Fenton Foundation Inc
Fenton Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Williamstown, West Virginia. In its 2025 filing, it reported 33 grants totaling $276,250, with recipients in West Virginia and Ohio.
Fenton Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Fenton Foundation Inc gave $276K across 33 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in West Virginia. 9% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $276,250
- +33.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 33
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $8,371
- +33.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $2,755,925
- -0.9% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 9% first-time grantees (3 of 33, 2025)
- Primary geography
- West Virginia (65% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fenton Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing says a letter outlining the nature of the request should be submitted to Lynn F. Erb; there is no specific form. The foundation lists no deadlines. It does not make awards to individuals.
- Contact
Application contact: Lynn F Erb
Mailing address: Fenton Foundation, Williamstown, WV 26187
Phone: (740) 516-0129
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fenton Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Marietta Memorial Health Foundation ($35K). Together the top 10 received $204K.
Grant Size Distribution
166 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 163 grants of 166 (98%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The filing reports that 65% of 2025 grant dollars went to recipients in West Virginia and 35% to recipients in Ohio. It states that major emphasis is placed on institutions in Wood County, West Virginia, and Washington County, Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 33 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Fenton Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
9%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 33 grantees (9%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $8K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 91% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving fell 51% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 136% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $207K (2023) to $563K (2022). In 2025 it made 33 grants totaling $276K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Marietta Memorial Health Foundation Marietta, OH | Operations | $35,000 |
| Marietta College Marietta, OH | Capital Campaign | $30,000 |
| Parkersburg Area Community Foundation Parkersburg, WV | Operations | $30,000 |
| United Way of the Mid-Ohio Valley Vienna, WV | Operations | $24,000 |
| First United Methodist Church Williamstown, WV | Operations | $19,000 |
| Salvation Army - Marietta Marietta, OH | Operations | $15,000 |
| Salvation Army - Parkersburg Parkersburg, WV | Operation | $15,000 |
| Artsbridge Parkersburg, WV | Operations | $14,000 |
| First Baptist Church Williamstown, WV | Operations | $12,000 |
| American Red Cross - Ohio River Valley Parkersburg, WV | Operations | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Fenton Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $2,755,925 | $274,999 | $300,580 | $276,250 | 33 | $276,250 | $254,973 | $203,586 |
| 2024 | $2,781,506 | $246,777 | $228,773 | $207,555 | 33 | $207,555 | $230,105 | $197,541 |
| 2023 | $2,763,502 | $142,851 | $228,712 | $207,040 | 32 | $207,040 | $124,797 | $182,080 |
| 2022 | $2,849,363 | $99,805 | $606,736 | $563,450 | 33 | $563,450 | $69,873 | $204,465 |
| 2021 | $3,356,294 | $669,784 | $275,262 | $236,903 | 35 | $236,903 | $637,658 | $226,127 |
| 2020 | $2,961,772 | $141,818 | $299,892 | $260,900 | 39 | — | $109,352 | $196,761 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fenton Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $204K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for education, community philanthropy, the arts, social services, and religious organizations. For example, Marietta College describes its mission as providing undergraduate and graduate education, while the Parkersburg Area Community Foundation says it works to build permanent resources for regional communities. ArtsBridge describes its purpose as supporting the arts and arts education in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
Other 2025 recipients describe work that includes educational enrichment and job training (Ely Chapman Education Foundation), pregnancy and sexual health services (Women’s Care Center), and protecting and assisting children who have experienced abuse (North Star Child Advocacy Center).
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 33 grants totaling $276,250. Individual grants ranged from $750 to $35,000, with a median grant of $3,000. Its largest awards included $35,000 to Marietta Memorial Health Foundation for operations, $30,000 to Marietta College for a capital campaign, $30,000 to Parkersburg Area Community Foundation for operations, and $24,000 to United Way of the Mid-Ohio Valley for operations. Other notable grants included $19,000 to First United Methodist Church in Williamstown and $14,000 to ArtsBridge.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Thomas K Fenton and Benjamin G Fenton as directors; Lynn F Erb as director of philanthropy; George W Fenton as president and treasurer; and David C Fenton as secretary.
Fenton Foundation Inc is led by George W. Fenton, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
George W. Fenton
President & Treasurer
Vice President → President & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Benjamin G. Fenton
Director
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Lynn F. Erb
Director of Philanthropy
Director → Director of Philanthropy, 2022
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas K. Fenton
Director
President & Treasurer → Director, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
David C. Fenton
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Fenton Foundation Inc
How much does Fenton Foundation Inc give each year?
Fenton Foundation Inc gave $276K across 33 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $208K across 33 grants.
What is Fenton Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Fenton Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $3,000, and its average grant was $8,371, across 33 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fenton Foundation Inc that year got $8K on average.
Where does Fenton Foundation Inc give grants?
Fenton Foundation Inc gives mostly in West Virginia: 65% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (35%). The most frequent recipient cities were Williamstown, WV (11 grants), Marietta, OH (10 grants), Parkersburg, WV (9 grants) and Charleston, WV (2 grants).
Does Fenton Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 33 grants with a stated purpose on Fenton Foundation Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Operations" (31 grants).
Who are Fenton Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Fenton Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Marietta Memorial Health Foundation ($35,000), Marietta College ($30,000) and Parkersburg Area Community Foundation ($30,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 34% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fenton Foundation Inc?
Fenton Foundation Inc reported $2.8M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $276K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $204K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Fenton Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for education, community philanthropy, the arts, social services, and religious organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fenton Foundation Inc?
The filing says a letter outlining the nature of the request should be submitted to Lynn F. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fenton Foundation Inc's EIN?
Fenton Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 55-6017260. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Fenton Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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The Parkersburg Area Community Foundation funds nonprofits and public institutions working in areas such as education, arts and culture, health and human services, youth and family services, and community development across its 11-county West Virginia region. Its 2025 grants had a median of $15,000 and ranged from $5,202 to $133,485; it offers competitive grant programs, but whether it accepts unsolicited requests is not stated.
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The foundation funds scholarships, education, and community programs, with most grants going to West Virginia and Virginia and smaller amounts to nearby states. Its 2024 grants ranged from $350 to $25,000, with a median of $2,000. Organizations do not need a particular application, and there is no deadline for organizational requests.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fenton Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 13, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fenton-foundation-inc-morg_d551f10ee4e74311882dbd87c6b597c4
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_556017260_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fenton Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fenton-foundation-inc-morg_d551f10ee4e74311882dbd87c6b597c4},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-13. 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 Fenton Foundation Inc'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.
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