Romich Foundation

CRESTON, OH EIN: 20-3991275 Website

Economically disadvantaged people People with disabilities Education Philanthropy Health

Romich Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) grantmaking foundation established in 2005 and based in Creston, Ohio. Beyond traditional grant funding, the foundation operates a makerspace facility that provides equipment and resources to nonprofit organizations and the community. The foundation distinguishes itself by leveraging both financial support and in-kind services through its makerspace operations to advance its mission.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$906K

-7.7% YoY

Annual Giving

$244K

+38.9% YoY

Grant Count

+66.7% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$3K

-16.6% YoY

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 April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The mission of Romich Foundation is to improve the lives of individuals through financial and other support.

The foundation's primary areas of interest include:

Disability support — particularly initiatives working with people with disabilities, especially those who use AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) and other forms of assistive technology
STEAM education — science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics initiatives, with particular interest in public schools in Wayne County, Ohio
Sustainable energy — wind, water, solar, and renewable resource initiatives
Entrepreneurship — programs that promote, encourage, and support entrepreneurship in northeast Ohio
Justice and harmony — initiatives that promote justice and harmony in Wayne County, Ohio
General needs of disadvantaged people — charitable organizations addressing the needs of disadvantaged individuals, both locally and worldwide

The foundation typically does not provide funding for ongoing needs, but rather serves as a catalyst for new initiatives.

Grantmaking

In addition to direct grants, Romich Foundation operates a makerspace that provides value to nonprofit organizations by manufacturing items for them. Makerspace resources include:

Grant Range

$22 to $74,409

Average Grant

amount: approximately $4,200-$5,800

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Top funding locations include:

Wooster, OH (12 grants)
Creston, OH (2 grants)
Washington, DC (2 grants)
New York, NY (2 grants)

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $750K (92%)

Oregon $27K (3%)

Pennsylvania $11K (1%)

Virginia $3K (0%)

Illinois $3K (0%)

Maryland $3K (0%)

Washington $3K (0%)

Indiana $2K (0%)

+12 more states

States

Alabama California Colorado Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Iowa Illinois Indiana Maryland Minnesota New York Ohio Oregon Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington

Cities

AkronAlexandriaApple CreekArlingtonAshlandAtlantaBaltimoreBelcampBendBooneCantonCatasauquaChicagoCincinnatiClaremontClevelandColumbusCrestonDallasDalton

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Assets & Revenue (2024):

Total assets: $905,549
Total revenues: $292,526
Total expenses: $368,334
Total liabilities: $0

Assets & Revenue (2023):

Total assets: $981,000
Total revenues: $154,000
Total expenses: $303,000

Investment Performance:

Investment income and dividends (2024): $17,089
Net gain from sale of non-inventory assets (2024): $270,675

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$905,549	$981,357	$1,129,807
Revenue	$292,526	$154,427	$124,778
Expenses	$368,334	$302,877	$289,593
Qualifying Distributions	$301,125	$265,623	$267,323
Net Investment Income	$239,893	$139,933	$116,506
Distributable Amount	$285,531	$170,230	$158,301

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

201 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Joyfulcafe ($37,759), Includeability ($34,060), Guardian Group ($26,288).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
AAC INSTITUTE PITTSBURGH, PA	GENERAL PURPOSES	$7,216
AC GILBERT HERITAGE SOCIETY DOYLESTOWN, OH	GENERAL PURPOSES	$335
ADAPTIVE SPORTS PROGRAM OF OHIO WOOSTER, OH	GENERAL PURPOSES	$1,500
ALLEYCATS & ARISTOCATS MEDINA, OH	GENERAL PURPOSES	$200
ALZHEIMER'S ASSOCIATION CHICAGO, IL	GENERAL PURPOSES	$1,297
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION DALLAS, TX	GENERAL PURPOSES	$206
AMERICAN RED CROSS CLEVELAND, OH	GENERAL PURPOSES	$500
BE STRONG GO ON DEERFIELD BEACH, FL	GENERAL PURPOSES	$1,000
BOBCAT COMMUNITY CLOSET CRESTON, OH	GENERAL PURPOSES	$1,500
BRIDGEWAY HOMESCHOOL ACADEMY CATASAUQUA, PA	GENERAL PURPOSES	$1,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Barry Romich — President of Romich Foundation
Robin Wisner — Philanthropy Advisor

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
BARRY A ROMICH	PRESIDENT	2	—
MARGO E BROEHL	DIRECTOR	1	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

2025

**2025 Ohio Library Champion Award:**

2025

Barry Romich, president of Romich Foundation, was named the recipient of the 2025 Local Library Champion Award by the Ohio Library Council. The award recognizes his exceptional commitment to enhancing public libraries and expanding access to resources for all Ohioans. His efforts include equipping libraries with 3D printers, laser engravers, and circulating tech kits, as well as funding training and collaborating with library staff to create dynamic makerspaces. Romich also reinvested philanthropic award funds to build a Maker Cart for his local library and created the Joyful Café, a coffee shop inside the Wayne County Public Library in Wooster that provides employment for adults with developmental disabilities. The award will be presented during a ceremony on November 19 at the Huntington Convention Center in Cleveland.

Romich to be Honored with Philanthropy Award - Wayne County Community Foundation

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Economically disadvantaged people People with disabilities Education Philanthropy Health

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Romich Foundation fund?

The mission of Romich Foundation is to improve the lives of individuals through financial and other support. The foundation's primary areas of interest include: • **Disability support** — particularly initiatives working with people with disabilities, especially those who use AAC (augmentative and alternative communication) and other forms of assistive technology • **STEAM education** — science, technology, engineering, arts, and mathematics initiatives, with particular interest in public schoo…

How do I apply for a grant from Romich Foundation?

**Grant Activity:** • Awarded 42-43 grants in 2023-2024 • Total giving in 2023: $175,301 • Total giving in 2024: $243,579 • Average grant amount: approximately $4,200-$5,800 • Typical grant range: $22 to $74,409 **Recent Grant Recipients (2024):** • Schantz Makerspace: $48,726 • Guardian Group: $26,288 • United Way of Wayne and Holmes: $10,000 **Makerspace Operations:** In addition to direct grants, Romich Foundation operates a makerspace that provides value to nonprofit organizations by manufa…

Where does Romich Foundation make grants?

The foundation primarily funds organizations in Ohio, with particular emphasis on Wayne County. Grant recipients have also been located in California, Pennsylvania, Washington DC, Alabama, Colorado, and Georgia. Top funding locations include: • Wooster, OH (12 grants) • Creston, OH (2 grants) • Washington, DC (2 grants) • New York, NY (2 grants)

What size grants does Romich Foundation award?

In 2024, Romich Foundation awarded 70 grants totaling $244K — an average of about $3K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Romich Foundation required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Romich Foundation reported a distributable amount of $286K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.