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Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$0.5M
Grant Range
$0K - $0.3M
00

Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $534,914 (2024)
  • Total Assets: $10.4 million (2024)
  • Grant Range: $300 - $250,000
  • Median Grant: $2,000
  • Number of Grants: 51 (2024)
  • Geographic Focus: Liberty, Missouri and Kansas City metro area
  • Application Method: Invitation only / preselected organizations

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 organizations.

Overview

Established in 2010, the Daniel G And Wanda K Odell Family Foundation is a private family foundation with assets of $10.4 million and annual giving of approximately $535,000. The foundation is governed by five family members and focuses its philanthropic efforts primarily on organizations 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 organizations. Operating as a traditional family foundation, they maintain a preselected giving model where grants are made at the trustees' discretion to organizations with which the family has existing relationships. The foundation generates income primarily through investment dividends and capital gains.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

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

  • Major Institutional Gifts: $50,000 - $250,000 (primarily to William Jewell College for athletics, facilities, and educational programs)
  • Community Organizations: $10,000 - $50,000 (social services, youth development, healthcare)
  • Small Community Grants: $300 - $10,000 (local churches, schools, community initiatives)

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Higher Education: Significant support for William Jewell College including athletics programs, facilities, and general operations
  • Youth Services: Organizations 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 Organizations: Churches and religiously affiliated organizations, particularly The Second Baptist Church of Liberty
  • Community Development: Organizations focused on strengthening the Liberty, Missouri community

Geographic Focus

The foundation demonstrates a strong preference for organizations 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:

  • Organizations 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 organizations

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 organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds." Grants are made at the discretion of the family trustees to organizations 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 organizations 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.

In 2024, the foundation made 51 grants totaling $534,914, indicating active grantmaking to their network of preselected organizations.

Reapplication Policy

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

Key Funding Patterns

Organizations 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 programs (cumulative grants exceeding $725,000 in recent years)
  • Hillcrest Ministries - Multi-year support exceeding $150,000 for general operations and eviction prevention programs
  • Operation Breakthrough Inc - Consistent support for Kansas City youth services (approximately $146,000 in recent grants)
  • The Second Baptist Church of Liberty - Regular support for church programs and operations (approximately $127,833)
  • Drumm Center for Children, OakHill Day School, and other Liberty-area youth and education organizations

The foundation shows strong loyalty to beneficiary organizations, 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 organizations they do not already know
  • Relationship-Based Grantmaking: All funding decisions are made by family trustees based on personal knowledge and existing relationships with organizations
  • Geographic Limitation: Focus is almost exclusively on Liberty, Missouri and the immediate Kansas City metropolitan area
  • Long-Term Partnerships: The foundation demonstrates commitment to organizations 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: Organizations outside the Liberty, Missouri area or without existing connections to the Odell family should not expect funding opportunities

References

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