John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Foundation
The John F & Doris E Ernsthausen Charitable Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation established in 1956 in Cleveland, Ohio, and currently based in Brooklyn, Ohio. The foundation was created by John F. Ernsthausen, who founded Norwalk Truck Line Co., one of the first trucking companies in the country, in 1923.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.5M
+3.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$354K
+17.6% YoY
Grant Count
10
+25.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$35K
-5.9% YoY
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation supports nonprofit organizations with a focus on:
- Protestant religious institutions
- Services for the aged
- Higher and secondary education
- Community development and economic development
- Christian organizations
- Animal welfare
- Historic preservation
- Education
The foundation has gained a particular reputation for providing band uniforms to area high school bands. It has historically supported institutions including Bowling Green State University, the First Methodist Church, and Baldwin-Wallace College.
Grantmaking
Review Cycle
information is not detailed in available sources.
How to Apply
** The foundation accepts applications, though specific deadline information is not detailed in available sources.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation primarily funds organizations in Ohio and Michigan, with particular emphasis on the Norwalk, Ohio area and the broader Ohio region.
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
- Total Assets: $5,547,602 (as of most recent filing)
- Total Annual Giving: $354,000 (fiscal year ending June 2025)
- Tax-Exempt Status: Since June 1958
Historical context: In 1993, the foundation held assets of $9.24 million with expenditures of over $344,000 for 12 grants.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,547,602 | $5,383,991 | $5,181,867 |
| Revenue | $575,273 | $566,396 | $672,855 |
| Expenses | $411,739 | $363,497 | $344,383 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $367,379 | $313,388 | $306,842 |
| Net Investment Income | $536,767 | $530,426 | $639,702 |
| Distributable Amount | $383,518 | $344,164 | $316,410 |
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 2025
Grant Size Distribution
50 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
No grants recorded for .
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Cornelius J. Ruffing served as foundation manager (as of 1993).
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
From 2025 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| JOHN T LENDRUM | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| KENNETH BLEILE | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| MARK CORIELL | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| JAMES F GERKEN | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| PERRY M DRYDEN | BOARD MEMBER | 2 | — |
| KEYBANK N A | TRUSTEE | 1 | $48,516 |
Data last updated April 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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