The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis is a public charity based in Columbus, Ohio, formed in 1993. Its stated mission is to continue the philanthropic philosophy of William H. Davis, Dorothy M. Davis, and William C. Davis, with support for education, healthcare, and interests serving children in Central Ohio.
Key facts about The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation
In short: The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation gave $603K across 21 grants in 2025 (avg $29K), mostly in Ohio. 48% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 31-1372548
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $602,500
- Grants made (2025)
- 21
- Average grant
- $28,690
- Median grant
- $10,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 48% first-time grantees (10 of 21, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $50,349,174
- Primary geography
- Ohio (81% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$50.3M
+11.5% YoY
Annual Giving
$603K
-71.6% YoY
Grant Count
21
-38.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$29K
-54.0% YoY
Is The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation open to new grantees?
48%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 10 of 21 grantees (48%) were first-time recipients. With only 21 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $17K; repeat grants $40K. How we count
Medians: $10K first-time, $25K 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that it continues the Davis family’s philanthropic philosophy. Its filing identifies education, healthcare, and interests that serve the children of Central Ohio as areas the family supports.
The 2025 grants also show support for organizations working in a range of fields. For example, Star House says its mission is to partner with teens and young adults as they exit homelessness and thrive in a community of hope. A Kid Again says it provides hope, happiness, and healing to families raising children with life-threatening conditions. Community Development for All People describes work that includes affordable housing, a children’s development program, and a free store for low-income families.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the foundation reported 21 grants totaling $602,500. Grants ranged from $10,000 to $116,000, with a median of $10,000.
Among the largest reported grants were $116,000 to The Ohio State University Foundation for education, $100,000 to Homeless Families Foundation DBA Home for Families for social services, and $75,000 to Columbus Zoo and Aquarium for conservation. Other grants included $50,000 each to Simon Kenton Council Boy Scouts of America and Star House, both for social services; $30,000 to Besa Community Inc for advancing philanthropy; and $25,000 to Canine Companions North Central Region for social services.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s mission statement refers to children of Central Ohio. In 2025, 81% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 19% to recipients in Illinois.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 21 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $603K (2025) to $6.9M (2021). In 2025 it made 21 grants totaling $603K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Ohio State University Foundation ($116K). Together the top 10 received $493K.
Grant Size Distribution
132 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 95 grants of 132 (72%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Ohio State University Foundation Chicago, IL | Education | $116,000 |
| Homeless Families Foundation DBA Home for Families Columbus, OH | Social Services | $100,000 |
| Columbus Zoo and Aquarium Powell, OH | Conservation | $75,000 |
| Simon Kenton Council Boy Scouts of America Columbus, OH | Social Services | $50,000 |
| Star House Columbus, OH | Social Services | $50,000 |
| Besa Community Inc Cincinnati, OH | Advancing Philanthropy | $30,000 |
| Canine Companions North Central Region New Albany, OH | Social Services | $25,000 |
| A Kid Again Inc Columbus, OH | Social Services | $20,000 |
| Press Pro Scholarship Endowment Covington, OH | Education | $16,500 |
| Broad Street Presbyterian Church Columbus, OH | Religion | $10,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants | Grant count |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $50,349,174 | $3,314,395 | $721,648 | $602,500 | 21 |
| 2024 | $45,164,145 | $3,665,004 | $2,230,670 | $2,120,050 | 34 |
| 2023 | $43,583,913 | $1,571,086 | $1,221,773 | $1,011,500 | 30 |
The foundation’s filing says it is invested in several limited partnerships managed by Davis & Son, Inc. It also states that John C. Lucas is general partner as trustee of the William C. Davis Trust, which is an investor in the partnerships in which the foundation is invested. The filing notes a family relationship between trustees Chase P. Wells and Jacquelyn L. Wells.
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $50,349,174 | $45,164,145 | $43,583,913 |
| Revenue | $3,314,395 | $3,665,004 | $1,571,086 |
| Expenses | $721,648 | $2,230,670 | $1,221,773 |
| Net Investment Income | $3,097,711 | $3,545,403 | $1,596,034 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 6, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS October 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS August 26, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 18, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists John C. Lucas as president; Chase P. Wells as vice president; Douglas F. Kridler as secretary and trustee; Scott G. Heitkamp as treasurer and trustee; and Thomas R. Krouse, Jacquelyn L. Wells, and Ronald L. Whisler, MD, as trustees. Jacquelyn L. Wells’s trustee listing is noted as “thru 9/4/25.”
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation is led by John C. Lucas, President since 2025 (on filings since 2020); none of the 7 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
John C. Lucas
President
Vice Chair, Treasurer & Trustee → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Douglas F. Kridler
Secretary & Trustee
Assistant Secretary & Assistant Treasurer → Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer & Trustee, 2023
Assistant Secretary, Assistant Treasurer & Trustee → Secretary & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jacquelyn L. Wells
Trustee
Secretary & Trustee → Chair, President & Trustee, 2022
Chair, President & Trustee → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ronald L. Whisler MD
Trustee
Vice President & Trustee → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott G. Heitkamp
Treasurer & Trustee
Assistant Treasurer → Treasurer, 2024
Treasurer → Treasurer & Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Thomas R. Krouse
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chase P. Wells
Vice President
Trustee & Assistant Secretary → Trustee & Secretary, 2022
Trustee & Secretary → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: James L. Nichols (2020–2024) — Vice Chair, Treasurer & Trustee
- Former: Ralph L. Guarasci (2020–2022) — Assistant Secretary & Trustee
- Former: William D. Wells (2020–2022) — Chair, President & 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.
Contact
Mailing address: 1234 East Broad St, Columbus, OH 43205
Phone: (614) 251-4000
Frequently asked questions about The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation
How much does The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation give each year?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation gave $603K across 21 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $2.1M across 34 grants.
What is The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's typical grant size?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $10,000, and its average grant was $28,690, across 21 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation that year got $17K on average.
Where does The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation give grants?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 81% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Illinois (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (12 grants) and Westerville, OH (2 grants).
Does The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 21 grants with a stated purpose on The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Social Services" (13 grants) and "Religion" (3 grants).
Who are The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's largest grantees?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Ohio State University Foundation ($116,000), Homeless Families Foundation DBA Home for Families ($100,000) and Columbus Zoo and Aquarium ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation reported $50.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.3M.
What does The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation fund?
The foundation states that it continues the Davis family’s philanthropic philosophy. Its filing identifies education, healthcare, and interests that serve the children of Central Ohio as areas the family supports. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's EIN?
The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1372548. 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.
Here's the math on researching The William H Davis Dorothy M Davis and William C Davis Foundation by hand.
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