Romich Foundation
Romich Foundation is a private foundation based in Creston, Ohio, established in 2005. It provides financial support for initiatives promoting justice and harmony in Wayne County; public schools, particularly in Wayne County and programs involving STEAM; charitable organizations addressing the needs of disadvantaged people; initiatives involving people with disabilities, especially AAC and assistive technology; makerspaces; sustainable energy; and entrepreneurship in northeast Ohio.
Romich Foundation at a glance
In short: Romich Foundation gave $244K across 70 grants in 2024 (avg $3K), mostly in Ohio. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $243,579
- +38.9% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 70
- +66.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $3,480
- -16.6% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $600
- Total assets
- $905,549
- -7.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (35 of 70, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (82% 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 Romich Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. No application process or deadline is stated.
- Contact
Mailing address: 13875 Cleveland Road, Creston, OH 44217
Phone: (330) 264-9897
Website: https://romichfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Romich Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Schantz Makerspace ($49K). Together the top 10 received $201K.
Grant Size Distribution
221 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 219 grants of 221 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation identifies Wayne County, Ohio, as a focus for several of its funding interests, including justice and harmony, public schools, and charitable organizations serving disadvantaged individuals. It also identifies northeast Ohio as a focus for entrepreneurship. In 2024, 82% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 11% to Oregon, and 4% to Pennsylvania; Illinois and Indiana each accounted for less than 1%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 70 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Romich Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 35 of 70 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $500 first-time, $603 repeat.
- 34% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 60% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 105% 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 $127K (2020) to $244K (2024). In 2024 it made 70 grants totaling $244K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Schantz Makerspace Wooster, OH | General Purposes | $48,726 |
| Joyfulcafe Wooster, OH | General Purposes | $37,759 |
| Includeability Shreve, OH | General Purposes | $34,060 |
| Guardian Group Bend, OR | General Purposes | $26,288 |
| Norwayne Schools Creston, OH | Donation to middle school, music department, athletic boosters, and general funds | $12,628 |
| Daybreak Community Church Wooster, OH | General Purposes | $10,000 |
| United Way of Wayne and Holmes CO Wooster, OH | General Purposes | $10,000 |
| AAC Institute Pittsburgh, PA | General Purposes | $7,216 |
| Ghana Beyond Subsistence Wooster, OH | General Purposes | $7,000 |
| The Counseling Center Portsmouth, OH | General Purposes | $7,000 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $905,549 | $292,526 | $368,334 | $243,579 | 70 | $301,125 | $239,893 | $285,531 |
| 2023 | $981,357 | $154,427 | $302,877 | $175,301 | 42 | $265,623 | $139,933 | $170,230 |
| 2022 | $1,129,807 | $124,778 | $289,593 | $191,715 | 24 | $267,323 | $116,506 | $158,301 |
| 2021 | $1,294,622 | $172,152 | $223,703 | $152,705 | 43 | $161,304 | $137,451 | $205,054 |
| 2020 | $1,345,873 | $26,203 | $172,607 | $126,896 | 42 | — | — | $150,438 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Romich Foundation reported a distributable amount of $286K 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 stated funding interests include justice and harmony in Wayne County, Ohio; public schools and STEAM programs; services for disadvantaged individuals; disability and assistive technology initiatives; makerspaces that provide value to local nonprofits; sustainable energy; and entrepreneurship in northeast Ohio.
Its grantees illustrate a range of activities. For example, Adaptive Sports Program of Ohio says it provides access to adaptive sports for people with physical disabilities. National Inventors Hall of Fame describes its work as recognizing inventors and promoting creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship. United Way of Wayne and Holmes County says it works with the community to identify priorities and mobilize resources to address them.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 70 grants totaling $243,579. Grant amounts ranged from $22 to $48,726, with a median of $600. Its largest grants included $48,726 to Schantz Makerspace, $37,759 to JoyfulCafe, $34,060 to IncludeAbility, and $26,288 to Guardian Group; each was listed for general purposes. Other grants included $12,628 to Norwayne Schools for its middle school, music department, athletic boosters, and general funds, and $10,000 each to Daybreak Community Church and United Way of Wayne and Holmes County.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Barry A. Romich as president and Margo E. Broehl as director.
Romich Foundation is led by Barry A. Romich, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 2 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Barry A. Romich
President
On filings since 2020
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Margo E. Broehl
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Alan J. Tobin (2020) — Director
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.
Frequently asked questions about Romich Foundation
How much does Romich Foundation give each year?
Romich Foundation gave $244K across 70 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $175K across 42 grants.
What is Romich Foundation's typical grant size?
Romich Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $600, and its average grant was $3,480, across 70 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Romich Foundation that year got $2K on average.
Where does Romich Foundation give grants?
Romich Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 82% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Oregon (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Wooster, OH (17 grants), Creston, OH (6 grants), Akron, OH (3 grants) and Cleveland, OH (3 grants).
Does Romich Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Romich Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (70 of 70) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Romich Foundation's largest grantees?
Romich Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Schantz Makerspace ($48,726), Joyfulcafe ($37,759) and Includeability ($34,060), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 49% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Romich Foundation?
Romich Foundation reported $906K in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $301K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $286K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Romich Foundation fund?
The foundation’s stated funding interests include justice and harmony in Wayne County, Ohio; public schools and STEAM programs; services for disadvantaged individuals; disability and assistive technology initiatives; makerspaces that provide value to local nonprofits; sustainable energy; and entrepreneurship in northeast Ohio. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Romich 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 Romich Foundation's EIN?
Romich Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-3991275. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Romich Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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). Romich Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/romich-foundation-morg_e79d11d5369c4737bb96a77b74cc03e8
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_203991275_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Romich Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/romich-foundation-morg_e79d11d5369c4737bb96a77b74cc03e8},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Romich 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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