The William Swanston Charitable Fund
The William Swanston Charitable Fund is a public charity based in Youngstown, Ohio. Established in 1919, it supports children in Mahoning and Trumbull counties who have experienced abuse, neglect, or dependency on people or systems beyond their parents.
The William Swanston Charitable Fund at a glance
In short: The William Swanston Charitable Fund gave $330K across 27 grants in 2024 (avg $12K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $330,000
- -8.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 27
- +22.7% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $12,222
- -25.1% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $10,000
- Total assets
- $9,440,694
- +10.5% vs 2023
- Primary geography
- Ohio (97% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026.
How to apply to The William Swanston Charitable Fund
- How to Apply
-
Eligible nonprofits serving Mahoning and Trumbull counties can apply through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal. Applicants should provide a balance sheet; trustees may request additional information or supporting documentation.
- Review Cycle
- The listed quarterly deadlines are January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15. The July 15, 2026 cycle is past; the next listed deadline is October 15, 2026.
- Deadline
- The listed quarterly deadlines are January 15, April 15, July 15, and October 15.
- Contact
Mailing address: 201 East Commerce Street 150, Youngstown, OH 44503
Phone: (330) 743-5555
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The William Swanston Charitable Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley ($25K). Together the top 10 received $174K.
Grant Size Distribution
88 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 84 grants of 88 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund’s stated focus is children in Mahoning and Trumbull counties, Ohio. In 2024, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 3% to recipients in New York.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 27 itemized grants.
Cities
How The William Swanston Charitable Fund gives
- 33% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+15%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $238K (2020) to $359K (2023). In 2024 it made 27 grants totaling $330K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley Youngstown, OH | Program Support; Healthy Community Partnership Support | $25,000 |
| Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation Youngstown, OH | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries Inc Youngstown, OH | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Inspiring Minds of Youngstown Youngstown, OH | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Community Legal Aid Akron, OH | Program Support | $20,000 |
| Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio Canfield, OH | Program Support | $15,000 |
| Ursuline Sisters Mission Canfield, OH | Program Support | $15,000 |
| Smith Township Sebring, OH | Program Support | $15,000 |
| Thrive Mahoning Valley Youngstown, OH | Program Support | $13,000 |
| Cadence Care Network Niles, OH | Program Support | $11,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $9,440,694 | $628,632 | $483,663 | $330,000 | 27 | $628,632 |
| 2023 | $8,541,574 | $42,909 | $472,576 | $358,800 | 22 | $42,909 |
| 2022 | $7,748,448 | $361,863 | $435,578 | $326,600 | 22 | $361,863 |
| 2021 | $9,916,492 | $1,295,423 | $398,941 | $287,000 | 12 | $1,295,423 |
| 2020 | $8,894,616 | $743,797 | $344,174 | $237,800 | 5 | $743,740 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s stated mission is to carry out the charitable purposes of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and support abused, neglected, and dependent children in the Mahoning Valley. Its 2026–2028 priorities include projects that prevent or reduce risk factors and create opportunities for children in Mahoning and Trumbull counties to thrive.
The fund identifies health and wellness priorities including mental and behavioral health, access to care, and health information. It also prioritizes education initiatives addressing disparities in kindergarten readiness, third-grade reading proficiency, and eighth-grade math proficiency. Its 2026 grant opportunity description characterizes its focus as youth projects addressing disparities in health, education, and children’s services.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of grantees. Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries says it addresses children’s social, moral, and economic needs through prevention programs involving children and families. Cadence Care Network says it places dependent, abused, neglected, and delinquent children in foster homes and provides community-based mental health services to children and families. Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation describes its work as improving quality of life by encouraging neighborhood investment, while Community Legal Aid Services says it uses legal advocacy to increase opportunity, fairness, and stability for people in poverty.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund reported 27 grants totaling $330,000. The grants ranged from $5,500 to $25,000, with a median grant of $10,000. The largest awards included $25,000 to Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley; $20,000 each to Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation, Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries, Inspiring Minds of Youngstown, and Community Legal Aid; and $15,000 each to Educational Service Center of Eastern Ohio, Ursuline Sisters Mission, and Smith Township. Most listed grant purposes were program support.
Applications are handled through the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley’s online grant portal. The fund’s filing says trustees review application information about proposed uses and may request additional documentation. The grant opportunity listing states that balance sheets are required.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Michelle Schmader, Joyce Baldwin, and Erica Horner as trustees; Kevin YT Chiu as secretary; Ernest Brown as chair; and Christine Jenkins as vice chair.
The William Swanston Charitable Fund is led by Ernest Brown, Chair since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 6 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Ernest Brown
Chair
Trustee → Chair, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Erica Horner
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Joyce Baldwin
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michelle Schmader
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kevin Yt Chiu
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christine Jenkins
Vice Chair
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Loree Richardson (2020–2023) — Vice Chair
- Former: Matthew Ries (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Crissi Jenkins (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Dennis Mangan (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Patricia Brozik (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Patricia McGovern Sweeney (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Paul M. Dutton (2020) — Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about The William Swanston Charitable Fund
How much does The William Swanston Charitable Fund give each year?
The William Swanston Charitable Fund gave $330K across 27 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $359K across 22 grants.
What is The William Swanston Charitable Fund's typical grant size?
The William Swanston Charitable Fund's median grant in 2024 was $10,000, and its average grant was $12,222, across 27 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Where does The William Swanston Charitable Fund give grants?
The William Swanston Charitable Fund gives mostly in Ohio: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Youngstown, OH (13 grants), Warren, OH (3 grants), Akron, OH (2 grants) and Canfield, OH (2 grants).
Does The William Swanston Charitable Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 27 grants with a stated purpose on The William Swanston Charitable Fund's 2024 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (26 grants).
Who are The William Swanston Charitable Fund's largest grantees?
The William Swanston Charitable Fund's largest 2024 grantees include Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley ($25,000), Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corporation ($20,000) and Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries Inc ($20,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. Together they received 20% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The William Swanston Charitable Fund?
The William Swanston Charitable Fund reported $9.4M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $629K.
What does The William Swanston Charitable Fund fund?
The fund’s stated mission is to carry out the charitable purposes of the Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and support abused, neglected, and dependent children in the Mahoning Valley. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The William Swanston Charitable Fund?
Eligible nonprofits serving Mahoning and Trumbull counties can apply through the Community Foundation’s online grant portal. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The William Swanston Charitable Fund's EIN?
The William Swanston Charitable Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1273093. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 3, 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 November 10, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 11, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work The William Swanston Charitable Fund funds
Human Services Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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Browse active grant opportunities in The William Swanston Charitable Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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The Raymond John Wean Foundation funds resident-centered community revitalization, economic and educational opportunity, civic leadership, and organizational capacity in Warren and Youngstown, Ohio, and the Mahoning Valley. Grants range from $500 to $665,000; its 2024 median grant was $5,000, with Community Investment Grants starting at $5,000 and Resident Engagement Grants ranging from $500 to $5,000. The foundation says applicants should first contact it about Community Investment Grants; it does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The William Swanston Charitable Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 22, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-swanston-charitable-fund-morg_23c75d1a8949467cacc54b46ec785561
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341273093_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The William Swanston Charitable Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-william-swanston-charitable-fund-morg_23c75d1a8949467cacc54b46ec785561},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-22. 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 William Swanston Charitable Fund'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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