Otto Schoitz Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- Otto Schoitz Foundation suits organisations whose work improves health and wellbeing within a 30-mile radius of Waterloo, IA, and the foundation gives particular priority to work that impacts Waterloo because of greater need.
- Typically its grants run from $5,000 to $150,000, with a median of $25,000 and a largest grant of $800,000, so a request near $25,000 sits in the middle of its usual range, though larger requests are not ruled out.
- The foundation leans towards repeat relationships: 77% of its grant dollars to organisations in the filing went to organisations it had also funded in the two earlier filings, so building contact with the foundation matters.
- Apply in the Fall or Spring cycle, which is open to enrolled applicants and begins with an online Letter of Inquiry; other cycles are by invitation only and need a code from the Foundation.
- Do not apply if you are an individual, a for-profit entity, or a not-for-profit without 501(c)(3) status, if your project lies beyond the 30-mile radius of Waterloo, IA, or if it is a fundraising event, an endowment campaign or a religious event.
Overview
Otto Schoitz Foundation is a US private foundation based in Waterloo, IA.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
Otto Schoitz Foundation funds local organisations working to make the Cedar Valley the best place to live for people of all ages, with a mission to improve health and wellbeing for the community and its individual members. It partners with not-for-profit organisations aligned with that mission. Its funding preference is for proposals generating significant community benefit or addressing serious need, improving residents' quality of life, meeting the needs of vulnerable people, creating equitable opportunities, particularly in racial and ethnic equity, addressing root causes and showing evidence of success and impact. It gives particular priority to work that impacts Waterloo because of the greater need, and favours sharing funding with others. Its grants have supported food assistance, housing, education and early learning, youth services, health care and legal aid.
Themes
- Health and wellbeing
Geographic Focus
30-mile radius of Waterloo, IA.
What They Don't Fund
- For-profit entities or not-for-profits that are not 501(c)(3) organizations
- Projects not aligned with the Foundation's mission
- Fundraising events or endowment campaigns
- Religious events and promotions
- Multiple applications from a single entity in a given funding cycle
- Individuals
- Projects beyond the 30-mile radius of Waterloo, IA
How to apply
Fall and Spring cycles are open to enrolled applicants and begin with an online Letter of Inquiry; other grant cycles are by invitation only and require a code from the Foundation.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 77% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 164 grants to organisations were $25,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The foundation favours proposals generating significant community benefit or addressing serious need in the Cedar Valley community.
- It favours proposals that improve residents' quality of life.
- It favours proposals that better the Cedar Valley community.
- It favours proposals that meet the needs of the vulnerable.
- The foundation favours proposals creating equitable opportunities, particularly as it relates to racial/ethnic equity.
- It favours proposals that address root or primary causes.
- It favours proposals that show evidence of success and impact.
- It prioritises work impacting Waterloo because of the greater need.
- It favours proposals that share funding with others.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 12% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to organisations Otto Schoitz Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- <1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 53 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $25,000 (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Northeast Iowa Food Bank · Operating and capital support$800,0002024 tax year
- Waterloo Development Corporation · Capital$500,0002024 tax year
- Iowa Heartland Habitat for Humanity · Programmatic support$365,0002024 tax year
- City Of Waterlooleisure Services · Capital$333,3342024 tax year
- Christian Community Development dba House of Hope · Operating and capital support$325,0002024 tax year
- Cedar Falls Schools Foundation · Capital$150,0002024 tax year
- SuccessLink · Operating support$90,0002024 tax year
- Boys & Girls Clubs of the Cedar Valley · Operating support$75,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Meagan Miller — Director
- Mike Mallaro — Director
- Karin Rowe — Director
- James Corye Johnson — Director
- Renee Christoffer — Director
- Robert Greenwood — Director
- Andrew Miehe — Secretary
- Eric Locke — Treasurer
- Rhonda Mcrina — Vice Chair
- Christine Kemp — Chair
- Catherine Showalter — Executive Director
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $3,055,079 | $3,503,052 | $60,720,167 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $5,289,420 | $3,443,621 | $70,066,615 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $4,389,571 | $3,726,109 | $74,423,347 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to Otto Schoitz Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (319) 232-2870
- administrator@grantinterface.com
- Waterloo, IA
- ottoschoitzfoundation.org
Applying to Otto Schoitz Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- (319) 232-2870
- administrator@grantinterface.com
- Waterloo, IA
- ottoschoitzfoundation.org