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CHARITY REVIEW
Issued: August 2026 Expires: August 2028

Des Moines Area Religious Council

Accredited Charity
Accredited Charity

Meets Standards
(515) 277-6969
100 Army Post Roasd
Des Moines, IA, 50315
https://dmarcunited.org
📄 Full Report 🖨️ Print 📋 BBB Charity Standards

Standards For Charity Accountability

Governance

  1. Board Oversight
  2. Board Size
  3. Board Meetings
  4. Board Compensation
  5. Conflict of Interest

Measuring Effectiveness

  1. Effectiveness Policy
  2. Effectiveness Report

Finances

  1. Program Expenses
  2. Fundraising Expenses
  3. Accumulating Funds
  4. Audit Report
  5. Detailed Expense Breakdown
  6. Accurate Expense Reporting
  7. Budget Plan

Fundraising & Info

  1. Truthful Materials
  2. Annual Report
  3. Website Disclosures
  4. Donor Privacy
  5. Cause Marketing Disclosures
  6. Complaints

Des Moines Area Religious Council meets the 20 Standards for Charity Accountability.

Stated Purpose:
"to meet basic human needs for the greater Des Moines community."

Year, State Incorporated:
1957, IA

The Des Moines Area Religious Council (DMARC) is an interfaith organization dedicated to working together to meet basic human needs in the greater Des Moines community. The organization's principal program service activities focus on addressing food insecurity through direct assistance, while also incorporating education, advocacy, and interfaith engagement. DMARC's largest program is the Food Pantry Network, which is a network of 14 partner food pantry sites, a Mobile Food Pantry, and a home food delivery program. The network provides access to affordable, nutritious food to relieve hunger among vulnerable populations. DMARC partners with over 125 member congregations across multiple faith traditions and partners with entities like the Food Bank of Iowa for food distribution and rescue initiatives. In 2025, the organization reports it distributed 7.3 million pounds of food through the Food Pantry Network.

For the year ended June 30, 2025, Des Moines Area Religious Council's program expenses were:

Food pantry network $5,280,430
Advocacy and education $153,135
Interfaith activities $64,193
Total Program Expenses $5,497,758

Chief Executive
Kathy Underhill, Chief Executive Officer

Chair of the Board
Lendie R. Follett, PhD

Chair's Profession / Business Affiliation
Associate Professor of Business Analytics, Co-Director of Data Analytics, and Department Chair of Actuarial Science, Analytics, and Information Systems, Drake University

Board Size
13

Paid Staff Size
20

*2025 compensation includes annual salary and, if applicable, benefit plans, expense accounts, and other allowances.

Note: Compensation information for Chief Executive Officer Kathy Underhill is unavailable at this time. Former Chief Executive Officer Matt Unger was the highest paid employee with total compensation of $142,434 for the year ended June 30, 2025.

Method(s) Used:
Direct mail appeals, Invitations to fund raising events, Grant proposals, Internet, Planned giving arrangements, Membership appeals, Workplace Giving

Fundraising costs were 6% of related contributions. (Related contributions, which totaled $7,405,916, are donations received as a result of fundraising activities.)

This organization is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. It is eligible to receive contributions deductible as charitable donations for federal income tax purposes.

The following information is based on Des Moines Area Religious Council's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2025.

Source of Funds
In-kind contributions $2,594,153
Contributions $2,228,409
Grants $1,044,154
Planned giving $643,437
Congregations $501,894
Organizations and groups income $242,408
Special events and food sales $151,461
Investment gain $124,510
Miscellaneous income $59,891
Total Income $7,590,317

Programs: 87% Fundraising: 7% Administrative: 7%

Total Income $7,590,317
Total expenses: $6,350,478
  Program expenses $5,497,758
  Fundraising expenses $433,524
  Administrative expenses $419,196
  Other expenses $0
Income in Excess of Expenses $1,239,839
Beginning Net Assets $8,465,554
Other Changes In Net Assets $23,253
Ending Net Assets $9,728,646
Total Liabilities $935,657
Total Assets $10,664,303

Note 1: In the above financial statements, "other changes in net assets" refers to a change in value of beneficial interest in the Community Foundation of Greater Des Moines ($28,425) and a loss on sale of property and equipment (-$5,172).

Note 2: According to the organization's audited financial statements for the year ended June 30, 2025, DMARC received in-kind contributions totaling $2,594,153 in the form of food ($2,558,640), information technology ($14,300), flooring and roofing repairs ($13,713), and legal services ($7,500).

An organization may change its practices at any time without notice. A copy of this report has been shared with the organization prior to publication. It is not intended to recommend or deprecate, and is furnished solely to assist you in exercising your own judgment. If the report is about a charity and states the charity meets or does not meet the Standards for Charity Accountability, it reflects the results of an evaluation of information and materials provided voluntarily by the charity. The name Better Business Bureau is a registered service mark of the International Association of Better Business Bureaus.

This report is not to be used for fundraising or promotional purposes.

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Report completed by:
BBB Serving Greater Iowa, Quad Cities, and Siouxland Region