation.org

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

Who Wapello County Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2026

Indian Hills Community College FNDT: $25KIndian Hills Community CollegeFNDT$25KAmerican Gothic Performing Arts: $13KAmerican Gothic PerformingArts$13KOttumwa Little League: $10KOttumwa Little League$10KOttumwa Comm Thanksgiving Dinner: $9KOttumwa Comm ThanksgivingDinner$9KBlakesburg Historical Preservation: $5KBlakesburg HistoricalPreservation$5KEldon Depot Committee Inc: $5KEldon Depot Committee Inc$5KOttumwa Civic Music Association: $3KOttumwa Civic MusicAssociation$3KSoutheast Iowa Symphony Orchestra: $3KSoutheast Iowa SymphonyOrchestra$3KIowa Legal Aid: $2KIowa Legal Aid$2KIowa Historical Foundation: $2KIowa Historical Foundation$2K

The largest 2026 recipient was Indian Hills Community College FNDT ($25K). Together the top 10 received $75K.

Grant Size Distribution

52 grants across all recorded years

51<$50K1$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 51 grants of 52 (98%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation’s website limits eligible projects to Wapello County. Its 2025 filing describes the geographic restriction as Wapello County and its vicinity. All grant dollars reported for filing year 2026 went to recipients in Iowa.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 11 itemized grants.

Cities

OttumwaEldonMt PleasantDes MoinesEddyvilleAgencyBlakesburgFargoHiawatha

Is Wapello County Foundation open to new grantees?

45%

first-time grantees, 2026

In 2026, 5 of 11 grantees (45%) were first-time recipients. With only 11 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 9 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $6K. How we count

Medians: $5K first-time, $6K repeat.

  • 45% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
  • Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (+12%). Method
  • In 2026 it paid out 100% 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 (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

$0$50K$100K$150K8 grants2021 11 grants2022 9 grants2023 14 grants2024 7 grants2025 11 grants2026

From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $59K (2024) to $125K (2022). In 2026 it made 11 grants totaling $76K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Indian Hills Community College FNDT Ottumwa, IAEducation$25,000
American Gothic Performing Arts Ottumwa, IACommunity Good$12,500
Ottumwa Little League Ottumwa, IAFacilities for Recreation$9,758
Ottumwa Comm Thanksgiving Dinner Ottumwa, IACommunity Good$9,000
Blakesburg Historical Preservation Blakesburg, IACommunity Good$5,397
Eldon Depot Committee Inc Eldon, IACommunity Good$4,770
Ottumwa Civic Music Association Ottumwa, IACommunity Good$3,000
Southeast Iowa Symphony Orchestra Mt Pleasant, IACommunity Good$2,500
Iowa Legal Aid Ottumwa, IACommunity Good$1,606
Iowa Historical Foundation Des Moines, IACommunity Good$1,500
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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
2026$1,635,025$289,536$89,070$76,03111$76,031$75,314$76,211
2025$1,434,858$181,441$74,618$60,5917$60,591$52,683$75,812
2024$1,327,834$52,367$71,485$58,92814$58,928$33,207$58,243
2023$1,346,963$116,280$81,799$67,6399$67,639$99,570$58,448
2022$1,312,465$164,453$138,034$125,12011$125,120$136,261$68,639
2021$1,285,973$90,377$76,376$65,3468—$52,504$66,964

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wapello County Foundation reported a distributable amount of $76K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation’s stated purpose is to enhance the quality of life for people in Wapello County. Its listed priorities include community projects, education, recreation facilities, scientific research, care for people in need as recommended by existing agencies, and medical care and treatment.

Its 2026 grants included support for organizations whose own stated missions span different activities. American Gothic Performing Arts describes its work as presenting musical theater and offering musical training and performance opportunities. Iowa Legal Aid says it provides free legal help to protect housing, safety, and income. The Iowa Historical Foundation describes its mission as promoting the preservation and interpretation of Iowa history for public benefit and education.

Grantmaking

In filing year 2026, the foundation reported 11 grants totaling $76,031. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $25,000, with a median of $4,770. The largest awards included $25,000 to Indian Hills Community College Foundation for education, $12,500 to American Gothic Performing Arts for community good, $9,758 to Ottumwa Little League for recreation facilities, and $9,000 to Ottumwa Community Thanksgiving Dinner for community good.

The foundation’s website separately announced $216,838.99 to 15 beneficiaries for its 2025–2026 grant cycle, after receiving and reviewing 23 applications. The listed recipients include Cardinal Community School District Scholarship, American Home Finding Association, Blakesburg Historical Preservation Society, Eldon Depot Committee, iJAG, Seton Catholic School, and several organizations also listed among the 2026 filing-year grants.

The foundation’s website excludes normal ongoing or operating expenses, religious activities or expenses, individual applications, political activities, fundraising events and activities, re-granting to other nonprofits, and projects outside Wapello County.

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2026 filing lists Andrew Woodard as president; William Reece as vice president; Dianne Haas as secretary/treasurer; and Lori Yates, Mark Altfillisch, Kathy Sorak, Paul Zingg, Dusty Stewart, Mark Orman, and Josh Vanness as directors.

Wapello County Foundation is led by Andrew Woodard, President since 2022 (on filings since 2021); none of the 10 officers listed in 2026 report compensation.

Officers on the 2026 filing

  • Andrew Woodard

    President

    Director → President, 2022

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

  • Josh Vanness

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

  • Lori Yates

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Altfillisch

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

  • Paul Zingg

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

  • Kathy Sorak

    Director

    On filings since 2022

    No compensation reported

  • Dusty Stewart

    Director

    On filings since 2025

    No compensation reported

  • Mark Orman

    Director

    On filings since 2025

    No compensation reported

  • Dianne Haas

    Secretary & Treasurer

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

  • William Reece

    Vice President

    Director → Vice President, 2025

    On filings since 2021

    No compensation reported

Former officers (2)
  • Former: Charles Kiple (2021–2024) — Vice President
  • Former: Gary Yates (2021–2024) — Director

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.

Frequently asked questions about Wapello County Foundation

How much does Wapello County Foundation give each year?

Wapello County Foundation gave $76K across 11 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $61K across 7 grants.

What is Wapello County Foundation's typical grant size?

Wapello County Foundation's median grant in 2026 was $4,770, and its average grant was $6,912, across 11 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wapello County Foundation that year got $8K on average.

Where does Wapello County Foundation give grants?

Wapello County Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Ottumwa, IA (6 grants) and Eldon, IA (2 grants).

Does Wapello County Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2026: none of the 11 grants with a stated purpose on Wapello County Foundation's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Good" (8 grants).

Who are Wapello County Foundation's largest grantees?

Wapello County Foundation's largest 2026 grantees include Indian Hills Community College FNDT ($25,000), American Gothic Performing Arts ($12,500) and Ottumwa Little League ($9,758), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.

How large is Wapello County Foundation?

Wapello County Foundation reported $1.6M in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $76K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $76K (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 Wapello County Foundation fund?

The foundation’s stated purpose is to enhance the quality of life for people in Wapello County. Its listed priorities include community projects, education, recreation facilities, scientific research, care for people in need as recommended by existing agencies, and medical care and treatment. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Wapello County Foundation?

The foundation’s guidelines state that eligible applicants are IRS-approved 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations and governmental entities serving Wapello County residents. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Wapello County Foundation's EIN?

Wapello County Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-1212642. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.

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

Data update history

(7)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 11, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 22, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 30, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS July 25, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 24, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 16, 2026)
  7. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025

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Funders that support many of the same organizations

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Black Hawk County Gaming Association

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Cite this profile

Grantable. (2026). Wapello County Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wapello-county-foundation-morg_e87b1ecb5cc743f7aa4c25ebd637cf0f

BibTeX
@misc{grantable_421212642_2026,
  author       = {{Grantable}},
  title        = {{Wapello County Foundation funder profile}},
  howpublished = {GrantGraph},
  year         = {2026},
  url          = {https://grantable.co/funders/wapello-county-foundation-morg_e87b1ecb5cc743f7aa4c25ebd637cf0f},
  note         = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Wapello County 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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