Wolfe Cataract Foundation
Wolfe Cataract Foundation is a private foundation based in Marshalltown, Iowa. The Wolfe Foundation was established in 1936 by Otis R. Wolfe, founder of Wolfe Eye Clinic, to help people facing vision loss who otherwise could not afford treatment and to support ophthalmic education and research.
Wolfe Cataract Foundation at a glance
In short: Wolfe Cataract Foundation gave $73K across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $7K), mostly in Iowa. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $72,706
- -23.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- -16.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $7,271
- -8.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,210
- Total assets
- $494,402
- +1.8% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Iowa (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Wolfe Cataract Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The 2024 filing says applicants should mail the foundation a written summary naming the applicant and describing how the proposed grantee fits the restrictions in Form 990-PF, Part XV, line 2d. Entity applicants should include proof of 501(c)(3) public charity status; individual applicants should include proof of financial hardship. The filing lists Dave Moench as the contact.
- Contact
Application contact: Dave Moench
Mailing address: 305 E Church St, Marshalltown, IA 50158
Phone: (641) 754-6200
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wolfe Cataract Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was State University of Iowa Foundation ($49K). Together the top 9 received $72K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($314), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
46 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 46 grants of 46 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Iowa.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Wolfe Cataract Foundation gives
- Giving grew 80% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 122% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $14K (2020) to $95K (2023). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $73K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| State University of Iowa Foundation Iowa City, IA | Wolfe lecture foundation donation for equipment scholarships for university of Iowa residents. | $48,800 |
| Clinic Investments Cedar Rapids, IA | Indigent Patient Care | $4,563 |
| Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management West Des Moines, IA | Indingent Patient Care | $3,937 |
| Mercyone Cedar Falls Medical Center Cedar Falls, IA | Indigent Patient Care | $3,578 |
| Prevent Blindness Iowa Des Moines, IA | Indingent Patient Care | $3,500 |
| Linn County Anethesiologist Hiawatha, IA | Indigent Patient Care | $2,919 |
| Mercy One Des Moines, IA | Indigent Patient Care | $2,345 |
| The Ocular Octopus Iowa City, IA | Indigent Patient Care | $1,750 |
| Make-a-Wish Urbandale, IA | Make a wish. Child's request to get prostitc eye | $1,000 |
| 1 grant to individuals Recipients not named | — | $314 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $494,402 | $93,700 | $88,594 | $72,706 | 10 | $74,620 | $78,777 | $61,404 |
| 2023 | $485,489 | $82,111 | $109,121 | $95,213 | 12 | $96,988 | $64,588 | $54,751 |
| 2022 | $514,050 | $47,445 | $73,356 | $55,214 | 8 | $59,592 | $29,340 | $58,379 |
| 2021 | $553,775 | $39,370 | $54,755 | $40,385 | 7 | $42,534 | $24,005 | $54,309 |
| 2020 | $553,002 | $44,719 | $36,745 | $14,135 | 9 | — | $34,904 | $37,730 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wolfe Cataract Foundation reported a distributable amount of $61K for 2024 — 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 mission is to provide assistance and care to people facing loss of sight who otherwise could not afford treatment, and to support ophthalmic research and education. Its website describes assistance with glaucoma, retina and cornea diseases, glasses, and other eye expenses.
According to its 2024 filing, entity grants are restricted to 501(c)(3) public charities that provide one or more of the following: educational materials to the public about eye health care; education for physicians, surgeons and optometrists on diagnosing and treating cataracts, glaucoma and allied diseases; or aid to qualified individuals with impaired vision. The foundation also provides direct assistance to members of the public with impaired vision who can demonstrate significant financial hardship.
The largest 2024 grant went to the State University of Iowa Foundation. The grantee describes its mission as advancing the University of Iowa through engagement and philanthropy.
Grantmaking
The foundation reported 10 grants totaling $72,706 in 2024. Grant amounts ranged from $314 to $48,800, with a median of $3,210. It reported $95,213 across 12 grants in 2023 and $40,385 across 7 grants in 2021.
The largest 2024 award was $48,800 to the State University of Iowa Foundation for a Wolfe Lecture Foundation donation for equipment scholarships for University of Iowa residents. Other grants included $4,563 to Clinic Investments, $3,937 to Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management, $3,578 to MercyOne Cedar Falls Medical Center, and $3,500 to Prevent Blindness Iowa; their stated purposes related to indigent patient care. A $1,000 grant to Make-A-Wish was for a child’s request to get a prosthetic eye.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John M. Graether as president; James A. Davison as vice president; Peter Rhee as secretary/treasurer; and David D. Saggau and Paul S. Boeke as board members. It lists Dave Moench as CEO starting in November 2024 and Eric Lothe as CEO through October 2024.
Wolfe Cataract Foundation is led by Dave Moench, CEO Started Nov since 2024 (on filings since 2023); none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Dave Moench
CEO Started Nov
CFO Started May → CEO Started Nov, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Eric Lothe
CEO
CEO Started Dec → CEO, 2024
On filings since 2023
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John M. Graether
President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David D. Saggau
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
James A. Davison
Vice President
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Paul S. Boeke
Board Member
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Peter Rhee
Secretary & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Luke Bland (2021–2023) — CFO
- Former: Tom Hurney (2021–2023) — CEO
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "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 Wolfe Cataract Foundation
How much does Wolfe Cataract Foundation give each year?
Wolfe Cataract Foundation gave $73K across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $95K across 12 grants.
What is Wolfe Cataract Foundation's typical grant size?
Wolfe Cataract Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $3,210, and its average grant was $7,271, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Wolfe Cataract Foundation give grants?
Wolfe Cataract Foundation gives mostly in Iowa: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Iowa City, IA (2 grants) and Des Moines, IA (2 grants).
Does Wolfe Cataract Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Wolfe Cataract Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Indigent Patient Care" (6 grants).
Who are Wolfe Cataract Foundation's largest grantees?
Wolfe Cataract Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include State University of Iowa Foundation ($48,800), Clinic Investments ($4,563) and Metro Anesthesia & Pain Management ($3,937), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($314), which are not listed by name. Together they received 79% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Wolfe Cataract Foundation?
Wolfe Cataract Foundation reported $494K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $75K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $61K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Wolfe Cataract Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated mission is to provide assistance and care to people facing loss of sight who otherwise could not afford treatment, and to support ophthalmic research and education. Its website describes assistance with glaucoma, retina and cornea diseases, glasses, and other eye expenses. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wolfe Cataract Foundation?
The 2024 filing says applicants should mail the foundation a written summary naming the applicant and describing how the proposed grantee fits the restrictions in Form 990-PF, Part XV, line 2d. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wolfe Cataract Foundation's EIN?
Wolfe Cataract Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 42-6063935. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 15, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 1, 2022)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS July 31, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 25, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 23, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wolfe Cataract Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 17, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wolfe-cataract-foundation-morg_7f273d05c1044ca998e24f631df208b4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_426063935_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wolfe Cataract Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wolfe-cataract-foundation-morg_7f273d05c1044ca998e24f631df208b4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-17. 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 Wolfe Cataract 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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