Lehner Family Foundation
The Lehner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Akron, Ohio. Its 2024 filing describes an application process for 501(c)(3) organizations serving primarily Summit County, Ohio, and its grants that year went to Ohio recipients.
Lehner Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Lehner Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 96 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Ohio. 15% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,198,450
- +21.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 96
- +3.2% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,484
- +17.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $12,024,926
- -1.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 15% first-time grantees (13 of 85, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Lehner Family Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Applicants should contact Robin Compton, Executive Director, and submit a one-page summary covering the organization’s purpose, the grant request, total project cost, timetable, and amounts requested from the foundation and other foundations and major supporters. The foundation also requests the applicant’s most recent year-end financial statements and Form 990, a board list, an IRS 501(c)(3) letter if the organization has not previously received a grant from the foundation, and contact information for the person making the request. Awards are restricted to 501(c)(3) organizations serving primarily Summit County, Ohio.
- Review Cycle
- March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.
- Deadline
- March 31, June 30, September 30, and December 31.
- Contact
Application contact: Ms Robin Compton Exec Director
Mailing address: PO Box 6599, Akron, OH 44312
Phone: (330) 571-0571
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Lehner Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Akron Zoological Park ($170K across 2 grants). Together the top 10 received $712K.
Grant Size Distribution
446 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 426 grants of 446 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All 2024 grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio. The foundation’s filing states that awards are restricted to 501(c)(3) organizations serving primarily Summit County, Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 96 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Lehner Family Foundation open to new grantees?
15%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 13 of 85 grantees (15%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $10K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $5K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 74% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 141% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $972K (2020) to $1.2M (2024). In 2024 it made 96 grants totaling $1.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Akron Zoological Park Akron, OH | New Heights | $150,000 |
| Akron Art Museum Akron, OH | Centennial | $140,000 |
| Summa Health Akron, OH | Summa Health West Tower | $125,000 |
| Akron History Center Akron, OH | The Rubber Capital of the World | $40,000 |
| Rotary Camp for Children Akron, OH | 2024 REG... | $35,000 |
| Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens Akron, OH | Strategic Plan & Operational Funding | $30,000 |
| Loyola Retreat House Clinton, OH | Repair and Restoration | $25,000 |
| St Mary Urban Education Initiative Akron, OH | Education Endowment Fund | $25,000 |
| Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens Akron, OH | Gala Grant | $25,000 |
| The Village of St Edward Fairlawn, OH | Spiritual C... | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Lehner Family Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,024,926 | $1,304,175 | $1,504,430 | $1,198,450 | 96 | $1,254,830 | $189,081 | $888,791 |
| 2023 | $12,225,181 | $970,496 | $1,313,782 | $988,600 | 93 | $1,044,832 | $240,430 | $834,297 |
| 2022 | $12,568,467 | $225,708 | $1,402,097 | $1,075,854 | 90 | $1,203,395 | $103,002 | $866,105 |
| 2021 | $13,748,091 | $1,126,602 | $1,583,590 | $1,192,250 | 80 | $1,337,733 | $75,326 | $951,152 |
| 2020 | $14,204,606 | $246,256 | $1,331,063 | $971,950 | 87 | — | $79,673 | $872,890 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Lehner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $889K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. Its 2024 grantees include the Akron Zoological Park, which says its mission is to connect people with wildlife and inspire learning and conservation action; Summa Health, whose mission is to provide compassionate, high-quality care and contribute to a healthier community; and the Akron History Center, which aims to create a free exhibit about Akron’s history.
Other grantees include Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens, which says it works to interpret and preserve history and nature; Truly Reaching You, a relationship-based reentry organization supporting men returning to their communities; and Loyola Retreat House, whose mission centers on prayer, community, hospitality, and spiritual guidance.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation awarded 96 grants totaling $1,198,450. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $150,000, with a median of $5,000. Larger awards included $150,000 to Akron Zoological Park for “New Heights,” $140,000 to Akron Art Museum for “Centennial,” and $125,000 to Summa Health for its West Tower. Other grants included $40,000 to Akron History Center and two awards to Stan Hywet Hall & Gardens: $30,000 for strategic planning and operational funding, and $25,000 for a gala grant.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Brennan Manna Diamond, David M Koly, and Rick Burke as managers.
Lehner Family Foundation's 2024 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
David M. Koly
Manager
Foundation M → Manager, 2022
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
$38K (2021) → $38K (2024)
Brennan Manna Diamond
Manager
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
$10K (2024)
Rick Burke
Manager
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
$29K (2024)
Former officers (4)
- Former: Brennan Manna Diamond Richard Burke (2021–2023) — Manager
- Former: Charles G. Ewers (2020–2021) — Foundation M
- Former: David M Koly Koly Company INC (2020) — Foundation Manager
- Former: Richard W. Burke Brennan Manna (2020) — Foundation Manager
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 $38K, to David M Koly (Manager). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Lehner Family Foundation
How much does Lehner Family Foundation give each year?
Lehner Family Foundation gave $1.2M across 96 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $989K across 93 grants.
What is Lehner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Lehner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $5,000, and its average grant was $12,484, across 96 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Lehner Family Foundation that year got $10K on average.
Where does Lehner Family Foundation give grants?
Lehner Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Akron, OH (69 grants), Cleveland, OH (5 grants), Fairlawn, OH (3 grants) and Warren, OH (3 grants).
Does Lehner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 3% of Lehner Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (3 of 96) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Donation" (7 grants).
Who are Lehner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Lehner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Akron Zoological Park ($170,000 across 2 grants), Akron Art Museum ($150,000 across 2 grants) and Summa Health ($125,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 37% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Lehner Family Foundation?
Lehner Family Foundation reported $12.0M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.3M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $889K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Lehner Family Foundation fund?
The foundation’s own mission is not stated in the available information. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Lehner Family Foundation?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Lehner Family Foundation's EIN?
Lehner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6927210. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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 2020–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Lehner Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 16, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/lehner-family-foundation-morg_033f160045d8450cb7bfb857b305208a
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_346927210_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Lehner Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/lehner-family-foundation-morg_033f160045d8450cb7bfb857b305208a},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-16. 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 Lehner Family 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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