Synthomer Foundation Inc
Synthomer Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Beachwood, Ohio. It supports nonprofit organizations in communities where Synthomer operates in the United States, with giving focused on education, health and human services, civic initiatives, and the arts.
Synthomer Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Synthomer Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 289 grants in 2024 (avg $5K), mostly in Ohio. 34% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,314,581
- -3.6% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 289
- -7.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $4,549
- +4.4% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $3,000
- Total assets
- $24,186,919
- +0.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 34% first-time grantees (80 of 235, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (83% 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 Synthomer Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists an application through the Foundation’s grant-request process. A request should include an organization description, budget information including an annual report, a copy of the current 501(c)(3) tax-exempt letter, a project statement addressing purpose, budget, and objectives, and a list of the organization’s trustees. The filing lists restrictions on awards as “various.” The grant program description identifies 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organizations as eligible and says organizations that discriminate or engage in political activities are ineligible.
- Review Cycle
- October 31, as listed on the filing.
- Deadline
- October 31, as listed on the filing.
- Contact
Application contact: Theresa Carter
Mailing address: 25435 Harvard Rd, Beachwood, OH 44122
Phone: (216) 682-7067
Website: https://synthomer.com
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Synthomer Foundation Inc
Who Synthomer Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Amer Inst of Chemical Engine ($60K across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $338K.
Grant Size Distribution
1,095 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 1,092 grants of 1,095 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation says it supports nonprofit organizations throughout its U.S. footprint and in communities where Synthomer operates. In 2024, Ohio recipients received 83% of grant dollars, followed by New York at 5%, South Carolina at 2%, and Pennsylvania and Virginia at 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 289 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Synthomer Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
34%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 80 of 235 grantees (34%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $7K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 53% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 121% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2024). 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 2021 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.1M (2021) to $1.4M (2023). In 2024 it made 289 grants totaling $1.3M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| UTD Way of GTR Cleveland Cleveland, OH | Program/Project Support | $40,000 |
| Akron Urban League Akron, OH | Program/Project Support | $35,000 |
| Univ of Akron Research Fdn Akron, OH | Program/Project Support | $30,000 |
| United Way of Summit and Med Akron, OH | Program/Project Support | $28,000 |
| Amer Inst of Chemical Engine New York, NY | Program/Project Support | $24,000 |
| Amer Inst of Chemical Engine New York, NY | Program/Project Support | $24,000 |
| Access Akron, OH | Program/Project Support | $20,000 |
| Cuyahoga Comm College Fdn Cleveland, OH | Program/Project Support | $20,000 |
| The Univ of Akron Akron, OH | Program/Project Support | $20,000 |
| OSU Fdn Columbus, OH | Program/Project Support | $18,000 |
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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 | $24,186,919 | $1,964,940 | $1,757,839 | $1,314,581 | 289 | $1,627,171 | $1,869,636 | $1,346,525 |
| 2023 | $23,983,054 | $413,999 | $1,733,870 | $1,364,268 | 313 | $1,615,696 | $786,428 | $1,293,962 |
| 2022 | $25,311,855 | $1,608,985 | $1,710,770 | $1,316,040 | 302 | $1,621,644 | $1,502,868 | $1,361,104 |
| 2021 | $24,717,662 | $2,060,019 | $1,489,465 | $1,147,584 | 191 | — | $1,984,477 | $1,495,679 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Synthomer Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.3M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation says it supports programs and projects that make a significant impact in communities. Its giving areas are education, health and human services, civic initiatives, and the arts. It prefers to fund specific projects, though it also provides some unrestricted funding.
Its 2024 grantees illustrate the range of organizations receiving support. ACCESS Inc describes its work as serving women and children experiencing homelessness through education, advocacy, and empowerment. Project Grad Akron says it provides programs, supports, and scholarships for underrepresented students from pre-kindergarten through career. The Greater Cleveland Food Bank describes its work as providing food and essential resources to neighbors facing hunger.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, the Foundation reported 289 grants totaling $1,314,581. Grant amounts ranged from $25 to $40,000, with a median of $3,000. The largest listed awards included $40,000 to United Way of Greater Cleveland, $35,000 to Akron Urban League, and $30,000 to University of Akron Research Foundation; each was designated for program/project support.
Other 2024 recipients included ACCESS Inc ($20,000), Cuyahoga Community College Foundation ($20,000), and Ohio State University Foundation ($18,000). The Foundation’s website says it supports nonprofit organizations across its U.S. footprint.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists S. Theresa Carter as foundation manager; Gregg Geldart as chairman; Jeffrey Scranton as treasurer; Joe Muska as secretary; Sonya Varga as vice chairman; and Kimberly Grimm, Amy Castle, and Joy Gallo as trustees.
Synthomer Foundation Inc is led by Gregg Geldart, Chairman on every filing since 2023; 1 of 8 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Gregg Geldart
Chairman
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Amy Castle
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joy Gallo
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kimberly Grimm
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
S. Theresa Carter
Foundation Manager
President → Foundation Manager, 2023
On filings since 2021
40 hrs/week
$167K (2021) → $186K (2024)
Jeffrey Scranton
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joe Muska
Secretary
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Sonya Varga
Vice Chairman
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (5)
- Former: Carla Dittman McBain (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Christopher Weber (2021–2022) — Treasurer
- Former: Marshall Moore (2021–2022) — Chairman
- Former: Mickey McMillan (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Robert Nagucki (2021–2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2024. "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 $186K, to S Theresa Carter (Foundation Manager).
Frequently asked questions about Synthomer Foundation Inc
How much does Synthomer Foundation Inc give each year?
Synthomer Foundation Inc gave $1.3M across 289 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.4M across 313 grants.
What is Synthomer Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Synthomer Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $3,000, and its average grant was $4,549, across 289 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Synthomer Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does Synthomer Foundation Inc give grants?
Synthomer Foundation Inc gives mostly in Ohio: 83% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Akron, OH (91 grants), Cleveland, OH (39 grants), Uniontown, OH (18 grants) and Columbus, OH (13 grants).
Does Synthomer Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 289 grants with a stated purpose on Synthomer Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program/Project Support" (274 grants), "Matching Gift" (9 grants) and "Scholarship" (3 grants).
Who are Synthomer Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Synthomer Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Amer Inst of Chemical Engine ($60,000 across 3 grants), The Univ of Akron ($51,500 across 7 grants) and UTD Way of GTR Cleveland ($40,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 12% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Synthomer Foundation Inc?
Synthomer Foundation Inc reported $24.2M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.3M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Synthomer Foundation Inc fund?
The Foundation says it supports programs and projects that make a significant impact in communities. Its giving areas are education, health and human services, civic initiatives, and the arts. It prefers to fund specific projects, though it also provides some unrestricted funding. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Synthomer Foundation Inc?
The filing lists an application through the Foundation’s grant-request process. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Synthomer Foundation Inc's EIN?
Synthomer Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1909350. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2024
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Synthomer Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/synthomer-foundation-inc-morg_430a4589c2154d0d9800348b96f60bff
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341909350_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Synthomer Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/synthomer-foundation-inc-morg_430a4589c2154d0d9800348b96f60bff},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 Synthomer Foundation Inc'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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