The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation
The John J and Pauline Gerlach is a public charity based in Columbus, Ohio. Formed in 1996, it is a supporting organization of the Columbus Foundation and states that it supports charitable organizations that benefit the community.
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation at a glance
In short: The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation gave $1.9M across 23 grants in 2025 (avg $80K), mostly in Ohio. 13% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,850,000
- -1.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 23
- +9.5% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $80,435
- -9.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $40,000
- Total assets
- $68,985,527
- -5.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 13% first-time grantees (3 of 23, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (54% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 1234 E Broad St, Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: (614) 251-4000
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Ohio State University Foundation ($650K). Together the top 10 received $1.5M.
Grant Size Distribution
115 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 69 grants of 115 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 54% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 35% to Illinois, 5% to the District of Columbia, and 5% to California. The listed grants include multiple Columbus-area organizations.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 23 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation open to new grantees?
13%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 23 grantees (13%) were first-time recipients. With only 23 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 4 points. First grants averaged $72K; repeat grants $82K. How we count
Medians: $100K first-time, $40K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $960K (2021) to $1.9M (2024). In 2025 it made 23 grants totaling $1.9M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University Foundation Chicago, IL | Education | $650,000 |
| Balletmet Columbus, OH | Arts and Humanities | $200,000 |
| Mid-Ohio Foodbank DBA Mid-Ohio Food Collective Grove City, OH | Social Services | $115,000 |
| American National Red Cross Washington, DC | HEALTH | $100,000 |
| The Salvation Army - Southern California Division Carson, CA | Social Services | $100,000 |
| Goodwill Columbus Columbus, OH | Social Services | $85,000 |
| Homeless Families Foundation DBA Home for Families Columbus, OH | Social Services | $75,000 |
| Salvation Army (Central Ohio) Columbus, OH | Social Services | $60,000 |
| Heinzerling Community Columbus, OH | HEALTH | $55,000 |
| United Way of Central Ohio Inc Columbus, OH | Social Services | $55,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $68,985,527 | $1,709,692 | $1,899,900 | $1,850,000 | 23 | $1,709,692 |
| 2024 | $72,633,910 | $1,672,553 | $1,919,825 | $1,870,000 | 21 | $1,672,553 |
| 2023 | $70,193,689 | $1,585,152 | $1,539,700 | $1,495,000 | 25 | $1,585,152 |
| 2022 | $82,879,730 | $1,404,116 | $1,305,032 | $1,260,000 | 23 | $1,404,116 |
| 2021 | $69,849,857 | $1,283,807 | $1,010,021 | $960,000 | 23 | $1,283,807 |
| 2020 | $77,238,328 | $4,675,527 | $1,704,835 | $1,665,000 | 37 | $1,176,010 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s stated purpose is “to support charitable organizations which benefit the community.”
Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, United Way of Central Ohio describes its mission as bringing communities together to create a stronger, more equitable Central Ohio, including helping families in crisis meet basic needs and helping children achieve student success. Heinzerling Community says it provides a nurturing environment for people with severe or profound intellectual impairments and developmental disabilities. A Kid Again describes its mission as providing hope, happiness, and healing to families raising children with life-threatening conditions.
Other 2025 recipients include arts and education organizations. The Columbus Museum of Art says it aims to provide “great experiences with great art for everyone,” while Capital University describes its mission as empowering an inclusive community of learners.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 23 grants totaling $1,850,000. Grant amounts ranged from $10,000 to $650,000, with a median grant of $40,000.
The largest listed awards were $650,000 to The Ohio State University Foundation for education, $200,000 to BalletMet for arts and humanities, and $115,000 to Mid-Ohio Foodbank, doing business as Mid-Ohio Food Collective, for social services. Other notable awards included $100,000 each to the American National Red Cross for health and the Salvation Army – Southern California Division for social services; $85,000 to Goodwill Columbus; and $75,000 to Homeless Families Foundation, doing business as Home for Families. Additional recipients included the Salvation Army (Central Ohio) ($60,000), Heinzerling Community ($55,000), United Way of Central Ohio ($55,000), and A Kid Again ($50,000).
The 2025 filing says the return is available for review at the next regularly scheduled board meeting, is posted to a secure portal for viewing, and is available upon request.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists David P Gerlach as president and trustee; John B Gerlach Jr as vice chairperson, treasurer, and trustee; and Susan Gerlach Douglass as chairperson, secretary, and trustee. Other listed trustees are James E Kunk, David P Lauer, R L Richards, and John L Boylan. Douglas F Kridler is listed as assistant secretary, and Scott G Heitkamp as assistant treasurer.
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation is led by David P. Gerlach, President & Trustee on every filing since 2020; none of the 9 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
David P. Gerlach
President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Susan Gerlach Douglass
Chairperson, Secretary & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
David P. Lauer
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James E. Kunk
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John B. Gerlach Jr.
Vice Chairperson, Treasurer & Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
R. L. Richards
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John L. Boylan
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas F. Kridler
Assistant Secretary
Assistant Secretary → Assistant Secretary & Trustee, 2021
Assistant Secretary & Trustee → Assistant Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Scott G. Heitkamp
Assistant Treasurer
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Richard R. Murphey Jr. (2020) — Trustee
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 John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation
How much does The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation give each year?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation gave $1.9M across 23 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.9M across 21 grants.
What is The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's typical grant size?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $40,000, and its average grant was $80,435, across 23 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation that year got $72K on average.
Where does The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation give grants?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 54% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest states were Illinois (35%) and District of Columbia (5%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (18 grants).
Does The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 23 grants with a stated purpose on The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Services" (10 grants), "Health" (4 grants) and "Arts and Humanities" (4 grants).
Who are The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's largest grantees?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Ohio State University Foundation ($650,000), Balletmet ($200,000) and Mid-Ohio Foodbank DBA Mid-Ohio Food Collective ($115,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 52% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation reported $69.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $1.7M.
What does The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation fund?
The organization’s stated purpose is “to support charitable organizations which benefit the community.” See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's EIN?
The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1453633. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 4, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS October 25, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 13, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 5, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation funds
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 24, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-j-and-pauline-gerlach-foundation-morg_6f4202286e4b4bbe9deb86ed078f0775
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311453633_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-john-j-and-pauline-gerlach-foundation-morg_6f4202286e4b4bbe9deb86ed078f0775},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-24. 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 The John J and Pauline Gerlach Foundation'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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