Iowa Food Bank Association

What Iowa Food Bank Association does

The Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA) is a nonprofit membership association founded in 2009 that coordinates the work of all six Feeding America-affiliated food banks serving Iowa. Headquartered at 1605 Lafayette Street in Waterloo, IFBA operates under a three-pillar mandate inherited from Feeding America: statewide advocacy, food and fund procurement, and disaster relief coordination. Its Board of Directors is composed of the Executive Directors of its six member food banks (Northeast Iowa Food Bank, Food Bank of Iowa, Food Bank for the Heartland, Food Bank of Siouxland, HACAP Food Reservoir, and River Bend Food Bank), giving it structural authority to align statewide strategy across the network. The organization employs 1-10 staff and is led by Executive Director Katie Sorrell (effective December 1, 2025).

IFBA's service portfolio centers on SNAP outreach (including a statewide hotline at 855-944-FOOD that integrates with the Iowa DHS OASIS application system and Mobile Access Points at emergency feeding sites), child-focused programs (Backpack Program, Kids Cafe), Senior Food Programs, Mobile Pantry operations, and farm-to-food-bank initiatives such as Choose Iowa, Double Up Food Bucks, and the Iowa Farm Food Donation Tax Credit. Distribution extends across all 99 Iowa counties through 1,500+ partner agencies including food pantries, congregational and emergency meal sites, and shelters; in 2025 the network delivered approximately 54 million meals. Technology assets are lightweight and operational: Mailchimp for email outreach, Donorbox for online donations, and the OASIS portal for benefits access. The organization does not develop proprietary software products.

The revenue model is donation- and grant-driven. Income sources include individual monetary donations (one-time and recurring) via the website, USDA pass-through funding administered through the Iowa Department of Human Services for SNAP outreach, state appropriations (notably $200,000 for the Choose Iowa initiative), and matching grants from foundations such as the Black Hawk County Community Foundation. The Farm Food Donation Tax Credit program functions as a facilitator/educator rather than a direct revenue stream. Distribution is fully free of charge to beneficiaries; the organization's economics scale with government and philanthropic funding rather than service fees.

Name

Iowa Food Bank Association

Legal name

Iowa Food Bank Association

Website

https://iowafba.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2009

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

The Iowa Food Bank Association is a nonprofit association founded in 2009 that coordinates six Feeding America-affiliated food banks serving all 99 Iowa counties through 1,500+ partner agencies, delivering advocacy, SNAP outreach, and food distribution programs to food-insecure Iowans.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Hunger Relief and Food Assistance Services

NAICS

Community Food Services (624210), Community Food Services (62421), Community Food and Housing, and Emergency and Other Relief Services (6242)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Food Assistance & Food Banks (BPAGAEAA)

akta.pro secondary industries

Food Assistance & Nutrition Relief (Emergency Feeding) (BPAGAAAD), Food & Nutrition Assistance Programs (BPAIAKAF)

Keywords

• Food bank association
• Hunger relief programs
• SNAP outreach services
• Food assistance network
• Food insecurity advocacy

Headquarters

HQ city

Waterloo

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Supply Chain, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D

Revenue model

1. Donations and Charitable Contributions: The association accepts monetary donations from individuals and organizations through its website donation portal. Donors can make one-time or recurring monthly contributions, with options to donate on behalf of organizations.
2. Government Grants and Funding: The IFBA receives funding from USDA through the Iowa Department of Human Services partnership. They also receive state appropriations including $200,000 for the Choose Iowa initiative. Funding is also provided through the Black Hawk County Community Foundation matching grant.
3. Farm Food Donation Tax Credit Program: The association facilitates the Iowa Farm Food Donation Tax Credit program, where farmers who donate fresh produce to food banks become eligible for a tax credit of up to $5,000, incentivizing agricultural donations to the food bank network.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

The Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA) is a nonprofit association formed in 2009 that unites Iowa's six Feeding America member food banks to coordinate statewide hunger relief. It delivers services across three mandated areas — advocacy, food and fund procurement, and disaster relief — operating SNAP Outreach via a dedicated hotline, supporting member food bank programs (Backpack, Kids Cafe, Mobile Pantry, Senior Food), and connecting Iowa farmers with food banks through Choose Iowa and Farm Food Donation Tax Credit programs.

Product overview

The Iowa Food Bank Association (IFBA) operates as a collaboration of six Feeding America food banks serving all 99 Iowa counties, offering a unified portfolio of hunger relief programs. The core offerings include SNAP outreach services (hotline and mobile access points), direct food distribution programs targeting vulnerable populations (Backpack Program for children, Kids Cafe for youth, Senior Food Programs, Mobile Pantry for underserved areas), and agricultural partnerships (Choose Iowa, Farm Food Donation Tax Credit, Double Up Food Bucks). These programs work together to ensure Iowans have access to nutritious food through advocacy, food procurement, and disaster relief efforts.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• SNAP Outreach Program Assists Iowans with applying for Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP) benefits through a dedicated hotline and mobile access points at targeted emergency feeding sites.
• SNAP Hotline Phone-based service at (855) 944.FOOD (3663) allowing Iowans to complete and submit their SNAP Food Assistance application over the phone, available 8am to 5pm Monday through Friday.
• Backpack Program Provides backpacks filled with child-friendly, nonperishable food that children take home on weekends and school vacations when other resources like free school lunch are unavailable.
• Kids Cafe Program Provides free meals and snacks to low-income children through community locations such as Boys & Girls Clubs, churches, and public schools, also offering safe places for educational and recreational activities.
• Mobile Pantry Program Enables food banks to serve underserved communities lacking adequate access to food assistance by partnering with local organizations to set up temporary 2-3 hour pantries.
• Senior Food Programs Addresses food insecurity among senior citizens with limited financial resources who face difficult choices between buying food and paying for medication or other expenses.
• Farm Food Donation Tax Credit Encourages farmers to donate fresh fruits and vegetables to food banks by offering eligibility for a Tax Credit of up to $5,000.
• Double Up Food Bucks Federal program that doubles the value of SNAP benefits spent on fresh fruits and vegetables at participating farmers markets and grocery stores, allowing SNAP recipients to bring home more produce while supporting Iowa farmers.
• Choose Iowa Food Bank Program State initiative that connects Iowa's six food banks with local farmers to purchase Iowa-grown foods for distribution through food pantries, with food banks providing dollar-for-dollar matching funds.

Quantifiable outcome

• 54 million meals served across Iowa in 2025
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration3 records

Partnerships

Seven partnerships are on record, tiered minor and core.

• Iowa Pork Producers AssociationminorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 October 2025The Iowa Pork Producers Association partnered with Fareway Stores Inc. to donate $20,000 worth of ground pork to six regional food banks across Iowa and western Nebraska. The donation provided an estimated 38,000 servings of protein to families facing food insecurity.
• Fareway Stores Inc.minorGTM or Marketing Partner · 28 October 2025Fareway Stores Inc. partnered with the Iowa Pork Producers Association to donate $20,000 worth of ground pork to regional food banks, supporting community nutrition and agriculture.
• Feeding AmericacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFeeding America is the parent organization and network that includes all six Iowa food banks as members. The association works under Feeding America's framework focusing on three areas: advocacy, food and fund procurement, and disaster relief. Feeding America provides the Map the Meal Gap methodology and data for understanding food insecurity at the county level.
• Iowa Department of Human ServicescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFBA partners with the Iowa Department of Human Services for SNAP outreach. The SNAP Hotline is made possible through funding from IFBA member food banks and the USDA through an ongoing partnership with the Iowa Department of Human Services. The partnership enables the OASIS online application system for SNAP benefits.
• Iowa Healthiest State InitiativeminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerAdministers the Double Up Food Bucks program that helps low-income Iowans purchase fresh fruits and vegetables through SNAP. IFBA advocates for increased funding to this program.
• MurmurationminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerResearch organization that conducted a survey of over 900 Iowa registered voters showing broad public support for nutrition assistance programs. Survey findings indicate 80% support for Choose Iowa and 74% support for Double Up Food Bucks.
• Iowa Food Systems Council (Food Access & Health Work Group)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIFBA participates in the Cultivate Iowa initiative, an effort to promote the benefits of food gardening and produce donation to create a sustainable future and healthier communities in Iowa.

Scale indicators10 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• Feeding America: National parent network of which IFBA's six member food banks are affiliates. Both organizations coordinate food distribution, advocacy, and disaster relief, with Feeding America providing the national framework and IFBA implementing it at the Iowa state level.

Direct peers

• Feeding Indiana's Hungry: Indiana's state food bank association providing the same coordinating, advocacy, and procurement functions as IFBA. Regional direct peer in an adjacent Midwest state with similar hunger-relief ecosystem.
• California Association of Food Banks: A state-level food bank association performing the same coordinating, advocacy, and procurement functions as IFBA but in California. Direct functional peer with similar member-based governance and statewide coverage mandate.
• Texas Food Bank Association: Another state-level food bank association with a comparable role of unifying Texas food banks for advocacy and procurement. Functions as a direct peer in the same state-association category.
• Ohio Association of Foodbanks: Ohio's statewide association of food banks performing equivalent coordination, policy advocacy, and SNAP outreach functions. Direct peer structure in a comparable Midwest political economy.
• Florida Food Bank Association: State-level food bank association coordinating Florida food banks for hunger relief and advocacy. Direct peer with similar organizational structure and mission focus.

Emerging players

• Food Bank for the Heartland: IFBA member food bank serving western Iowa and Omaha. Shares the SNAP outreach, mobile pantry, and partner agency models but operates as a regional distribution member rather than the state-level association.
• Food Bank of Iowa: One of IFBA's six member food banks serving central Iowa. Comparable in that it operates SNAP outreach, food distribution, and mobile pantry programs, but it is a downstream operating member rather than the statewide coordinator.

Others

• MAZON: A Jewish Response to Hunger: National anti-hunger advocacy and grantmaking organization focused on policy and federal nutrition programs. Comparable in its advocacy and SNAP-related work but operates as a national grantmaker rather than a state-level coordinator.

Regional players

• Hunger Free Vermont: Statewide hunger-relief advocacy and coordination organization in Vermont. Comparable mission and structure but operates in a smaller, demographically different geography.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xfacebook.com/IowaFoodBankAssoc
• Facebookfacebook.com/IowaFoodBankAssoc
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/iowa-food-bank-association

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Iowa Food Bank Association