Community Foundation of Shelby County
The Community Foundation of Shelby County is a public charity based in Sidney, Ohio, formed in 1952. It supports area nonprofit and community organizations and provides scholarships to area students, while helping donors create charitable funds for causes and organizations they value.
Community Foundation of Shelby County at a glance
In short: Community Foundation of Shelby County gave $6.2M across 88 grants in 2024 (avg $71K), mostly in Ohio. 32% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $6,224,265
- +110.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 88
- +76.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $70,730
- +19.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $17,843
- Total assets
- $66,078,861
- +10.1% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (28 of 88, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (98% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Community Foundation of Shelby County
- Contact
Mailing address: 100 S Main Avenue Suite 303, Sidney, OH 45365
Phone: (937) 497-7800
Website: https://commfoun.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
31 open opportunities from Community Foundation of Shelby County
Adam E. Huelskamp Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Shelby County
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Betty Lee Riggs Hughes Nursing Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Shelby County
Amount
US $1,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Bob Sargeant Skills Scholarship Grant
Community Foundation of Shelby County
Amount
US $2,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Community Foundation of Shelby County funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Russia Local Schools ($3.5M). Together the top 10 received $4.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
342 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 269 grants of 342 (79%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s website says community grants are for organizations serving Shelby County, Ohio residents. Its grant-program information also describes eligibility for organizations serving residents of Shelby County and surrounding areas. In 2024, 98% of reported grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 88 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Community Foundation of Shelby County open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 28 of 88 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $97K. How we count
Medians: $11K first-time, $25K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.3M (2020) to $6.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 88 grants totaling $6.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Russia Local Schools Russia, OH | General Support | $3,516,658 |
| Village of Russia Russia, OH | Community Developmen | $224,075 |
| Sidney-Shelby Co YMCA Sidney, OH | General Support | $128,455 |
| Lehman High School Sidney, OH | Equipment and Educat | $107,204 |
| Raise the Roof for Arts Sidney, OH | General Support | $97,415 |
| Compassionate Care-Shelby CO Sidney, OH | Medical Support | $88,426 |
| Shelby County United Way Sidney, OH | Comunity Support | $88,107 |
| Rustic Hope Russia, OH | General Support | $84,966 |
| Morgans Place Cemetary Inc Sidney, OH | General Support | $84,115 |
| Holy Angels Catholic Church Sidney, OH | General Support | $81,128 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $66,078,861 | $10,397,057 | $8,698,167 | $6,224,265 | 88 | $2,916,926 |
| 2023 | $60,020,224 | $11,787,664 | $4,713,908 | $2,962,473 | 50 | $2,274,793 |
| 2022 | $49,439,907 | $9,345,368 | $4,621,961 | $2,808,063 | 60 | $942,681 |
| 2021 | $51,474,036 | $18,442,641 | $5,294,811 | $3,573,551 | 78 | $5,178,054 |
| 2020 | $39,394,142 | $3,559,398 | $2,565,265 | $1,278,506 | 66 | $1,079,578 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts. Its stated programs support area nonprofit and community organizations, scholarships for area students, and education in the community.
Grantees in 2024 included organizations serving a range of needs. For example, Mercy Mission House describes its work as providing emergency shelter and helping residents move toward self-sustaining lives; Rustic Hope says it assists local young people and children in need; and Raise the Roof for the Arts says it operates the historic Sidney Theatre for educational, cultural, and artistic purposes.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation reported 88 grants totaling $6,224,265. Grant amounts ranged from $5,151 to $3,516,658, with a median of $17,842. The largest reported awards included $3,516,658 to Russia Local Schools, $224,075 to the Village of Russia, and $128,455 to the Sidney-Shelby County YMCA. Other notable grants included $107,204 to Lehman High School, $97,415 to Raise the Roof for Arts, $88,426 to Compassionate Care-Shelby County, and $88,107 to Shelby County United Way.
The Community Grants program is a gateway to several unrestricted and field-of-interest funds. Applicants first contact the Scholarships and Grants Manager for permission to apply and, if approved, receive a code to access the online proposal. The foundation’s published guidelines require a specific project or program request benefiting Shelby County residents. Applicants must generally be a 501(c)(3) organization, government entity, or work through a fiscal agent. Community Grant requests may be up to $20,000; general undesignated operating requests, ongoing or repeated programs, fundraising drives, endowments, and certain other requests are generally ineligible. Organizations may submit one proposal per cycle, and the program is not intended as ongoing annual operating support.
The published community-grant schedule has spring and fall cycles. The 2026 fall deadline of September 30 has passed. The Louise Sheets Fund’s September 30, 2026 fall deadline and the Russia Community Endowment Fund’s September 20, 2026 deadline have also passed. The Russia fund is restricted to organizations in or serving residents within the Russia Local School District; the Louise Sheets Fund is restricted to the Botkins Local School District.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michael Lochard as chair, Kurt Barhorst as vice chair, David Monnier as treasurer, and Dr. Karen Fortman as secretary. It lists Devon Beer, Mark Goubeaux, Cynthia Helman, Matt Hoying, Diane Reiss, and Lisa Ruhenkamp as trustees.
Community Foundation of Shelby County is led by Michael Lochard, Chair since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 11 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Michael Lochard
Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2021
Vice Chair → Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Amy Zorn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Diane Reiss
Trustee
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Cynthia Helman
Trustee
Chair → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2021
No compensation reported
Devon Beer
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Lisa Ruhenkamp
Trustee
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
Matt Hoying
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Mark Goubeaux
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
David Monnier
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Karen Fortman
Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Kurt Barhorst
Vice Chair
Trustee → Vice Chair, 2023
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Douglas Borchers (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: The Honorable Norman Smith (2020–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Janice Benanzer (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Ralph Keister III (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Cindy Helman (2020) — Vice Chair
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Community Foundation of Shelby County
How much does Community Foundation of Shelby County give each year?
Community Foundation of Shelby County gave $6.2M across 88 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $3.0M across 50 grants.
What is Community Foundation of Shelby County's typical grant size?
Community Foundation of Shelby County's median grant in 2024 was $17,843, and its average grant was $70,730, across 88 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Community Foundation of Shelby County that year got $13K on average.
Where does Community Foundation of Shelby County give grants?
Community Foundation of Shelby County gives mostly in Ohio: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Sidney, OH (44 grants), Russia, OH (5 grants), Ft Loramie, OH (3 grants) and Botkins, OH (3 grants).
Does Community Foundation of Shelby County give general operating support?
Yes: 52% of Community Foundation of Shelby County's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (45 of 87) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990. Recurring purposes include "Building Fund" (5 grants), "Program Support" (4 grants) and "Religious Developmen" (4 grants).
Who are Community Foundation of Shelby County's largest grantees?
Community Foundation of Shelby County's largest 2024 grantees include Russia Local Schools ($3,516,658), Village of Russia ($224,075) and Sidney-Shelby Co YMCA ($128,455), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 62% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Community Foundation of Shelby County?
Community Foundation of Shelby County reported $66.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $10.4M.
What does Community Foundation of Shelby County fund?
The foundation’s mission is to inspire donor generosity and transform it into meaningful, lasting impact through charitable gifts. Its stated programs support area nonprofit and community organizations, scholarships for area students, and education in the community. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Community Foundation of Shelby County?
Community Foundation of Shelby County has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check commfoun.com for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Community Foundation of Shelby County's EIN?
Community Foundation of Shelby County's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6565194. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 29, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 2, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 13, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS October 30, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work Community Foundation of Shelby County funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Community Foundation of Shelby County's focus areas in our free grants database
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More similar funders
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Community Foundation of Shelby County funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-shelby-county-morg_76b801619b1540518bf03d9935b797ba
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346565194_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Community Foundation of Shelby County funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/community-foundation-of-shelby-county-morg_76b801619b1540518bf03d9935b797ba},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Community Foundation of Shelby County's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
Community Foundation of Shelby County down — hundreds of funders to go?