Des Moines Christian School
Des Moines Christian School is a private, nonprofit K-12 Christian school in Urbandale, Iowa, serving approximately 1,536 students from early education through high school on a single campus, funded primarily by tuition plus charitable giving and event-based fundraising.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1948
- HeadquartersUrbandale, United States
- Headcount101–250
- GTM typeB2C
- OfferingServices
What Des Moines Christian School does
Des Moines Christian School is a private, nonprofit Christian K-12 institution founded in 1948 and operating on a single campus at 13007 Douglas Parkway in Urbandale, Iowa. The school serves approximately 1,536 students across early education, elementary, middle school, and high school programs, employing 101–250 staff and faculty. Core programming centers on faith-integrated academics enhanced by K-12 STEAM offerings, dual credit high school courses, comprehensive student support services (including dyslexia therapy, reading/math support, and special education through partnership with Urbandale Public Schools), and co-curricular athletics, fine arts, and spiritual life programs. The school reports a 99% student retention rate and 100% graduation rate.
Des Moines Christian School firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- Des Moines Christian School
- Legal name
- Des Moines Christian School
- Website
- https://dmcs.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1948
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 101–250 employees
- Short description
- Des Moines Christian School is a private, nonprofit K-12 Christian school in Urbandale, Iowa, serving approximately 1,536 students from early education through high school on a single campus, funded primarily by tuition plus charitable giving and event-based fundraising.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
Des Moines Christian School industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Private K-12 Christian Education
- NAICS
- Elementary and Secondary Schools (6111)
- SIC
- Services-Educational Services (8200)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools (EDAJABAC)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Faith-Based Early Learning Academies (EDACADAH), Campus Spiritual & Religious Life (EDALAHAI)
Keywords
Where Des Moines Christian School is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Urbandale
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices1 record
Markets served
Des Moines Christian School business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D
Revenue model
- Tuition Revenue: Private Christian school tuition payments from families for K-12 and early education programs.
- Lion Fund Annual Giving: Annual giving program where gifts directly benefit students and provide enhancements to the student experience including academic excellence, spiritual formation, and student life programs.
- Legacy Circle Planned Gifts: Planned giving through wills, estate plans, trusts, life insurance, IRAs, annuities, and life income gifts such as charitable gift annuities or charitable remainder trusts.
- School Tuition Organization (STO) Scholarships: Tax-credit eligible donations through Heart of Iowa STO providing needs-based tuition assistance to eligible families. Iowa tax credit equals 75% of donation.
- Event-Based Fundraising: True-Blue Gala annual spring event, Golf Classic back-to-school event, and mission trip fundraising.
- Business Sponsorships: Corporate sponsorships providing visibility within the DMC community, directly supporting mission and enhancing student experience.
Distribution channels1 record
Marketing channels6 records
Des Moines Christian School product offering
Product offeringCore offering
Des Moines Christian School is a private, nonprofit K-12 Christian school that delivers faith-integrated education from preschool through 12th grade on a single Urbandale, Iowa campus. The school combines rigorous college-preparatory academics, fine arts, and competitive athletics with biblical worldview formation, serving approximately 1,536 students. Programs span early learning, elementary, middle school, and high school grades, supported by spiritual life and service-learning components.
Product overview
Des Moines Christian School offers a unified K-12 Christian education on one campus, combining early education through high school programs. The core academic program is enhanced by STEAM programming, with student support services including co-teaching, dyslexia therapy, reading and math support, and special education partnerships. Co-curricular offerings include athletics (boys and girls sports), fine arts (band, vocal, theater, visual arts), and spiritual life programs. The school operates the Lion Fund annual giving program and the Build Today | Plan for Tomorrow capital campaign for campus expansion.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Quantifiable outcome
- 99% student retention rate
- +2 more outcomes
Companies that use Des Moines Christian School
Customer profileNamed customers6 records
Segments2 records
Ideal customer profiles1 record
Des Moines Christian School technology and API
TechnologyAPI detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
Des Moines Christian School partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered presenting sponsor, business sponsor, dessert sponsor, raffle sponsor, core partner and support partner.
- HyVeepresenting sponsorHyVee served as the Presenting Sponsor of the 2026 True-Blue Gala, DMC's major annual fundraising event. As presenting sponsor, HyVee receives prominent visibility and promotion within the DMC community.
- Baker Groupbusiness sponsorBaker Group is a business sponsor of DMC, receiving visibility and promotion within the loyal DMC community. Funds directly support the school's mission and enhance the student experience.
- Farewaybusiness sponsorFareway is a business sponsor of DMC's True-Blue Gala and ongoing programs.
- Iowa Clinicbusiness sponsorIowa Clinic is a business sponsor of DMC, supporting the school's mission and student experience.
- Forge Solutionsdessert sponsorForge Solutions served as the Dessert Sponsor for the 2026 True-Blue Gala.
- Joseph's Jewelersraffle sponsorJoseph's Jewelers served as the Raffle Sponsor for the 2026 True-Blue Gala.
- Heart of Iowa School Tuition Organizationcore partnerDMC is represented by the Heart of Iowa STO, which distributes needs-based tuition assistance to eligible families. The STO receives voluntary cash contributions from Iowa taxpayers. DMC's portion of the 2025 fundraising goal is $870,554 out of the total $3,698,172 goal.
- Heartland AEAsupport partnerThrough a partnership with Heartland AEA, DMC provides speech services for students who qualify. Speech-language pathologists work with children on articulation, language, voice, fluency, and early literacy needs.
- Heartland Christian Counseling Servicessupport partnerDMC has an on-site partnership with Heartland Christian Counseling Services to provide short-term mental health consultation sessions with students, staff, and parents.
- Urbandale Public Schoolssupport partnerStudents with an IEP can receive special education services through Urbandale Schools while attending DMC. Services are provided on the DMC campus for K-8th grade. High school students receive services at Urbandale High School with transportation provided.
Scale indicators5 records
Recent moves7 records
Expansion highlights5 records
Des Moines Christian School competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- Dowling Catholic High School: Catholic high school in the Des Moines metro. While Catholic rather than nondenominational Christian, it competes for the same faith-oriented families at the high-school level and offers similar college-prep, athletics, and spiritual formation programming.
- Valley Church Schools: A Christian K-12 school in the Des Moines area operated by Valley Church. Directly competes with DMC for faith-based K-12 families in the same metro, with a similar Christ-centered curriculum model.
- Grand View Christian School: A faith-based K-12 Christian school also serving the Des Moines metro area. Directly comparable in mission, grade span, and target family demographic, and a primary local competitor for Christian education families.
- Ankeny Christian Academy: Faith-based K-12 school serving the Ankeny/Des Moines suburban corridor. Comparable in mission, grade span, and target demographic, and competes for Christian-education families in the broader metro.
Emerging players
- Mount Hope Christian Academy: Smaller or emerging faith-based K-12 programs in the broader Midwest that share DMC's Christ-centered mission but typically operate at smaller scale or in earlier growth stages.
- Veritas Classical Schools: Emerging classical-Christian hybrid K-12 programs gaining traction in the Midwest. Comparable in faith-based academic differentiation but typically newer and smaller in enrollment scale.
Broad incumbents
- Christian School International: A broader umbrella/network supporting affiliated Christian schools across multiple states. Comparable through shared faith-based K-12 mission and curriculum frameworks, though it operates as a network rather than a single-campus school.
- Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI): The largest evangelical Christian school association in the U.S. DMC operates within this broader institutional ecosystem, and peer Christian schools typically affiliated with ACSI face similar accreditation, curriculum, and policy dynamics.
Others
- Iowa Association of Christian Schools: State-level association supporting Iowa Christian schools. Not a direct competitor but a peer-supporting institution for accreditation, athletics conferences, and shared advocacy that materially shapes DMC's operating environment.
Regional players
- Des Moines Christian Academy (alternative namesakes): Other Des Moines-area Christian or faith-based K-12 programs operating as regional alternatives; smaller or differently structured but serving the same geographic faith-family market.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
Des Moines Christian School social profiles
Digital presenceDes Moines Christian School financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
Des Moines Christian School leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Des Moines Christian School funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds
Investors
Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Des Moines Christian School M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about Des Moines Christian School
What does Des Moines Christian School do?
Des Moines Christian School is a private, nonprofit K-12 Christian school that delivers faith-integrated education from preschool through 12th grade on a single Urbandale, Iowa campus. The school combines rigorous college-preparatory academics, fine arts, and competitive athletics with biblical worldview formation, serving approximately 1,536 students. Programs span early learning, elementary, middle school, and high school grades, supported by spiritual life and service-learning components.
Is Des Moines Christian School a public or private company?
Des Moines Christian School is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was Des Moines Christian School founded?
Des Moines Christian School was founded in 1948. It employs 101 to 250 people.
Where is Des Moines Christian School based?
Des Moines Christian School is headquartered in Urbandale, United States, in the North America region.
How does Des Moines Christian School make money?
Six revenue lines are on record. Tuition Revenue is the primary driver. The others are lion Fund Annual Giving, legacy Circle Planned Gifts, school Tuition Organization (STO) Scholarships, event-Based Fundraising and business Sponsorships.
Who are Des Moines Christian School's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are Dowling Catholic High School, Valley Church Schools, Grand View Christian School and Ankeny Christian Academy. Emerging players are Mount Hope Christian Academy and Veritas Classical Schools. Broad incumbents are Christian School International and Association of Christian Schools International (ACSI). Iowa Association of Christian Schools is listed as an others. Des Moines Christian Academy (alternative namesakes) is listed as a regional player.
Does Des Moines Christian School have an API?
No public API is recorded for Des Moines Christian School.
What industry is Des Moines Christian School in?
Des Moines Christian School's product category is Private K-12 Christian Education. Its primary akta.pro industry code is EDAJABAC, Faith-Based (Religious) K–12 Schools, with a secondary code of EDACADAH, Faith-Based Early Learning Academies. Its NAICS code is 6111 and its SIC code is 8200.