The Gessner Family Foundation
The Gessner Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Columbus, Ohio. In 2024, it made grants to charitable organizations, including organizations working in housing, historic preservation, economic development, youth services, education, food assistance, and libraries.
Key facts about The Gessner Family Foundation
In short: The Gessner Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 28 grants in 2024 (avg $51K), mostly in Ohio. 4% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 27-0609120
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,420,250
- Grants made (2024)
- 28
- Average grant
- $50,723
- Median grant
- $37,125
- New grantees (estimate)
- 4% first-time grantees (1 of 28, 2024)
- Total assets
- $26,871,109
- Primary geography
- Ohio (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to apply
- The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$26.9M
+3.3% YoY
Annual Giving
$1.4M
+5.5% YoY
Grant Count
28
-24.3% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$51K
+39.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Gessner Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $1.5M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Gessner Family Foundation open to new grantees?
4%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 1 of 28 grantees (4%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $36K; repeat grants $51K. How we count
Medians: $36K first-time, $39K repeat.
- 96% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+20%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. Habitat for Humanity describes its mission as bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope so everyone can have a decent place to live. The Massillon Heritage Foundation says it works to preserve and restore historically significant properties in Massillon and surrounding areas. Stark Economic Development Board says it strengthens Stark County by driving business growth and leading its economic transformation.
Other 2024 recipients included the Boys’ & Girls’ Club of Massillon, whose stated mission is to improve the quality of life for youth and encourage their participation as responsible members of society, and Stark State College Foundation, which says it supports student, partner, and community success. Grants also went to organizations in food assistance, pharmacy access, libraries, museums, and historic preservation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 28 grants totaling $1,420,250. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $291,000, with a median grant of $37,125. Larger awards included $291,000 to Habitat for Humanity for an emergency mortgage subsidy program in western Stark County and support for the Massillon Ohio Tremont Corridor Habitat Renewal Project; $100,000 each to Massillon Heritage Foundation and Spring Hill Farm for historic preservation; $100,000 to Stark Economic Development Board for the professional office of “Strengthening Stark”; and $100,000 to The Massillon Museum for general operations.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio. The reported shares for other recipient states were South Carolina 2%, and Washington, D.C., Virginia, and Colorado 1% each.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 28 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $1.2M (2021) to $1.4M (2022). In 2024 it made 28 grants totaling $1.4M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Habitat for Humanity ($291K). Together the top 10 received $986K.
Grant Size Distribution
162 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 109 grants of 162 (67%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Habitat for Humanity Canton, OH | Emergency mortgage subsidy program in western Stark county & support for the massillon Ohio tremont corridor habitat renewal project | $291,000 |
| Massillon Heritage Foundation Massillon, OH | Historic Preservation | $100,000 |
| Spring Hill Farm Massillon, OH | Historic Preservation | $100,000 |
| Stark Economic Development Board Canton, OH | For the Professional Office of "Strengthening Stark" | $100,000 |
| The Massillon Museum Massillon, OH | General Operations | $100,000 |
| St John's United Church of Christ Massillon, OH | General Operations | $75,000 |
| Boys' & Girls' Club of Massillon Massillon, OH | Capital Campaign and General Operations | $60,000 |
| Stark State College Foundation North Canton, OH | Ruth Hess-Williams Scholarship | $60,000 |
| Akron Canton Regional Food Bank Akron, OH | General Operations | $50,000 |
| Massillon Public Library Massillon, OH | General Operations | $50,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grant sum | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $26,871,109 | $2,539,341 | $1,696,204 | $1,420,250 | 28 |
| 2023 | $26,001,470 | $6,147,093 | $1,674,631 | $1,345,900 | 37 |
| 2022 | $25,250,807 | $3,706,068 | $1,733,088 | $1,437,000 | 33 |
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $26,871,109 | $26,001,470 | $25,250,807 |
| Revenue | $2,539,341 | $6,147,093 | $3,706,068 |
| Expenses | $1,696,204 | $1,674,631 | $1,733,088 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,525,314 | $1,454,675 | $1,555,539 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,458,234 | $4,157,988 | $3,124,501 |
| Distributable Amount | $1,505,884 | $1,290,868 | $1,265,022 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Susan R. Gessner as president; Robert B. Gessner as treasurer; Elizabeth A. McAllister as secretary; Richard W. Gessner Jr. and Katherine Gessner as directors; and Larry McAllister as vice-president and executive.
The Gessner Family Foundation is led by Susan R. Gessner, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Susan R. Gessner
President
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Katherine Gessner
Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Richard W. Gessner Jr.
Director
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth A. McAllister
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Larry McAllister
Vice President & Executive
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert B. Gessner
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.1 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Contact
Mailing address: 4154 Nottinghill Gate Road, Columbus, OH 43220
Phone: (614) 607-0204
Frequently asked questions about The Gessner Family Foundation
How much does The Gessner Family Foundation give each year?
The Gessner Family Foundation gave $1.4M across 28 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.3M across 37 grants.
What is The Gessner Family Foundation's typical grant size?
The Gessner Family Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $37,125, and its average grant was $50,723, across 28 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Gessner Family Foundation that year got $36K on average.
Where does The Gessner Family Foundation give grants?
The Gessner Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Massillon, OH (8 grants), Canton, OH (5 grants), Akron, OH (3 grants) and North Canton, OH (3 grants).
Does The Gessner Family Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 71% of The Gessner Family Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (20 of 28) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Gessner Family Foundation's largest grantees?
The Gessner Family Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Habitat for Humanity ($291,000), Massillon Heritage Foundation ($100,000) and Spring Hill Farm ($100,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Gessner Family Foundation?
The Gessner Family Foundation reported $26.9M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.5M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Gessner Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations with varied purposes. Habitat for Humanity describes its mission as bringing people together to build homes, communities, and hope so everyone can have a decent place to live. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Gessner Family 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 The Gessner Family Foundation's EIN?
The Gessner Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 27-0609120. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does The Gessner Family Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Gessner Family Foundation by hand.
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