Lay Family Foundation
LAY FAMILY FOUNDATION is a private foundation based in Warson Woods, Missouri. Its 2024 grants supported organizations including schools and scholarship funds, a food bank, and an arts endowment, with all grant dollars reported in Missouri.
Key facts about Lay Family Foundation
In short: Lay Family Foundation gave $4.4M across 19 grants in 2024 (avg $230K), mostly in Missouri. 16% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- EIN
- 43-1510405
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990 filing, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $4,361,194
- Grants made (2024)
- 19
- Average grant
- $229,537
- Median grant
- $175,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 16% first-time grantees (3 of 19, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Missouri (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990 filing, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). 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 filing · View filing
Total Assets
—
Annual Giving
$4.4M
+117.7% YoY
Grant Count
19
+11.8% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$230K
+94.8% YoY
Is Lay Family Foundation open to new grantees?
16%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 3 of 19 grantees (16%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $333K; repeat grants $210K. How we count
Medians: $400K first-time, $72K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included scholarship funds and general support for schools, as well as support for a food bank and an arts endowment.
Among its grantees, One Classroom says it supports inclusion of children with special needs in local Catholic parish schools through education, expert resources, and forums for sharing best practices. The St. Louis Area Food Bank describes its mission as nourishing people, empowering communities, and transforming systems. The Lay Center Sculpture Park grant was designated for the Lay Center for Education/Arts Endowment.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 19 grants totaling $4,361,194. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $760,090, with a median of $175,000. The largest grants included $760,090 to Today and Tomorrow Education Foundation for a scholarship fund; $600,600 to Visitation Academy for general support; $454,600 to St. Joseph Academy for general support; and $405,000 to Bishop DuBourg High School for general support. Other grants included $400,900 to Cor Jesu Academy for general support and $175,000 to the St. Louis Area Food Bank for general support.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to recipients in Missouri; the reported share for Massachusetts was 0%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 19 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
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
90 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| TODAY AND TOMORROW ED FDN St Louis, MO | SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $760,090 |
| VISITATION ACADEMY St Louis, MO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $600,600 |
| ST JOSEPH ACADEMY St Louis, MO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $454,600 |
| BISHOP DUBOURG HIGH SCHOOL St Louis, MO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $405,000 |
| URSULINE ACADEMY St Louis, MO | SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $401,200 |
| COR JESU ACADEMY St Louis, MO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $400,900 |
| NOTRE DAME HIGH SCHOOL Lemay Township, MO | SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $400,000 |
| DE SMET JESUIT HIGH SCHOOL St Louis, MO | SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $400,000 |
| ST LOUIS UNIVERSITY HIGH SCHOOL St Louis, MO | SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $200,000 |
| ST LOUIS AREA FOOD BANK Bridgeton, MO | GENERAL SUPPORT | $175,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $4,361,194 | 19 |
| 2023 | $2,002,988 | 17 |
| 2022 | $1,516,235 | 15 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | — | — | — |
| Revenue | — | — | — |
| Expenses | — | — | — |
| Qualifying Distributions | — | — | — |
| Net Investment Income | — | — | — |
| Distributable Amount | — | — | — |
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 M Schwarz as President/SE, A J Lay as CEO/Chairman, and V W Lay as Director.
Lay Family Foundation is led by A. J. Lay, CEO & Chairman since 2024 (on filings since 2022); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
A. J. Lay
CEO & Chairman
CEO → CEO & Chairman, 2024
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
M. Schwarz
President & Secretary
President → President & Secretary, 2024
On filings since 2022
No compensation reported
V. W. Lay
Director
New on the 2024 filing
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: John E. Dooling Jr. (2020–2023) — Chairman
- Former: Andrew J. Lay (2020–2021) — CEO
- Former: Mary Beth Schwarz (2020–2021) — President
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 10135 Manchester Road Suite 206, Warson Woods, MO 63122
Phone: (314) 965-9775
Frequently asked questions about Lay Family Foundation
How much does Lay Family Foundation give each year?
Lay Family Foundation gave $4.4M across 19 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. In 2023 it gave $2.0M across 17 grants.
What is Lay Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Lay Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $175,000, and its average grant was $229,537, across 19 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lay Family Foundation that year got $333K on average.
Where does Lay Family Foundation give grants?
Lay Family Foundation gives mostly in Missouri: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were St Louis, MO (16 grants).
Does Lay Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 63% of Lay Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (12 of 19) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Recurring purposes include "Scholarship Fund" (6 grants).
Who are Lay Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Lay Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Today and Tomorrow Ed Fdn ($760,090), Visitation Academy ($600,600) and St Joseph Academy ($454,600), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990 filing. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
What does Lay Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants included scholarship funds and general support for schools, as well as support for a food bank and an arts endowment. Among its grantees, One Classroom says it supports inclusion of children with special needs in local Catholic parish schools through education, expert resources, and forums for sharing best practices. The St. Louis Area Food Bank describes its mission as nourishing people, empowering communities, and transformi…
How do I apply for a grant from Lay Family Foundation?
The foundation 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 Lay Family Foundation's EIN?
Lay Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 43-1510405. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Lay Family 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 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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