Gooding Group Foundation
Gooding Group Foundation is a private foundation based in Ephrata, Pennsylvania, that supports charitable organizations and educational institutions through grants. Its 2024 giving included grants for participant programs, scholarships, and operating expenses.
Gooding Group Foundation at a glance
In short: Gooding Group Foundation gave $39K across 30 grants in 2024 (avg $1K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $39,167
- -21.5% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 30
- -47.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $1,306
- +49.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $200
- Total assets
- $421,661
- +15.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (15 of 30, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (94% 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 Gooding Group Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Submit a letter, including any information related to the request, to J Reed Gooding. The filing states there are no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: J Reed Gooding
Mailing address: 345 South Reading Road, Ephrata, PA 17522
Phone: (717) 733-1247
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Gooding Group Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Alzheimer's Association ($10K). Together the top 10 received $37K.
Grant Size Distribution
268 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 267 grants of 268 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 94% of grant dollars went to recipients in Pennsylvania. The reported shares for other recipient states or jurisdictions were Virginia 4%, Washington, DC 1%, New York 1%, and North Carolina 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Gooding Group Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 15 of 30 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $332; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $126 first-time, $250 repeat.
- 27% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 43% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 142% 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 $39K (2024) to $114K (2022). In 2024 it made 30 grants totaling $39K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Alzheimer's Association Reading, PA | Participant Programs | $10,450 |
| Habitat for Humanity Lancaster, PA | Participant Programs | $10,000 |
| Veteran's Honor Park Lititz, PA | Participating Programs | $6,300 |
| Penn State University University Park, PA | Scholarship | $3,000 |
| Pennsylvania College of Health Lancaster, PA | Scholarship | $1,500 |
| Shippensburg University Shippensburg, PA | Scholarship | $1,500 |
| University of Virginia Charlottsville, VA | Scholarship | $1,500 |
| Thorne Ephrata, PA | Participating Programs | $1,023 |
| Blessings of Hope Lancaster, PA | Participating Programs | $730 |
| Fulton Theatre Lancaster, PA | Operating Expenses | $515 |
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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 | $421,661 | $128,157 | $73,391 | $39,167 | 30 | $41,314 | $7,164 | $29,083 |
| 2023 | $364,698 | $11,378 | $59,741 | $49,890 | 57 | $52,568 | $5,102 | $25,090 |
| 2022 | $412,992 | $40,381 | $154,110 | $114,021 | 47 | $117,101 | $169 | $28,865 |
| 2021 | $526,719 | $180,373 | $79,273 | $68,865 | 68 | $70,370 | $27,972 | $32,630 |
| 2020 | $425,620 | $123,103 | $69,612 | $61,225 | 66 | — | $4,014 | $22,184 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Gooding Group Foundation reported a distributable amount of $29K for 2024 — 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 is provided. The grants show support for scholarships and programs at nonprofit organizations. For example, Habitat for Humanity of the Lehigh Valley describes its work as constructing, rehabilitating, and selling housing to economically disadvantaged people; the Shippensburg University Foundation says it secures funds for university students and programs, including scholarships. Other supported organizations include the Alzheimer’s Association and Fulton Theatre Company, which describes its mission as creating and producing theatre for its community.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 30 grants totaling $39,167. The median grant was $200, with awards ranging from $26 to $10,450. Its largest listed grants were $10,450 to the Alzheimer’s Association in Reading, Pennsylvania, for participant programs; $10,000 to Habitat for Humanity in Lancaster, Pennsylvania, for participant programs; and $6,300 to Veteran’s Honor Park in Lititz, Pennsylvania, for participating programs. It also awarded $3,000 to Penn State University and $1,500 each to Pennsylvania College of Health Sciences and Shippensburg University for scholarships.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists J Reed Gooding as president, William H Gooding as vice president, Stephen McNamara as treasurer, Marlena Ricords as secretary, and J Michael Towers and Brian K Dombach as directors.
Gooding Group Foundation is led by J. Reed Gooding, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
J. Reed Gooding
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Brian K. Dombach
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
J. Michael Towers
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William H. Gooding
Vice President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marlena Ricords
Secretary
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Stephen McNamara
Treasurer
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Kathleen L. Perotti (2020) — Secretary
- Former: Richard A. Watson Jr. (2020) — Treasurer
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 Gooding Group Foundation
How much does Gooding Group Foundation give each year?
Gooding Group Foundation gave $39K across 30 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $50K across 57 grants.
What is Gooding Group Foundation's typical grant size?
Gooding Group Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $200, and its average grant was $1,306, across 30 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Gooding Group Foundation that year got $332 on average.
Where does Gooding Group Foundation give grants?
Gooding Group Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 94% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Lancaster, PA (8 grants), Lititz, PA (3 grants), Ephrata, PA (3 grants) and Reading, PA (2 grants).
Does Gooding Group Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Gooding Group Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (1 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Participating Programs" (16 grants), "Participant Programs" (6 grants) and "Scholarship" (5 grants).
Who are Gooding Group Foundation's largest grantees?
Gooding Group Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Alzheimer's Association ($10,450), Habitat for Humanity ($10,000) and Veteran's Honor Park ($6,300), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 68% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Gooding Group Foundation?
Gooding Group Foundation reported $422K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $41K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $29K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Gooding Group Foundation fund?
No mission statement is provided. The grants show support for scholarships and programs at nonprofit organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Gooding Group Foundation?
Submit a letter, including any information related to the request, to J Reed Gooding. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Gooding Group Foundation's EIN?
Gooding Group Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-2516754. 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 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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