J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn

ZANESVILLE, OH EIN: 31-1396841

The J William and Mary Straker Charitable Foundation is a private foundation established in 1994 and based in Zanesville, Ohio. As a 501(c)(3) organization, it operates with a staff of 2 employees and maintains significant assets to support its charitable mission across the local region.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$85.4M

+3.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$4.5M

-0.8% YoY

Grant Count

114

+16.3% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$40K

-14.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn reported a distributable amount of $5.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation's primary focus areas include:

Community support and development
Education
Recreation
Homeless assistance
Driver education programs (specifically Zanesville High School driver's education)
Support for local institutions (Zanesville Country Club)
Infrastructure improvements (walkway covers and walk-in freezers)
Refund of BWC (Bureau of Workers' Compensation) premiums related to exempt purposes of organizations
Reimbursement for expenses related to exempt purposes of organizations

Grantmaking

The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual distribution activity. In 2024, the foundation made 114 grants toward its mission. Recent notable grants include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation's grantmaking is concentrated in Muskingum County, Ohio, with a particular emphasis on Zanesville and the surrounding region. Notable grantees include local organizations such as Muskingum University, Muskingum Valley ESC, and Muskingum County Library System.

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $7.8M (96%)

Alabama $110K (1%)

Tennessee $60K (1%)

Wyoming $55K (1%)

Texas $50K (1%)

Colorado $25K (0%)

North Carolina $20K (0%)

Florida $15K (0%)

+3 more states

States

Alabama California Colorado Florida North Carolina New Jersey New York Ohio Tennessee Texas Wyoming

Cities

AdamsvilleAthensAuburnAustinBirminghamBrookshireColumbusCumberlandDenverDresdenDuncan FallsEast FultonhamFort CollinsFrazeysburgFreeportGoldenGranvilleGrove CityHomewoodHouston

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of 2024:

Total Assets: $85,405,550
Total Revenues: $7,898,387
Total Expenses: $5,336,246
Total Liabilities: $8,440

The foundation maintains substantial financial capacity with significant annual revenues and a conservative expense-to-revenue ratio, indicating strategic reserve building for long-term grantmaking sustainability.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$85,405,550	$82,843,575	$84,908,528
Revenue	$7,898,387	$3,428,156	$4,651,222
Expenses	$5,336,246	$5,494,710	$5,095,222
Qualifying Distributions	$4,844,396	$4,834,801	$4,620,776
Net Investment Income	$7,537,221	$2,713,748	$3,718,806
Distributable Amount	$5,338,780	$4,735,265	$4,803,930

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

226 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ohio University - Zanesville ($500,000), Muskingum County Community Foundation ($350,000), Genesis Healthcare Foundation ($324,124).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ABBOTT HOME ZANESVILLE, OH	CAPITAL CAMPAIGN	$19,998
ALLWELL BEHAVIORAL HEALTH SERVICES ZANESVILLE, OH	BELL STREET FACILITY SECURITY	$43,776
AMERICAN NATIONAL RED CROSS - EAST CENTRAL OHIO NORWICH, OH	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$1,500
ANIMAL SHELTER SOCIETY ZANESVILLE, OH	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$107,730
APPALACHIAN OUTDOOR ADVENTURES MOUNTAIN BIKE CLUB ZANESVILLE, OH	GENERAL FUND	$20,000
BETHEL COMMUNITY CENTER ZANESVILLE, OH	KINDERGARTEN READINESS	$17,031
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF ZANESVILLE ZANESVILLE, OH	OFFICE RENOVATION AND TECHNOLOGY UPGRADE	$48,701
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF ZANESVILLE ZANESVILLE, OH	BOWL FOR KIDS SAKE	$3,000
BREAKING FREE THERAPEUTIC RIDING CENTER NORWICH, OH	GENERAL FUND	$2,500
CARR CENTER ZANESVILLE, OH	COMMUNITY SUPPORT	$16,000

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
SUSAN STRAKER HOLDREN	PRESIDENT & TREASURER	30	$166,667
JANE STRAKER	DIRECTOR	—	—
ANNE PLOSSER	DIRECTOR	—	—
SAM HENDERSON	DIRECTOR	—	—
LAURA BREWER	DIRECTOR	—	—
JORDAN CHANDLER	DIRECTOR	—	—
WILLIAM PLOSSER	DIRECTOR	—	—
WILLIAM E STRAKER	DIRECTOR	—	—
JOHN STRAKER JR	DIRECTOR	—	—
CLEARY GRAY PLOSSER	DIRECTOR	—	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation has maintained a robust grantmaking presence in recent years:

2025

Distributed $6 million in grants during 2025

Announced a record number of grant requests from Muskingum County organizations

Muskingum Valley ESC Receives Grant from the Straker Foundation - Muskingum

Distributed $2.1 million to support various community needs

Straker Foundation distributed $2.1M to support various needs

Made a $2 million donation to Muskingum County Library System

Provided grants to Muskingum Valley ESC

Muskingum Valley ESC Receives Grant from the Straker Foundation - Muskingum

The foundation's awards have been noted as shaping the future of Muskingum County through strategic investments in local organizations and community initiatives.

Straker Foundation invested $6 million in local organizations in 2025

Frequently Asked Questions

What does J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn fund?

The foundation's primary focus areas include: • Community support and development • Education • Recreation • Homeless assistance • Driver education programs (specifically Zanesville High School driver's education) • Support for local institutions (Zanesville Country Club) • Infrastructure improvements (walkway covers and walk-in freezers) • Refund of BWC (Bureau of Workers' Compensation) premiums related to exempt purposes of organizations • Reimbursement for expenses related to exempt purposes…

How do I apply for a grant from J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn?

The foundation is an active grantmaker with significant annual distribution activity. In 2024, the foundation made 114 grants toward its mission. Recent notable grants include: • **Muskingum County Community Foundation (MCCF)**: $350,000 for "Make Muskingum Home - Talent Retention" initiative (2024) • **Genesis Healthcare System / Genesis Healthcare Foundation**: Support for hospice and healthcare services (2024) The foundation has demonstrated substantial grant activity, with reports indicatin…

Where does J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn make grants?

What size grants does J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn award?

In 2024, J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn awarded 114 grants totaling $4.5M — an average of about $40K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn reported a distributable amount of $5.3M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

What is J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn's EIN?

J William & Mary Straker Charitable Fdn's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1396841. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2024.