Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation
The Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation is a private foundation based in Waynesville, Ohio. In 2024, it reported giving $351,000 through 20 grants to charitable organizations.
Key facts about Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation
In short: Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation gave $351K across 20 grants in 2024 (avg $18K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 46-4997349
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $351,000
- Grants made (2024)
- 20
- Average grant
- $17,550
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $15,081,449
- Primary geography
- Ohio (66% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$15.1M
+126.4% YoY
Annual Giving
$351K
+64.2% YoY
Grant Count
20
+11.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$18K
+47.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation reported a distributable amount of $463K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
How Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation gives
- 45% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 1655% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 76% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included support for organizations whose stated missions involve preventing gender-based violence and empowering survivors (Women Helping Women), providing relief to people who are poor or hungry (One Bistro), and offering free activities and programs for youth and adults (BLOC Ministries). Other grantees describe their work as providing humanitarian aid (Matthew 25 Ministries) and helping women manage unexpected expenses (Purposeful Painting).
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 20 grants totaling $351,000. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest grants included $100,000 to Messianic Refuge for a building fund, $60,000 to Compassion International as an unrestricted donation, $25,000 to BeLoved Ashville as an unrestricted donation, and $20,000 to Legacy Christian Academy for a scholarship fund. Other notable grants included $15,000 each to One Bistro, Four Paws for Ability, and Women Helping Women, and $10,000 each to Cincinnati Museum Center, Matthew 25 Ministries, City Gospel Mission, Cincinnati Challenge Ranch, and Israel Guide Dog Center.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, recipients in Ohio received 66% of grant dollars, followed by recipients in Colorado (17%), North Carolina (7%), Pennsylvania (3%), and Georgia (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 20 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $20K (2020) to $351K (2024). In 2024 it made 20 grants totaling $351K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Messianic Refuge ($100K). Together the top 10 received $280K.
Grant Size Distribution
51 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 47 grants of 51 (92%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Messianic Refuge Manchester, OH | Building Fund | $100,000 |
| Compassion International Colorado Springs, CO | Unrestricted Donation | $60,000 |
| BeLoved Ashville Asheville, NC | Unrestricted Donation | $25,000 |
| Legacy Christian Academy Xenia, OH | Scholarship Fund | $20,000 |
| One Bistro Xenia, OH | Unrestricted Donation | $15,000 |
| Four Paws for Ability Xenia, OH | Unrestricted Donation | $15,000 |
| Women Helping Women Cincinnati, OH | Unrestricted Donation | $15,000 |
| Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OH | Scholarship Fund | $10,000 |
| Matthew 25 Ministries Cincinnati, OH | Unrestricted Donation | $10,000 |
| City Gospel Mission Cincinnati, OH | Unrestricted Donation | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $15,081,449 | $55,639 | $546,684 | $351,000 |
| 2023 | $6,662,345 | $48,497 | $323,410 | $213,716 |
| 2022 | $3,815,593 | $62,680 | $205,744 | $99,995 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $15,081,449 | $6,662,345 | $3,815,593 |
| Revenue | $55,639 | $48,497 | $62,680 |
| Expenses | $546,684 | $323,410 | $205,744 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $351,000 | $213,716 | $99,995 |
| Net Investment Income | $4,793,570 | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | $463,063 | $240,319 | $213,716 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Ryan W Johnson, Benjamin W Jones, and Debra A Scheetz as trustees.
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Benjamin W Jones
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$15K (2024)
Debra A Scheetz
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$15K (2024)
Ryan W Johnson
Trustee
On filings since 2023
5 hrs/week
$15K (2024)
Former officers (2)
- Former: Douglas Rockel (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Harry M Ferguson (2020–2021) — Trustee
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 $15K, to Ryan W Johnson (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Contact
Mailing address: 82 North 3Rd Street, Waynesville, OH 45068-6802
Phone: (303) 517-6307
Frequently asked questions about Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation
How much does Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation give each year?
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation gave $351K across 20 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $214K across 18 grants.
What is Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's typical grant size?
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $17,550, across 20 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation give grants?
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 66% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Colorado (17%) and North Carolina (7%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (6 grants), Xenia, OH (3 grants) and Milford, OH (2 grants).
Does Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 80% of Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (16 of 20) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's largest grantees?
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Messianic Refuge ($100,000), Compassion International ($60,000) and BeLoved Ashville ($25,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 53% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation?
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation reported $15.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $351K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $463K (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.
What does Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's EIN?
Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4997349. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Harry Maescher Ferguson Charitable Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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