Ferree Foundation
The Ferree Foundation is a private foundation based in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, and one of four Ware family foundations. Established in 2004, it supports nonprofit organizations working to improve the quality of life for individuals and families, with priority given to organizations serving Lancaster County.
Ferree Foundation at a glance
In short: Ferree Foundation gave $1.1M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $40K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 59% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,118,638
- +23.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- +55.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $39,951
- -20.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $18,460
- Total assets
- $21,834,708
- +3.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 59% first-time grantees (16 of 27, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ferree Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit an LOI by email according to the foundation’s website guidelines. LOIs are accepted on a rolling basis from December 1 through July 31 each year. The most recent stated window ended July 31, 2026.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists July 31 as the annual end date for LOI submissions.
- Deadline
- The website lists July 31 as the annual end date for LOI submissions.
- Contact
Application contact: Katherine Schock
Mailing address: 229 North Duke Street, Lancaster, PA 17602
Phone: (717) 735-8288
Website: https://www.ferree-foundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ferree Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Franklin & Marshall College ($500K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $920K.
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 88 grants of 124 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation gives priority to organizations serving Lancaster County, Pennsylvania. All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania; the listed 2024 grants include organizations in Lancaster and Oxford.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ferree Foundation open to new grantees?
59%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 16 of 27 grantees (59%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $71K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $23K repeat.
- 22% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 27% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 102% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $822K (2020) to $1.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $1.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, PA | Ware Institute of Civic Engagement | $400,000 |
| Franklin & Marshall College Lancaster, PA | Ware College House Program Endowment | $100,000 |
| Fulton Theatre Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $100,000 |
| Lancaster Country Day School Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $50,000 |
| Lancaster County Food Hub Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $50,000 |
| Lancasterlebanon Habitat for Humanity Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $50,000 |
| Samaritan Counseling Center Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $50,000 |
| North Museum Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $40,000 |
| Central Market Trust Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $30,000 |
| Hope Inspire Love Lancaster, PA | 2024 GRANT | $25,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
In 2024, the foundation reported 28 grants. In 2023 it reported 18 grants, and in 2022 it reported 27.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $21,834,708 | $2,441,874 | $1,397,441 | $1,118,638 | 28 | $1,178,622 | $2,237,766 | $1,159,363 |
| 2023 | $21,198,638 | $2,651,674 | $1,184,326 | $905,450 | 18 | $953,763 | $1,989,667 | $1,030,111 |
| 2022 | $19,984,403 | $3,531,746 | $1,163,793 | $861,300 | 27 | $909,914 | $2,568,961 | $1,011,821 |
| 2021 | $17,825,615 | $2,512,775 | $1,085,208 | $878,420 | 28 | $928,354 | $1,631,210 | $1,114,419 |
| 2020 | $16,398,048 | $1,927,135 | $1,020,686 | $821,500 | 23 | — | $1,066,877 | $948,811 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ferree Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.2M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation says it is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals and families through nonprofit organizations working in health, human services, education, arts and culture, the environment, and history.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate a range of work. Franklin & Marshall College describes its mission as providing undergraduate liberal arts education. Lancaster County Food Hub says it works to meet basic human needs, while Lancaster Country Day School focuses on helping students explore their passions and find purpose. North Museum describes its work as inspiring curiosity and appreciation of nature, science, and cultures. Central Market Trust says it manages Lancaster Central Market while supporting its standholders’ economic health and historic preservation. Hope Inspire Love states that its mission is to eradicate human trafficking and sexual exploitation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $1,118,638. Grant amounts ranged from $3,250 to $400,000, with a median grant of $18,460. Its largest listed awards included $400,000 to Franklin & Marshall College for the Ware Institute of Civic Engagement and $100,000 to the college for the Ware College House Program Endowment. Other notable grants were $100,000 to Fulton Theatre and $50,000 each to Lancaster Country Day School, Lancaster County Food Hub, LancasterLebanon Habitat for Humanity, and Samaritan Counseling Center.
The foundation’s filing says it considers requests for specific projects and endowments, and occasionally for general operations. Grants are limited to organizations tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code; the foundation does not make grants to individuals or loans. Its website says organizations should submit a letter of intent (LOI) of no more than one page describing the project and requested amount. The foundation says it will notify organizations within 30 days whether they have progressed to the formal application stage; invited organizations are directed to complete its application. It says grant decisions are communicated between May and November.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Paul W. Ware as president, treasurer, and secretary; Katherine Schock as executive director; and Ronald J. Frederick and Judy S. Ware as directors.
Ferree Foundation is led by Katherine Schock, Executive Director on every filing since 2021; 1 of 4 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katherine Schock
Executive Director
On filings since 2021
20 hrs/week
$26K (2021) → $52K (2024)
Paul W. Ware
President, Treasurer & Secretary
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Judy S. Ware
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ronald J. Frederick
Director
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Layla Deluria (2020–2022) — Director
- Former: Philip L. Calhoun (2020–2021) — Executive Director · Filing note: Through 43021
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $52K, to Katherine Schock (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Ferree Foundation
How much does Ferree Foundation give each year?
Ferree Foundation gave $1.1M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $905K across 18 grants.
What is Ferree Foundation's typical grant size?
Ferree Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $18,460, and its average grant was $39,951, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ferree Foundation that year got $21K on average.
Where does Ferree Foundation give grants?
Ferree Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lancaster, PA (22 grants).
Does Ferree Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 28 grants with a stated purpose on Ferree Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "2024 Grant" (26 grants).
Who are Ferree Foundation's largest grantees?
Ferree Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Franklin & Marshall College ($500,000 across 2 grants), Fulton Theatre ($100,000) and Lancaster Country Day School ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 58% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Ferree Foundation?
Ferree Foundation reported $21.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.2M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ferree Foundation fund?
The foundation says it is dedicated to improving the quality of life for individuals and families through nonprofit organizations working in health, human services, education, arts and culture, the environment, and history. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ferree Foundation?
Submit an LOI by email according to the foundation’s website guidelines. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ferree Foundation's EIN?
Ferree Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1060557. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ferree Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ferree Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 14, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ferree-foundation-morg_849bca46ba484774b30aef3281bb1956
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_201060557_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ferree Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ferree-foundation-morg_849bca46ba484774b30aef3281bb1956},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-14. 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 Ferree Foundation'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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