John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation
The John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation is a private foundation based in Brooklyn, Ohio. Its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations including schools, a community fund, a humane society, a church, and cultural organizations.
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation at a glance
In short: John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation gave $354K across 10 grants in 2025 (avg $35K), mostly in Ohio. 10% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $354,000
- +17.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 10
- +25.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,400
- -5.9% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $17,000
- Total assets
- $5,547,602
- +3.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 10% first-time grantees (1 of 10, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (99% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Perry M. Dryden as the contact, says there is no specific application form, and limits grants to 501(c)(3) organizations with religious, charitable, scientific, or literary purposes. The foundation says it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations.
- Contact
Application contact: Perry M Dryden
Mailing address: 15 Whittlesey Ave, Norwalk, OH 44857
Phone: (419) 668-4402
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Norwalk Area United Fund ($125K). Together the top 10 received $354K.
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 35 grants of 50 (70%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 1% to recipients in Michigan. The listed grants were concentrated in Norwalk, Ohio; the Michigan grant was to Huron County Imagination Library in Port Austin.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation open to new grantees?
10%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 1 of 10 grantees (10%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $38K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $19K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+10%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 96% 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 (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $296K (2023) to $354K (2025). In 2025 it made 10 grants totaling $354K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Norwalk Area United Fund Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $125,000 |
| Norwalk City Schools Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $70,000 |
| Norwalk Catholic Schools Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $70,000 |
| Norwalk Economic Development Corporation Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $20,000 |
| Huron County Humane Society Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $19,000 |
| First United Methodist Church Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $15,000 |
| Artist Open Studio Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Firelands Historical Society Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Norwalk Public Library Norwalk, OH | General Operating | $10,000 |
| Huron County Imagination Library Port Austin, MI | General Operating | $5,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,547,602 | $575,273 | $411,739 | $354,000 | 10 | $367,379 | $536,767 | $383,518 |
| 2024 | $5,383,991 | $566,396 | $363,497 | $300,930 | 8 | $313,388 | $530,426 | $344,164 |
| 2023 | $5,181,867 | $672,855 | $344,383 | $296,000 | 10 | $306,842 | $639,702 | $316,410 |
| 2022 | $4,853,712 | $281,880 | $379,433 | $322,300 | 11 | $339,414 | $244,909 | $370,651 |
| 2021 | $4,951,273 | $190,895 | $352,414 | $301,756 | 11 | — | $157,445 | $358,908 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation reported a distributable amount of $384K for 2025 — 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 for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in education, community giving, animal welfare, religion, economic development, arts, history, and library services.
The Norwalk Area United Fund describes its mission as improving community quality of life by working with local agencies and organizations, assessing local needs, and raising money for essential programs. The Huron County Humane Society describes its work as providing a sanitary, secure, and compassionate environment for animals needing care and enriching families through adoption. Firelands Historical Society says it promotes and preserves the history and genealogy of the Firelands area in northern Ohio.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 10 grants totaling $354,000. Awards ranged from $5,000 to $125,000, with a median of $17,000. The largest grants were $125,000 to Norwalk Area United Fund, $70,000 each to Norwalk City Schools and Norwalk Catholic Schools, and $20,000 to Norwalk Economic Development Corporation. Other grants included $19,000 to Huron County Humane Society and $15,000 to First United Methodist Church. All 10 grants were listed for general operating purposes.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John T. Lendrum, Kenneth Bleile, Mark Coriell, James F. Gerken, and Perry M. Dryden as board members, and KeyBank N.A. as trustee.
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's 2025 filing lists 6 officers; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Keybank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
$45K (2024) → $49K (2025)
James F. Gerken
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Perry M. Dryden
Board Member
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mark Coriell
Board Member
On filings since 2024
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
John T. Lendrum
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Kenneth Bleile
Board Member
New on the 2025 filing
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (4)
- Former: J. Thomas Lendrum (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Robert F. Bleile (2021–2024) — Board Member
- Former: Jeffrey Playcock (2021–2023) — Board Member
- Former: Keybank National Association (2021–2023) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $49K, to Keybank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation
How much does John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation give each year?
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation gave $354K across 10 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $301K across 8 grants.
What is John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's typical grant size?
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $17,000, and its average grant was $35,400, across 10 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation give grants?
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Norwalk, OH (9 grants).
Does John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (10 of 10) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's largest grantees?
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Norwalk Area United Fund ($125,000), Norwalk City Schools ($70,000) and Norwalk Catholic Schools ($70,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 75% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation?
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation reported $5.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $367K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $384K (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 John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations in education, community giving, animal welfare, religion, economic development, arts, history, and library services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation?
The filing lists Perry M. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's EIN?
John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6501908. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
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 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/john-f-and-doris-e-ernsthausen-foundation-morg_0db0cc6ece924c3aaebdbd31856150b1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346501908_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{John F \& Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/john-f-and-doris-e-ernsthausen-foundation-morg_0db0cc6ece924c3aaebdbd31856150b1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. 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 John F & Doris E Ernsthausen 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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