Spartan Foundation
Spartan Foundation is a private grantmaking foundation based in Vienna, West Virginia (with records also listing Parkersburg, WV). The foundation operates as a non-operating private foundation focused on philanthropic grantmaking activities.
Key facts about Spartan Foundation
- EIN
- 20-4153385
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,269,121
- Grants made (2024)
- 33
- Average grant
- $38,458
- Median grant
- $20,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (11 of 32, 2024)
- Total assets
- $17,770,265
- Primary geography
- West Virginia (52% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who Spartan Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Spartan Foundation's 33 itemized 2024 grants were West Virginia (52%), Ohio (37%) and Pennsylvania (8%). The most frequent recipient cities were Parkersburg, WV (11 grants), Marietta, OH (7 grants), Vienna, WV (3 grants) and Charleston, WV (3 grants). None of its 33 grants with a stated purpose were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Contribution" (33 grants).
Is Spartan Foundation open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 32 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $48K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 59% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+6%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 90% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with Spartan Foundation
- How to evaluate Spartan Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$17.8M
+8.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.3M
+4.9% YoY
Grant Count
33
+32.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$38K
-20.6% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Spartan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation has not provided a formal mission statement. However, based on grantmaking patterns, Spartan Foundation supports organizations in the following areas:
- Arts and Culture
- Community Development
- Education
- Health and Well-Being
- Sports and Recreation
- Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
Grantmaking
Grant Range
$2,000–$250,000
Average Grant
amount: $38,000
Ready to take the next step with Spartan Foundation?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Spartan Foundation primarily funds organizations in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, which account for 94% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across five states.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 33 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets & Income:
- Total assets: $17,770,265 (as of most recent filing)
- Annual income: $5.8 million
- Total assets have grown from $1.5 million in 2011 to $16.5 million in 2023
Giving:
- Total grants awarded (2024): $1,269,121
- Total grants awarded (2023): $1.2 million
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $17,770,265 | $16,452,732 | $17,385,788 |
| Revenue | $2,829,412 | $504,692 | $57,839 |
| Expenses | $1,511,879 | $1,437,748 | $1,791,546 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,271,576 | $1,212,738 | $1,529,864 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,593,379 | $302,414 | $119,076 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,406,089 | $1,261,995 | $1,268,790 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
125 grants across all recorded years
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Parkersburg and Wood Co Library ($127,000), YMCA of Parkersburg WV ($126,518), Cleveland Clinic ($115,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| PARKERSBURG AND WOOD CO LIBRARY Parkersburg, WV | CONTRIBUTION | $127,000 |
| YMCA OF PARKERSBURG WV Parkersburg, WV | CONTRIBUTION | $126,518 |
| CLEVELAND CLINIC Cleveland, OH | CONTRIBUTION | $115,000 |
| Memorial Health Foundation Marietta, OH | CONTRIBUTION | $100,000 |
| CAMDEN CLARK MEDICAL CENTER Parkersburg, WV | CONTRIBUTION | $100,000 |
| OHIO STATE HAVENER EYE INSTITUTE Columbus, OH | CONTRIBUTION | $100,000 |
| WVU AT PARKERSBURG Parkersburg, WV | CONTRIBUTION | $70,000 |
| DISCOVERY WORLD ON MARKET Parkersburg, WV | CONTRIBUTION | $61,642 |
| Uniontown Public Library Uniontown, PA | CONTRIBUTION | $55,912 |
| Parkersburg Area Comm Foundation Parkersburg, WV | CONTRIBUTION | $51,139 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Principal Officer: Harry H Esbenshade III
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Harry H Esbenshade III | President | 1 | — |
| Robert E Kirkbride | Director | 1 | — |
| Thomas a Heywood | Director | 1 | — |
| John L Thomas | Director | 1 | — |
| Thomas R Davies | Director | 1 | — |
| Bryan J Ream | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Katherine E Hushion | Secretary | 1 | — |
| William D Esbenshade | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Rachel E Reed | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Abigail E O Keefe | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Molly H E Shaughnessy | Vice President | 1 | — |
| Aaron L Tice | Assitant Treasurer | 1 | — |
Subject Areas
Focus areas based on grantmaking activity
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Spartan Foundation fund?
The foundation has not provided a formal mission statement. However, based on grantmaking patterns, Spartan Foundation supports organizations in the following areas: • Arts and Culture • Community Development • Education • Health and Well-Being • Sports and Recreation • Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking
How do I apply for a grant from Spartan Foundation?
**Grant Activity:** • Awarded 33 grants totaling $1,269,121 in 2024 • Average grant amount: $38,000 • Typical grant range: $2,000–$250,000 • The foundation makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations **Historical Grantmaking:** • 47 grants totaling $2.7 million across available records • Median grant: $47,000 • Annual giving decreased from $1.5 million in 2022 to $1.2 million in 2023 • Has supported 30 unique organizations **Geographic Distribution of Recent Grants (2024):** • P…
Where does Spartan Foundation make grants?
Spartan Foundation primarily funds organizations in West Virginia, Ohio, and Pennsylvania, which account for 94% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across five states.
What size grants does Spartan Foundation award?
In 2024, Spartan Foundation awarded 33 grants totaling $1.3M — an average of about $38K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Spartan Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Spartan Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.4M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Spartan Foundation's EIN?
Spartan Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-4153385. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.