Western Iowa Synod ELCA

What Western Iowa Synod ELCA does

Western Iowa Synod ELCA is a regional administrative body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA), headquartered at 1614 W. 5th Street, Suite 2 in Storm Lake, Iowa. The synod coordinates approximately 100+ Lutheran congregations across the western portion of Iowa, providing episcopal leadership through the Bishop, convening the annual Synod Assembly as the primary decision-making body, overseeing candidacy and ordination processes for rostered leaders, and administering 18+ ministry programs spanning justice, domestic and world hunger, disaster response, malaria eradication, outdoor ministries, prison ministry, women's and men's organizations, older adult ministry, and companion synod relationships with the Southern Diocese of Tanzania (since 2004) and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile (since 2012).

The synod's core products and services are programmatic rather than technological: the annual Synod Assembly (with 200+ voting members), the Synod Council and committee governance structure, a compensation guidelines framework for rostered leaders, a resource library of constitutions and policies, and direct pastoral support to congregations. Digital infrastructure is minimal — the website (wisynod.org) is hosted on the Tithe.ly platform, online giving runs through Tithe.ly, and the Waterlife Journal newsletter is delivered via Robly. No proprietary technology, APIs, integrations, or AI/ML capabilities are present; core technology is explicitly classified as "Not applicable - Religious organization."

The synod operates as a non-profit religious organization with no commercial pricing model. Revenue mechanics consist of (1) recurring mission support contributions from member congregations paid as a percentage of their budgets, (2) voluntary assembly offerings (e.g., $14,991.50 in 2025; $12,006.98 in 2026) directed to specific ministry initiatives, and (3) pass-through contributions to global ministries, missionaries, and ELCA churchwide programs. The synod does not publicly disclose revenue figures. Recent strategic activity includes the election and installation of Bishop Scott Dalen in September 2025 and the appointment of Pastor Melissa Pickering as Director for Evangelical Mission effective March 16, 2026.

Name

Western Iowa Synod ELCA

Legal name

Western Iowa Synod

Website

https://wisynod.org

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Western Iowa Synod ELCA is a regional governing body of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that coordinates approximately 100+ Lutheran congregations across Western Iowa, providing episcopal leadership, annual assemblies, and ministry programs including hunger relief, disaster response, and companion synod relationships in Tanzania and Chile.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Religious Denomination Governance

NAICS

Religious Organizations (8131), Religious Organizations (813110)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Denominational & Ecclesiastical Governance Bodies (Dioceses, Synods, Conferences) (BPAGAJAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Association & Society Conference Management (Nonprofit, Professional Bodies) (THAHACAA)

Keywords

• Synod governance
• Ministry coordination
• Rostered leader support
• Global mission partnerships
• Lutheran denomination

Headquarters

HQ city

Storm Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Others

Revenue model

1. Mission Support: Congregations contribute mission support as a percentage of their budgets to fund synod operations and churchwide ELCA ministries
2. Assembly Offerings: Voluntary offerings collected during annual Synod Assembly events, directed toward specific ministry initiatives such as hunger programs and companion synod projects
3. Compensation Guidelines Program: Congregations pay rostered leaders according to synod compensation guidelines, with recommended salary ranges and benefits packages

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Western Iowa Synod ELCA is a regional synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America that coordinates Lutheran congregations and ministries across Western Iowa. It provides episcopal leadership through its Bishop, organizes the annual Synod Assembly as the primary decision-making body, supports rostered leaders (pastors and deacons) through candidacy, compensation, and continuing-education programs, and administers a portfolio of ministry programs including hunger relief, disaster response, justice initiatives, missionary sponsorship, and companion synod partnerships with the Southern Diocese of Tanzania and the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile.

Product overview

Western Iowa Synod ELCA is a regional synod of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in America. Its primary product is the annual Synod Assembly—the main decision-making body gathering voting members from congregations. The organization offers a portfolio of ministry programs including companion synods relationships (Tanzania and Chile), justice and hunger ministries, missionary sponsorship, disaster response, outdoor ministries, and women's organizations. Digital services include online giving via Tithe.ly and a resource library for congregations. The organization functions as a church governing body rather than a technology company.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Synod Assembly

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $99,000 raised for ELCA Malaria Campaign
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers8 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Eleven partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• The Evangelical Lutheran Church in Chile (IELCH)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 28 April 2012Newest companion synod relationship officially embraced through mutual covenant signing April 28, 2012. IELCH comprises the whole of Chile with congregations, mission sites, and ministries in popular health education, schools, micro-enterprise, domestic violence awareness, and disaster relief.
• Southern Diocese of Tanzania (SD-ELCT)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 May 2004Formal companion synod relationship since May 2004. Western Iowa Synod supports various development projects including Safe Water at Tanzania (SWAT) well-drilling program, Center for Agricultural Development, medical initiatives, and the Igumbilo Lutheran Girls Secondary School. The SD is the largest of the ELCT's 20 dioceses with 80+ congregations.
• Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLSI is one of Iowa's largest nonprofit human services agencies. Western Iowa Synod congregations support LSI programs including foster care and adoption (serving 30 counties in Western Iowa), behavioral and mental health services, and early childhood education.
• ELCA Global MinistriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartnership with ELCA churchwide global mission efforts. Western Iowa Synod supports missionaries including Rev. Brian Palmer serving in Totota, Liberia and participates in Youth in Global Mission (YAGM) program through missionaries like Carl Norquist in Senegal.
• Iowa State University ExtensionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborator on the Center for Agricultural Development project in Tanzania, providing agricultural expertise and knowledge transfer to Tanzanian smallholder farmers alongside Sokoine University of Agriculture and Uyole Agricultural Research and Training Institute.
• Food Resource BanksupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership between Western Iowa Synod and Lutheran World Relief supporting Food Resource Bank's growing projects where U.S. farmers and churches grow products to fund international development projects through trusted relief agencies.
• Lutheran World ReliefcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLong-standing partnership supporting international relief and development efforts. Western Iowa Synod participates in World Hunger campaign and Food Resource Bank growing projects through LWR.
• Lutheran Disaster ResponsesupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartnership for disaster response coordination. Western Iowa Synod participates in flood bucket distribution and has history of response to disasters across Nebraska, Iowa, Wisconsin, and Missouri including the 2011 Missouri River flooding and Haylift project.
• Lutheran Outdoor MinistriessupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAssociation of outdoor ministry organizations affiliated with the ELCA. Western Iowa Synod includes Lutheran Lakeside Camp and Ingham Okoboji Lutheran Bible Camps as camping ministry partners serving youth and families.
• ELCA Federal Credit UnionsupportingOthersProvides financial services to rostered leaders and congregations. Listed as a ministry partner reporting to Synod Assembly.
• Wartburg Theological SeminarysupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerELCA seminary that prepares future rostered leaders. Listed as a ministry partner reporting to Synod Assembly.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• Catholic Diocese of Sioux City: Catholic regional ecclesiastical governance body covering a similar geographic footprint in western and northwest Iowa. Directly comparable governance and mission-delivery model, different denomination.
• Northeastern Iowa Synod ELCA: Another ELCA regional synod covering northeastern Iowa with the same governance structure, mission support funding model, and assembly-based decision making. Directly comparable as a peer ELCA synod operating in the same state.
• Episcopal Diocese of Iowa: Episcopal regional governing body covering Iowa. Comparable ecclesiastical governance structure with bishop leadership, diocesan conventions, and congregational support mission.
• Presbytery of North Central Iowa (PCUSA): Presbyterian regional governing body covering a similar geographic territory. Directly comparable as a mainline Protestant regional governing body with elected leadership and congregational support mission.
• Northwest Minnesota Synod ELCA: ELCA synod mentioned in Western Iowa Synod data as the prior employer of new DEM Melissa Pickering. Comparable as a rural-constituency ELCA synod with similar small-staff, geographic-dispersion profile.
• United Methodist Church - Iowa Annual Conference: United Methodist regional body covering Iowa with parallel district/charge conference structure, clergy support, and shared ministry funding model.
• Southeastern Iowa Synod ELCA: ELCA regional synod covering southeastern Iowa with parallel structure to Western Iowa Synod. Same denomination, same governance model, comparable scale and congregation count.

Emerging players

• Southern Diocese of the Evangelical Lutheran Church in Tanzania (SD-ELCT): Lutheran regional ecclesiastical body in Tanzania with which Western Iowa Synod has maintained a formal companion relationship since 2004. Comparable governance structure as a Lutheran synod/diocese, though operating in a different geography and scale.
• Lutheran Services in Iowa (LSI): Lutheran-affiliated nonprofit human services agency partnering with Western Iowa Synod. Adjacent Lutheran ministry player, comparable as a faith-rooted social services provider though larger and more service-delivery focused.

Broad incumbents

• Evangelical Lutheran Church in America (ELCA): Parent denomination of which Western Iowa Synod is a regional expression. Operates broader churchwide ministries, global mission, and seminaries that envelop the synod's activities.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Facebookfacebook.com/ELCAWesternIowaSynod
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/western-iowa-synod-elca

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Western Iowa Synod ELCA