Gerlach Foundation Inc
Gerlach Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Columbus, Ohio. Its 2024 filing reports grants to three organizations, all in Ohio.
Gerlach Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Gerlach Foundation Inc gave $1.5M across 3 grants in 2024 (avg $505K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,513,500
- +89.3% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 3
- -25.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $504,500
- +152.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $400,000
- Total assets
- $4,325,109
- +1.3% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Ohio (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.
How to apply to Gerlach Foundation Inc
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1500 Lake Shore Drive 220, Columbus, OH 43204
Phone: (614) 224-2164
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gerlach Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 3 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ohio State University ($1.1M). Together the top 3 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
27 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $100–250K range: 9 grants of 27 (33%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2024 went to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 3 itemized grants.
States
Cities
How Gerlach Foundation Inc gives
- Giving fell 53% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 41% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $800K (2023) to $9.0M (2022). In 2024 it made 3 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University Columbus, OH | Unrestricted | $1,100,000 |
| The Columbus Foundation Columbus, OH | Gorilla Fund | $400,000 |
| Balletmet Columbus, OH | General Fund | $13,500 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,325,109 | $1,619,321 | $1,565,896 | $1,513,500 | 3 | $1,523,980 | $1,576,405 | $3,743,166 |
| 2023 | $4,271,684 | $1,758,752 | $865,907 | $799,702 | 4 | $807,944 | $1,725,789 | $3,773,052 |
| 2022 | $3,087,943 | $1,864,199 | $9,083,655 | $9,005,023 | 7 | $9,015,504 | $1,821,048 | $3,624,504 |
| 2021 | $2,182,012 | $1,734,732 | $3,305,274 | $3,226,700 | 9 | — | $1,703,635 | $3,916,104 |
| 2020 | $3,286,114 | $1,747,567 | $4,241,215 | $4,215,011 | 4 | — | $1,726,431 | $3,688,754 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gerlach Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $3.7M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the foundation made three grants totaling $1,513,500. Grant amounts ranged from $13,500 to $1,100,000, with a median of $400,000. Recipients included Ohio State University ($1,100,000, unrestricted), The Columbus Foundation ($400,000, Gorilla Fund), and BalletMet ($13,500, General Fund).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John B Gerlach Jr as treasurer, David P Gerlach as vice president, and Susan Douglass as vice president.
Gerlach Foundation Inc's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David P. Gerlach
Vice President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John B. Gerlach Jr.
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Susan Douglass
Vice President
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 Gerlach Foundation Inc
How much does Gerlach Foundation Inc give each year?
Gerlach Foundation Inc gave $1.5M across 3 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $800K across 4 grants.
What is Gerlach Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Gerlach Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $400,000, and its average grant was $504,500, across 3 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Gerlach Foundation Inc give grants?
Gerlach Foundation Inc gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (3 grants).
Does Gerlach Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 67% of Gerlach Foundation Inc's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (2 of 3) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
How large is Gerlach Foundation Inc?
Gerlach Foundation Inc reported $4.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $3.7M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
How do I apply for a grant from Gerlach Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gerlach Foundation Inc's EIN?
Gerlach Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6023912. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Gerlach Foundation Inc accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Gerlach Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/gerlach-foundation-inc-morg_5b921c5a672e4c53a4da8aeda6775185
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316023912_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Gerlach Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/gerlach-foundation-inc-morg_5b921c5a672e4c53a4da8aeda6775185},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Gerlach 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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