The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation is a private foundation based in Ann Arbor, Michigan. It made 12 grants totaling $46,500 in 2025 to organizations working in areas including hunger and homelessness, disaster food relief, education, cancer treatment, environmental conservation, and international work.
Key facts about The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation
In short: The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation gave $47K across 12 grants in 2025 (avg $4K), top state Florida. 67% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 20-1570905
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $46,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 12
- Average grant
- $3,875
- Median grant
- $2,500
- New grantees (estimate)
- 67% first-time grantees (8 of 12, 2025)
- Total assets
- $310,284
- Primary geography
- Florida (32% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to apply
- The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Full details ↓
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; 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 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$310K
-8.8% YoY
Annual Giving
$47K
-7.0% YoY
Grant Count
12
+71.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$4K
-45.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation reported a distributable amount of $19K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation open to new grantees?
67%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 12 grantees (67%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 33% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 243% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 244% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2025 grants show support for organizations addressing hunger and homelessness, providing food during natural disasters, education, cancer treatment, environmental conservation, and international work. World Central Kitchen describes its own mission as providing meals in response to humanitarian, climate, and community crises. The Nature Conservancy describes its mission as conserving the lands and waters on which all life depends.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation awarded 12 grants totaling $46,500. Grants ranged from $500 to $10,500, with a median grant of $2,500. Among the largest awards were $10,500 each to Emergency Family Assistance Association in Boulder, Colorado, for hunger and homelessness, and Turning Point in Bradenton, Florida, for hunger and homelessness. Other grants included $5,000 to World Central Kitchen for food during natural disasters; $3,000 each to NPR and The PBS Foundation for education; and $2,500 each to Detroit PBS, East Tennessee PBS, Rocky Mountain PBS, and WEDU PBS for education.
Review Cycle
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grant dollars were distributed among recipients in Florida (32%), Colorado (28%), Washington, DC (17%), Virginia (11%), and Michigan (5%). The listed grants also include recipients in Tennessee and Georgia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 12 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $14K (2022) to $50K (2024). In 2025 it made 12 grants totaling $47K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Emergency Family Assistance Assc ($11K). Together the top 10 received $44K.
Grant Size Distribution
34 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 34 grants of 34 (100%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Emergency Family Assistance Assc Boulder, CO | Hunger & Homeless | $10,500 |
| Turning Point Bradenton, FL | Hunger and Homeless | $10,500 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | Provide Food During Natural Disaster | $5,000 |
| NPR Washington, DC | Education | $3,000 |
| The PBS Foundation Arlington, VA | Education | $3,000 |
| Detroit PBS Wixom, MI | Education | $2,500 |
| East Tennessee PBS Knoxville, TN | Education | $2,500 |
| Rocky Mountain PBS Denver, CO | Education | $2,500 |
| Wedu PBS Tampa, FL | Education | $2,500 |
| Moffit Cancer Center Tampa, FL | Cancer Treatment | $2,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $310,284 | $26,277 | $56,096 | $46,500 |
| 2024 | $340,103 | $31,144 | $59,788 | $50,000 |
| 2023 | $368,747 | −$4,417 | $20,242 | $16,500 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $310,284 | $340,103 | $368,747 |
| Revenue | $26,277 | $31,144 | $-4,417 |
| Expenses | $56,096 | $59,788 | $20,242 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $46,500 | $50,000 | $20,242 |
| Net Investment Income | $903 | $3,927 | $7,218 |
| Distributable Amount | $19,050 | $19,762 | $19,474 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS March 23, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS April 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 6, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS January 30, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2025
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Terri Drenth as manager; Susan Waters as president; and John Strobel, Sarah King, Kathryn Romley, Alexandra La Flamme, Robert Waters, and Harrison Strobel as trustees.
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation is led by Susan Waters, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 8 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Susan Waters
President
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
John Strobel
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
No compensation reported
Alexandra La Flamme
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Harrison Strobel
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Kathryn Romley
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Robert Waters
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Sarah King
Trustee
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Terri Drenth
Manager
On filings since 2023
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Christopher Waters (2023) — Trustee
- Former: Alexandra Laflamme (2022) — Secretary
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Contact
Application contact: Terri Drenth
Mailing address: 614 S Ashley St, Ann Arbor, MI 48103
Phone: (734) 436-8933
Frequently asked questions about The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation
How much does The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation give each year?
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation gave $47K across 12 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $50K across 7 grants.
What is The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's typical grant size?
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,875, across 12 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation that year got $3K on average.
Where does The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation give grants?
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's top state is Florida, with 32% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Colorado (28%) and District of Columbia (17%). The most frequent recipient cities were Washington, DC (2 grants), Arlington, VA (2 grants) and Tampa, FL (2 grants).
Does The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 12 grants with a stated purpose on The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Education" (6 grants).
Who are The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's largest grantees?
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Emergency Family Assistance Assc ($10,500), Turning Point ($10,500) and World Central Kitchen ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 56% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation?
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation reported $310K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $47K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $19K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for organizations addressing hunger and homelessness, providing food during natural disasters, education, cancer treatment, environmental conservation, and international work. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's EIN?
The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-1570905. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does The Wally and Jo Strobel Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, 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.
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