The Family Leader

The Family Leader (TFL, styled The FAMiLY Leader) is a right-of-center nonprofit organization that seeks to strengthen families by advocating for Christ-like leadership in government. Formed in 1996 as the Iowa Family Policy Center, an organization that was focused on public policy, the Family Leader changed its approach in 2010 to a gospel-first mission to transform American culture by making the church more prominent in the home, community, and government. 1

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At-A-Glance

Type: Non-profit, 501(c)(3)
Issue Areas: Multi-Issue Advocacy
Website: thefamilyleader.com
Formation:

1999

President and CEO:

Bob Vander Plaats

President and CEO’s Salary:

$196,000 2

Location: Urbandale, IA View on map
Tax ID: 42-1469051
Most Recent Filing: 2025
Budget (2025): Assets: $1,817,470 Revenue: $91,499 Expenses: $492,860

Contents

    The Family Leader Foundation is the 501(c)(3) sister organization of the Family Leader. 3

    Activities

    The Family Leader encourages the election of Christ-like leaders to promote righteous public policy, reflecting biblical values. 4 TFL is most concerned with issues like education, the value of life, marriage and sexuality, and religious liberty. To this end, the Family Leader advocates for policies that support school choice; oppose abortion, physician-assisted suicide, and euthanasia; promote traditional marriages and oppose homosexuality; and protect freedoms of religion and conscience. 5

    The Family Leader sponsors “If 7:14,” a movement calling for individuals to pray twice daily for revival. The name derives from the Biblical passage 2 Chronicles 7:14 and is supported by the book If 7:14 – An Urgent Call for Revival…It’s Time, written by TFL president and CEO Bob Vander Plaats. The book claims that the passage can be used as a template for revival. 6

    Funding

    The Family Leader is funded by donations from individuals, foundations, and businesses. While the Family Leader does not disclose its donors, tax filings confirm donations from the Susan B. Anthony List ($100,000 in 2018), 7 the Family Policy Alliance ($70,833 in 2014), 8 and the Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation ($15,000 in 2014). 9

    People

    Bob Vander Plaats is the president and CEO of the Family Leader and the president of the Family Leader Foundation. Vander Plaats ran for the Republican nomination for governor of Iowa in 2002, 2006, and 2010 and was the Iowa chair for former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee‘s (R) 2008 presidential campaign. 10

    Chuck Hurley is the vice president and chief counsel of TFL and former president of the Iowa Family Policy Center. Hurley is a former Republican member of the Iowa Legislature, where he was the chair of the House Judiciary Committee. 11

    Denise Bubeck is the deputy director of the Church Ambassador Network at TFL. Bubeck is a Christian delegate to the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) and sits on the AIPAC National Council. 11

    Danny Carroll represents TFL as a family advocate at the Iowa Legislature. Carroll is a former Republican member of the Iowa House of Representatives, here he was assistant majority leader and speaker pro tem. 11

    Board of Directors

    Monte and Peggy Knudsen are senior pastors at the Faith Christian Outreach Church. 12

    Other members of the board include Dave and Cheryl Kutscher, board chair and treasurer; Todd and Mary Troll, vice chairs; Steve and Janet Boender, secretary; Dr. Chad and Amanda Carlson; and Mike and Jody Wohlenhaus, treasurers. 2

    Financial Statistics

    Total Assets

    Total Revenue

    Total Expenses

    YearTotal AssetsTotal RevenueTotal ExpensesFiling
    2025 $1,817,470 $91,499 $492,860 View
    2024 $2,066,426 $1,178,449 $821,902 View
    2023 $1,646,794 $370,908 $429,480 View
    2022 $1,409,211 $333,953 $388,623 View
    2021 $1,458,679 $559,629 $420,995 View
    2020 $1,065,522 $286,894 $300,101 View

    Prior year filings: 2019, 2015, 2014, 2013, 2012, 2011

    Revenue Detail

    Expenses Detail

    Employee Compensation

    • Number of Employees: 29

    Highest Earning Employees

    EmployeeTitleTotal Compensation
    Bob Vander PlaatsPresident & CEO$304,731
    Chuck HurleyVice President$116,841

    Grant Activity

    All-time grants received statistics from Candid dataset:

    • Total Grant Value: $486,060
    • Number of Grants: 14
    • Number of Funders: 7

    Selection of highest value grants received from the last seven years:

    AmountYearFunderSubject
    $5,0002021 The Denny and Candy Elwell FoundationGENERAL FUND
    $3252023 Point of Light MinistriesCHARITY
    $2622020 Point of Light MinistriesCharity
    $2422021 Point of Light MinistriesCHARITY
    $2312022 Point of Light MinistriesCHARITY

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    Financials, employee compensation, and grant information provided by Candid.

    Mentioned in this Article

    References

    1. “About Us.” The Family Leader, 2023. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://thefamilyleader.com/about/.
    2. The Family Leader Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2019, Part VII, Section A, Line 1a.
    3. [1] The Family Leader Foundation Inc, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2020, Schedule R, Part II, Line 1a.
    4. “Elections and Policy.” The Family Leader, 2023. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://thefamilyleader.com/elections-and-policy/.
    5. “Issues.” The Family Leader, 2023. Accessed February 6, 2023. https://thefamilyleader.com/issues/.
    6. “Home.” If714.org. Accessed February 2, 2023. http://www.if714.org/.
    7. Susan B. Anthony List, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2018, Schedule I, Part II.
    8. Family Policy Alliance, Return of Organization Exempt from Income Tax (Form 990), 2014, Schedule I, Part II.
    9. Lynde and Harry Bradley Foundation, Return of Private Foundation (Form 990-PF), 2014, Part XV, Line 3.
    10. “Bob Vander Plaats.” Ballotpedia. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://ballotpedia.org/Bob_Vander_Plaats.
    11. “TFL Team.” The Family Leader, 2023. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://thefamilyleader.com/about/tfl-team-2/.
    12. “Leadership.” Faith Christian Outreach Church. Accessed February 2, 2023. https://www.fcoc.net/leadership.