Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $529,236 (2023)
• Total Assets: $8,794,154 (2023)
• Grant Range: Based on recent 990-PF records
• Geographic Focus: Liberty, Missouri and Kansas City metro area
• Application Method: Invitation only / preselected organisations

Contact Details

Mailing Address: Wilmington, DE (registered address) Primary Focus Area: Liberty, Missouri

Note: The foundation does not provide public contact information for grant inquiries as they only fund preselected organisations.

Overview

Established in 2010, the Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation is a private family foundation with assets of $8.8 million and annual giving of approximately $529,000. The foundation is governed by five family members and focuses its philanthropic efforts primarily on organisations in Liberty, Missouri and the surrounding Kansas City metropolitan area. The foundation supports education (particularly William Jewell College), youth services, healthcare, community development, and faith-based organisations. Operating as a traditional family foundation, they maintain a preselected giving model where grants are made at the trustees' discretion to organisations with which the family has existing relationships. The foundation generates income primarily through investment dividends and capital gains.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate formal grant programmes but makes discretionary grants to preselected organisations. Recent grant ranges include:

• Major Institutional Gifts: Significant support to William Jewell College for athletics, facilities, and educational programmes
• Community Organisations: Support for social services, youth development, and healthcare
• Small Community Grants: Support for local churches, schools, and community initiatives

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritises:

• Higher Education: Significant support for William Jewell College including athletics programmes, facilities, and general operations
• Youth Services: Organisations serving children and families such as Operation Breakthrough and OakHill Day School
• Community Services: Social service agencies like Hillcrest Ministries (including eviction prevention and general support)
• Healthcare: Support for medical institutions and health-related services
• Faith-Based Organisations: Churches and religiously affiliated organisations, particularly The Second Baptist Church of Liberty
• Community Development: Organisations focused on strengthening the Liberty, Missouri community

Geographic Focus

The foundation demonstrates a strong preference for organisations in:

• Liberty, Missouri (primary focus)
• Kansas City metropolitan area
• Clay County, Missouri region

What They Don't Fund

While not explicitly stated, the foundation appears to focus exclusively on:

• Organisations outside their Liberty, Missouri / Kansas City geographic area are unlikely to receive support
• The foundation does not fund individuals
• No indication of support for national or international organisations

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by a five-member board composed entirely of the Odell family:

• Daniel G O'Dell - President and Treasurer
• Wanda K O'Dell - Vice President and Secretary
• Gary A O'Dell - Director
• Karen M O'Dell - Director
• Amy O'Dell Hood - Director

All board members serve without compensation and dedicate minimal time (approximately 1 hour per week) to foundation governance. The family-centric board structure reflects the foundation's approach to personal, relationship-based philanthropy focused on their local community.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process.

The foundation has explicitly indicated that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are made at the discretion of the family trustees to organisations with which they have existing relationships.

All grantmaking decisions are made by the board of directors, who select recipients based on their personal knowledge of organisations and community needs in the Liberty, Missouri area.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - the foundation operates on a discretionary, invitation-only basis throughout the year rather than scheduled funding cycles.

Success Rates

Not applicable for unsolicited applications, as the foundation does not accept them.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - organisations do not apply to this foundation. However, the grant recipient list shows that many organisations receive repeated support over multiple years, particularly William Jewell College, Hillcrest Ministries, Operation Breakthrough, and The Second Baptist Church of Liberty.

Key Funding Patterns

Organisations that have received significant or repeated funding from the foundation include:

• William Jewell College - The foundation's largest beneficiary, receiving substantial multi-year support for athletics, facilities, and educational programmes
• Hillcrest Ministries - Multi-year support for general operations and eviction prevention programmes
• Operation Breakthrough Inc - Consistent support for Kansas City youth services
• The Second Baptist Church of Liberty - Regular support for church programmes and operations
• Drumm Center for Children, OakHill Day School, and other Liberty-area youth and education organisations

The foundation shows strong loyalty to beneficiary organisations, with many receiving grants annually or across multiple years.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application Process: This foundation does not accept unsolicited grant proposals or applications from organisations they do not already know
• Relationship-Based Grantmaking: All funding decisions are made by family trustees based on personal knowledge and existing relationships with organisations
• Geographic Limitation: Focus is almost exclusively on Liberty, Missouri and the immediate Kansas City metropolitan area
• Long-Term Partnerships: The foundation demonstrates commitment to organisations over multiple years, particularly William Jewell College and local social service agencies
• Local Community Focus: The foundation's giving reflects the family's personal connection to Liberty, Missouri and desire to strengthen their local community
• Not Suitable for Cold Outreach: Organisations outside the Liberty, Missouri area or without existing connections to the Odell family should not expect funding opportunities

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation - Accessed December 23, 2025
• Grantmakers.io Profile - Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation - Accessed December 23, 2025
• Instrumentl 990 Report - Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation - Accessed December 23, 2025
• IRS Form 990-PF filings (2010-2024) - Available through ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer and GuideStar