In partnership with state and federal government, our mission is to administer programs designed to help residents in our 10-county region of southwest iowa achieve self-sufficiency.

501(c)(3) charity; gifts are tax-deductible.
97¢ of each $1 spent went to programs.
$181K paid to officers and key staff.
Mission: Form 990 Part I, line 1 · Status: IRS Pub. 78 · Programs: Part IX · Pay: Part VII

Before you give

FY2021 · Form 990Independent: from IRS data, not the org
Download 990
IRS status
501(c)(3)
not on the IRS revocation list
Looks good: listed by the IRS and not on the revocation list.
IRS BMF · Auto-Revocation List
Tax-deductible gifts
Yes
Donations are tax-deductible
Looks good: the IRS lists gifts to it as deductible.
IRS Pub. 78 · IRS BMF
Latest return
FY2025
latest Form 990
Looks good: the latest return is for FY2025, 1 tax year back; within 2 tax years.
IRS e-file · Filing history
Surplus or deficit
6 of 6
filings with a surplus
Average surplus $191K a year · 1% of revenue · last 6 filings
Looks good: a surplus in 6 of the last 6 filings.
Pt I · Ln 19 · 6 filings
Spent on programs
97%
of spending
Looks good: 97% of spending went to programs; 75% or more.
Pt IX · Ln 25 · col B
Pay to officers and key staff
$181K
to officers and key staff · 1% of spending
Looks good: pay to officers and key staff is 1% of spending; 15% or less.
Pt VII · Sec A
2 mo
of spending, in cash
Fine: 1.6 months of spending in cash; 1 to 3.
Pt X · Ln 1–2 · Pt I · Ln 18
Named funders
5
named funders · $411K
Looks good: 5 funders name it on their filings; 3 or more.
Funders’ Sch. I, 990-PF
Liabilities
$3.0M
47% of total assets
Looks good: liabilities are 47% of assets; 50% or less.
Pt X · Ln 26
Independent board members
24
of 24 voting members
Looks good: 24 of 24 voting members are independent, a majority.
Pt VI · Ln 1a–1b
Looks goodFineWorth a lookConcernNo data yetTap a box for the reason.
Revenue
$15.0M
+1% vs prior year
Spent
$14.7M
To programs
97%
Net assets
$3.4M
By yearFY2020–FY2025
Revenue
$15.0M
FY2021▲ +1%
Tap a bar for its year
Revenue by fiscal year
FY2020$14.8M
FY2021$15.0M
FY2022$18.3M
FY2023$15.8M
FY2024$14.6M
FY2025$14.0M
Expenses
$14.7M
FY2021+0.3%
Tap a bar for its year
Expenses by fiscal year
FY2020$14.7M
FY2021$14.7M
FY2022$18.2M
FY2023$15.7M
FY2024$14.5M
FY2025$13.5M
Net assets
$3.4M
FY2021▲ +8%
Tap a bar for its year
Net assets by fiscal year
FY2020$3.1M
FY2021$3.4M
FY2022$3.5M
FY2023$3.6M
FY2024$3.7M
FY2025$4.2M

From the FY2021 Form 990 (year ending September 2021) · figures checked against the IRS filing · see the original

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You’re viewing the FY2021 filing — not the latest on file. See the latest (FY2025) →

Is it real?

Yes. Never revoked by the IRS. Latest filing on record: FY2025. IRS ruling in Jun 1966.

IRS Pub. 78 · IRS Auto-Revocation List · IRS Business Master File

Where the money goes

97 cents of each dollar spent went to programs.

Program services 97% · $14.2M Management & general 3% · $483K

Form 990 Part IX, line 25, columns B–D. Every line is in By the numbers.

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Who runs it and what they're paid

26 people listed on the 990; $181K paid to officers and key staff.

Part VII, Section A · reportable compensation · most recent filed roster (FY2020); the FY2021 filing did not itemize Part VII
Chief Executive Officer
$99,684Pt VII · Sec A
Chief Financial Officer
$80,891Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A
Director
$0Pt VII · Sec A

Wendy Mueller’s $122K as Chief Executive Officer is at the 9th percentile of top reported officer pay among 3122 $10–100M human services nonprofits. Peer set: organizations in the same NTEE major field of work and revenue-size band, compared on each org’s own highest-paid officer/key-employee, from Form 990 Part VII / 990-PF Part VIII. Descriptive placement, not a verdict on whether the pay is appropriate.

Compensation history total reportable pay by year · 2 named individuals · Part VII

NameFY2025FY2024FY2023FY2022FY2021FY2020
Wendy Mueller$122,086$116,116$110,946$104,581$99,684$96,970
Keith Bruck$104,311$97,450$95,118$90,843$80,891$75,816

Total reportable compensation (Form 990 Part VII column D / Schedule J column E) by filing year, matched by name within this organization. The Schedule J base / bonus / deferred breakdown is not parsed into this dataset.

See West Central Community Action executive salaries →

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Questions the 990 asks

The form asks each of these directly. These are the filed answers.

  • Family or business ties among officersPt VI · Ln 2No
  • Top official's pay set by an independent reviewPt VI · Ln 15aYes

Programs and updates

Administers programs to help Southwest Iowa residents achieve self-sufficiency.

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Provided by the organization

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3 programs · $9.1M · in their own filed words · FY2020
01

Head Start / Early Head Start

Provides a comprehensive early childhood development program serving predominantly low-income children from birth to age five and their families.

$4.6Mprogram expense
02

Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (liheap)

Provides assistance to qualifying low-income households in paying their heating costs.

$3.5Mprogram expense
03

Cacfp Homes

Promotes good nutrition, positive eating habits and attitudes for children in registered family and group day care homes by providing meal cost reimbursement following training, SAFETY/SANITATION inspections, nutritional consultation and menu reviews.

$907Kprogram expense

Funders

Who pays for it.

From grant filings on record. Receipts are incomplete: individual donors are never listed.

Grants

Schedule I · received and paid
Grants received · FY2024
Promise PartnersFY2024$184K
Total grants receivedfrom 5 funders$411K
See all 5 funders →
Grants paid · 89 grants · $36.5M · 2019–2024
Unitemized GrantFY2024$1,958,537
Unitemized GrantFY2024$719,645
Unitemized GrantFY2024$694,246
Unitemized GrantFY2024$518,360
Unitemized GrantFY2024$165,690
Unitemized GrantFY2024$162,090
Unitemized GrantFY2024$152,533
Unitemized GrantFY2024$66,020
Unitemized GrantFY2024$50,932
Unitemized GrantFY2024$26,500
Unitemized GrantFY2024$25,361
Unitemized GrantFY2024$10,000
Unitemized GrantFY2024$4,876
Unitemized GrantFY2024$50
Unitemized GrantFY2023$2,662,421
Unitemized GrantFY2023$685,364
Unitemized GrantFY2023$602,229
Unitemized GrantFY2023$584,343
See all 89 grants →

By the numbers

The FY2021 990, line by line.

1The main four
Money inPt VIII
$15.0M
Ln 12
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.0M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$948K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Money outPt IX
$14.7M
Ln 25
Programscol B$14.2M
Managementcol C$483K
Owns and owesPt X
$3.4M
net assets · Ln 32
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$2.0M
Total assetsLn 16$6.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.0M
PeoplePt VI, VII
26
listed · VII A
PaidVII A2
Voting boardVI 1a24
IndependentVI 1b24
2In more detail
Revenue in detailPt VIII
Gifts and grantsLn 1h$14.0M
Government grantsLn 1e$13.8M
Fees for servicesLn 2g$948K
Investment incomeLn 3$3K
Gains on assetsLn 7$1K
Total revenueLn 12$15.0M
Assets in detailPt X, end of year
CashLn 1$1.6M
SavingsLn 2$359K
Cash and savings togetherLn 1–2$2.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.1M
Other assetsLn 15$546K
Total assetsLn 16$6.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$3.0M
Net assetsLn 32$3.4M
OperationsPt I, VI
EmployeesI 5139
VolunteersI 61,803
Fiscal year endsHeaderSeptember
Conflict-of-interest policyVI 12aYes
Whistleblower policyVI 13Yes
Records policyVI 14Yes
3Year over year
Balance sheet, start vs end of yearPt X · col A, B
LineStart FY21End FY21
Cash and savingsLn 1–2$1.7M$2.0M
Land, buildings, equipmentLn 10c$2.1M$2.1M
Total assetsLn 16$5.1M$6.4M
LiabilitiesLn 26$2.0M$3.0M
Net assetsLn 32$3.1M$3.4M
4Every line
Statement of functional expensesPt IX · every line
LineTotalProgramsManagementFundraising
Grants to domestic individualsLn 2$5.6M$5.6M
Pay of current officers, directors and key staffLn 5$181K$181K
Other salaries and wagesLn 7$4.3M$4.0M$226K
Pension plan contributionsLn 8$378K$341K$37K
Other employee benefitsLn 9$921K$867K$54K
Advertising and promotionLn 12$11K$11K$20
Office expensesLn 13$811K$682K$129K
OccupancyLn 16$640K$570K$71K
TravelLn 17$58K$54K$4K
InterestLn 20$23K$17K$6K
Depreciation, depletion and amortizationLn 22$182K$111K$72K
InsuranceLn 23$82K$61K$21K
Other expenses (24a–d)Ln 24$1.5M$1.8M−$325K
All other expensesLn 24e$61K$53K$8K
Total functional expensesLn 25$14.7M$14.2M$483K$0

Filing history

YearMoney inMoney outIn minus outNet assetsDownload
FY2025 Latest $14.0M$13.5M$414K$4.2M 990 PDF
FY2024 $14.6M$14.5M$127K$3.7M 990 PDF
FY2023 $15.8M$15.7M$111K$3.6M 990 PDF
FY2022 $18.3M$18.2M$136K$3.5M 990 PDF
FY2021 Viewing $15.0M$14.7M$263K$3.4M 990 PDF
FY2020 $14.8M$14.7M$93K$3.1M 990 PDF

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Schedules filed Part IV

III · Programs R · Related orgs G · Fundraising L · Interested persons I · Grants A · Public support O · Explanations
See the full FY2021 990 (6 parts)
Part I · Summary $14,975,382 revenue, 12 lines filed
I-8 Contributions and grantsPrior year $14,098,112$14,023,790
I-9 Program service revenuePrior year $652,415$948,258
I-10 Investment incomePrior year $5,194$3,334
I-11 Other revenuePrior year $0$0
I-12 Total revenuePrior year $14,755,721$14,975,382
I-13 Grants and similar amounts paidPrior year $4,983,060$5,607,414
I-14 Benefits paid to membersPrior year $0$0
I-15 Salaries and benefitsPrior year $6,299,412$5,747,707
I-16a Professional fundraising feesPrior year $0$0
I-17 Other expensesPrior year $3,380,431$3,357,328
I-18 Total expensesPrior year $14,662,903$14,712,449
I-19 Revenue less expensesPrior year $92,818$262,933
Part VI · Governance 24 of 24 board members independent, no flags
VI-1a Voting members of the governing body24
VI-1b Independent voting members24
VI-2 Family or business relationship among officers or directorsNo
VI-12a Written conflict of interest policyYes
VI-13 Written whistleblower policyYes
VI-14 Document retention and destruction policyYes
VI-15a Process for setting top official's payYes
Part VIII · Statement of revenue $14,975,382 across 7 lines filed
VIII-1e Government grants$13,828,287
VIII-1f All other contributions, gifts and grants$195,503
VIII-1h Total contributions, gifts and grants$14,023,790
VIII-2a-f Program service revenue, itemized rows (sum of 2a–2f as filed)Related to mission $948,258$948,258
VIII-3 Investment incomeRelated to mission $2,334$2,334
VIII-7 Net gain or loss on sales of assetsRelated to mission $1,000$1,000
VIII-12 Total revenueRelated to mission $951,592 · Unrelated business $0 · Excluded from tax $0$14,975,382
Part IX · Statement of functional expenses $14,712,449 across 14 lines filed
IX-2 Grants to domestic individualsPrograms $5,607,414$5,607,414
IX-5 Pay of current officers, directors and key staffManagement $180,575$180,575
IX-7 Other salaries and wagesPrograms $4,042,218 · Management $225,937$4,268,155
IX-8 Pension plan contributionsPrograms $340,956 · Management $36,769$377,725
IX-9 Other employee benefitsPrograms $866,856 · Management $54,396$921,252
IX-12 Advertising and promotionPrograms $10,798 · Management $20$10,818
IX-13 Office expensesPrograms $682,047 · Management $128,740$810,787
IX-16 OccupancyPrograms $569,539 · Management $70,589$640,128
IX-17 TravelPrograms $53,522 · Management $4,301$57,823
IX-20 InterestPrograms $17,392 · Management $5,784$23,176
IX-22 Depreciation, depletion and amortizationPrograms $110,675 · Management $71,530$182,205
IX-23 InsurancePrograms $61,254 · Management $20,852$82,106
IX-24 Other expenses (24a–d)Programs $1,813,644 · Management −$324,830$1,488,814
IX-24e All other expensesPrograms $53,153 · Management $8,318$61,471
IX-25 Total functional expensesPrograms $14,229,468 · Management $482,981 · Fundraising $0$14,712,449
Part X · Balance sheet $6,400,695 assets, 16 lines filed
X-1 Cash, non-interest-bearingStart of year $1,318,620$1,622,937
X-2 Savings and temporary cash investmentsStart of year $357,576$358,847
X-3 Pledges and grants receivableStart of year $1,031,358$1,758,541
X-4 Accounts receivableStart of year $1,957$17,481
X-9 Prepaid expenses and deferred chargesStart of year $125,544$20,705
X-10c Land, buildings and equipment, netStart of year $2,091,549$2,075,830
X-15 Other assetsStart of year $209,799$546,354
X-16 Total assetsStart of year $5,136,403$6,400,695
X-17 Accounts payable and accrued expensesStart of year $260,389$153,515
X-19 Deferred revenueStart of year $360,564$1,211,658
X-25 Other liabilitiesStart of year $840,701$1,133,956
X-26 Total liabilitiesStart of year $2,023,455$3,024,814
X-27 Net assets without donor restrictionsStart of year $1,771,075$1,971,746
X-28 Net assets with donor restrictionsStart of year $1,341,873$1,404,135
X-32 Total net assets or fund balancesStart of year $3,112,948$3,375,881
X-33 Total liabilities and net assetsStart of year $5,136,403$6,400,695
Part XI · Reconciliation of net assets $3,375,881 net assets at year end
XI-1 Total revenue$14,975,382
XI-2 Total expenses$14,712,449
XI-3 Revenue less expenses$262,933
XI-4 Net assets at start of year$3,112,948
XI-9 Other changes in net assets$0
XI-10 Net assets at end of year$3,375,881

Form 990 e-file (XML) FY2021 from the IRS · Classification, formation year and address from the IRS Business Master File

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