Columbus Bar Foundation
The Columbus Bar Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization and is classified as a 509(a)(1) and 170(b)(1)(a)(VI) public charity that, in partnership with the columbus bar association, is committed to promoting: access to justice by all citizens public education about the law and the judicial system innovation in the administration of justice professionalism of attorneys diversity in legal education through scholarships
Columbus Bar Foundation at a glance
In short: Columbus Bar Foundation gave $182K across 5 grants in 2025 (avg $36K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $181,711
- +278.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 5
- +150.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $36,342
- +51.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $4,023,985
- +3.6% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who Columbus Bar Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 5 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Ohio Justice Foundation ($73K). Together the top 5 received $182K.
Grant Size Distribution
20 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 14 grants of 20 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 5 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Columbus Bar Foundation gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−8%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $48K (2024) to $408K (2020). In 2025 it made 5 grants totaling $182K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio Justice Foundation Columbus, OH | Grants to Further the Organization's Mission | $73,066 |
| Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio Columbus, OH | Grants to Further the Organization's Mission | $37,500 |
| League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus Columbus, OH | Grants to Further the Organization's Mission | $30,000 |
| Law and Leadership Institute Columbus, OH | Grants to Further the Organization's Mission | $28,000 |
| Capital University Law School Columbus, OH | Grants to Further the Organization's Mission | $13,145 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $4,023,985 | $540,212 | $398,525 | $181,711 | 5 | $444,783 |
| 2024 | $3,882,298 | $251,189 | $147,103 | $48,000 | 2 | $123,776 |
| 2023 | $3,778,212 | $324,886 | $357,528 | $214,376 | 6 | $253,949 |
| 2022 | $3,810,854 | $325,462 | $325,823 | $196,847 | 4 | $268,409 |
| 2021 | $3,811,215 | $439,869 | $376,747 | $267,093 | 3 | $203,943 |
| 2020 | $3,748,093 | $420,409 | $548,078 | $408,131 | 7 | $100,169 |
| 2019 | $3,875,762 | $616,627 | $548,363 | $360,448 | 9 | $288,767 |
About Columbus Bar Foundation
Based on IRS filings
Columbus Bar Foundation is a public charity, based in Columbus, OH. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $4.0M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 5 grants totaling $182K. Net investment income was $445K.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Columbus Bar Foundation is led by Jill M. Snitcher, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; none of the 20 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Jill M. Snitcher
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
20 hrs/week
$10K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Erin C. Herbst
President
Trustee → President-Elect, 2024
President-Elect → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Heather B. Robinson
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa Pierce Reisz
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jaiza N. Page
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael S. Jordan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Caitlyn Nestleroth Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Keesha Warmsby
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Aracely Tagliaventi
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Bradley Wrightsel
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brandy Ranjan
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chad Readler
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Crysta Pierson
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lee Wendel
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melanie Tobias
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marion Smithberger
Executive Director Emeritus
Executive Director → Executive Director Emeritus, 2022
On filings since 2019
3 hrs/week
$4K (2022) → $0 (2025)
Andrew S. Grossman
Immediate Past President
President-Elect → President, 2024
President → Immediate Past President, 2025
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lisa L. Eschleman
President-Elect
Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2024
Secretary & Treasurer → President-Elect, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cathy Victor
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2023
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Geoff Kunkler
Secretary & Treasurer
Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (29)
- Former: Samuel H. Shamansky (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Susan Porter (2021–2024) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Kelli Amador (2024) — Trustee
- Former: Karen A. Winters (2019–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Bradley P. Koffel (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Honorable Jaiza N. Page (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Honorable Richard A. Frye (2022–2023) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Charles Schneider (2023) — Trustee
- Former: David P. Meyer (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Kathleen McManus Trafford (2019–2022) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Robert D. Erney (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Michael R. Gladman (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Chris Vonau (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Anthony C. White (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Gary A. Wadman (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: John J. Chester Jr. (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Michael K. Gire (2019–2021) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Richard A. Frye (2019–2021) — Vice President
- Former: Belinda S. Barnes (2019–2020) — Immediate Past President
- Former: Eimer Bahnson (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Robert J. Weiler (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Sue Porter (2019–2020) — Trustee
- Former: Amy B. Koorn (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Carl D. Smallwood (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Gregory M. Travalio (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Guy L. Reece II (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Loriann E. Fuhrer (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Matthew A. Kairis (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Michael H. Carpenter (2019) — Immediate Past President
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2022 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2022 filing was $10K, to Jill M Snitcher (Executive Director). 2 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Columbus Bar Foundation
How much does Columbus Bar Foundation give each year?
Columbus Bar Foundation gave $182K across 5 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $48K across 2 grants.
What is Columbus Bar Foundation's typical grant size?
Columbus Bar Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $36,342, across 5 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Where does Columbus Bar Foundation give grants?
Columbus Bar Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (5 grants).
Does Columbus Bar Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 5 grants with a stated purpose on Columbus Bar Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Grants to Further the Organization's Mission" (5 grants).
Who are Columbus Bar Foundation's largest grantees?
Columbus Bar Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Ohio Justice Foundation ($73,066), Community Mediation Services of Central Ohio ($37,500) and League of Women Voters of Metropolitan Columbus ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 77% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Columbus Bar Foundation?
Columbus Bar Foundation reported $4.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $540K.
What is Columbus Bar Foundation's EIN?
Columbus Bar Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7150505. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS February 22, 2020)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 5, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 26, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 9, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 21, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS April 22, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Columbus Bar Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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