The Forster Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Westerville, OH EIN: 81-5044139

The Forster Foundation is a private foundation focused on Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief, based in Westerville, OH. IRS filing data is available from 2020 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $109K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 6 grants totaling $8K. Net investment income was $2.

Key facts about The Forster Foundation

In short: The Forster Foundation gave $8K across 6 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
81-5044139
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$8,002
Grants made (2025)
6
Average grant
$1,334
Median grant
$1,500
Total assets
$108,856
Primary geography
Ohio (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$109K

+36.1% YoY

Annual Giving

$8K

-56.3% YoY

Grant Count

6

-57.1% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$1K

+1.9% YoY

How The Forster Foundation gives

  • Giving fell 37% from 2022 to 2025. Method

From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 6 itemized grants.

States

Cities

ColumbusGrove CityLewis CenterMarysvilleZanesville

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$5K$10K$15K$20K7 grants2020 9 grants2021 8 grants2022 12 grants2023 14 grants2024 6 grants2025

From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $5K (2020) to $18K (2024). In 2025 it made 6 grants totaling $8K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Grant Size Distribution

49 grants across all recorded years

49<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 49 grants of 49 (100%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
6 grants to individuals Recipients not named —$8,002

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$50K$100K$150K$200K2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$108,856$79,996$62,512
Revenue$145,486$146,188$57,745
Expenses$116,626$128,704$52,982
Qualifying Distributions$116,626$128,029$52,332
Net Investment Income$2$2$11

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS October 11, 2021)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 15, 2022)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 30, 2023)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 2, 2024)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 14, 2025)
  6. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 20, 2026)

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

The Forster Foundation is led by Brandon Harmon, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 13 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Brandon Harmon

    President

    On filings since 2020

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Brian Toth

    Director

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Stephanie Derga

    Director

    Treasurer → Director, 2022

    On filings since 2020

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • James Ashenhurst

    Director

    On filings since 2021

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Lowell Wood

    Director

    On filings since 2023

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Cassie Gress

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Chris Shaffery

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Crystal Geitter

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    4 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Jennifer Bruggeman

    Director

    On filings since 2024

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Al Coughlin

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Claudia Forbes

    Director

    New on the 2025 filing

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Charles Albers

    Vice President

    Director → Vice President, 2024

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

  • Kristin Harmon

    Treasurer

    Advisor → Treasurer, 2023

    On filings since 2021

    2 hrs/week

    No compensation reported

Former officers (6)
  • Former: Kylie Shaffery (2020–2023) — Vice President
  • Former: Catherine Kirk (2020–2022) — Treasurer
  • Former: Craig Forster (2020–2022) — Forster Dele
  • Former: Jacob Day (2020–2022) — Vice President
  • Former: Jean Forster (2020–2022) — Forster Dele
  • Former: Kristina Brumfield (2020) — Director

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 The Forster Foundation

How much does The Forster Foundation give each year?

The Forster Foundation gave $8K across 6 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $18K across 14 grants.

What is The Forster Foundation's typical grant size?

The Forster Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,500, and its average grant was $1,334, across 6 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does The Forster Foundation give grants?

The Forster Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there.

Does The Forster Foundation give general operating support?

Not in 2025: none of the 6 grants with a stated purpose on The Forster Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Hardship Grant" (6 grants).

How large is The Forster Foundation?

The Forster Foundation reported $109K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $145K.

What is The Forster Foundation?

The Forster Foundation is a private foundation focused on Public Safety, Disaster Preparedness & Relief, based in Westerville, OH. It holds $109K in total assets as of 2025.

What is The Forster Foundation's EIN?

The Forster Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 81-5044139. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

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