Ward Foundation
Ward Foundation is a private foundation based in Wellsboro, Pennsylvania. It provides financial support to qualified charitable organizations to meet community needs.
Ward Foundation at a glance
In short: Ward Foundation gave $252K across 37 grants in 2025 (avg $7K), top state Massachusetts. 26% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $252,293
- +46.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 37
- +27.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $6,819
- +15.0% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $3,312,834
- -0.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (8 of 31, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Massachusetts (23% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ward Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: One Charles Street PO Box 878, Wellsboro, PA 16901-0878
Phone: (570) 723-1470
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ward Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship ($40K across 5 grants). Together the top 10 received $181K.
Grant Size Distribution
161 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 159 grants of 161 (99%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation’s 2025 grants went to recipients in multiple states. By grant dollars, the largest recipient-state shares were Massachusetts (23%), Maine (14%), Virginia (12%), Illinois (11%), and Oregon (10%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 37 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ward Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 31 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $11K; repeat grants $5K. How we count
Medians: $12K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 61% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 24% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 125% 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $172K (2024) to $252K (2025). In 2025 it made 37 grants totaling $252K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Boston Children's Hospital Trust Boston, MA | Further relatedprograms | $26,000 |
| Good Sports Braintree, MA | Further relatedprograms | $26,000 |
| Jackson County Library Foundation Medford, OR | Further relatedprograms | $15,000 |
| CureSearch L McGuire Legacy Fund Baltimore, MD | Further relatedprograms | $13,000 |
| Ashland Community Food Bank Asland, OR | Further relatedprograms | $10,793 |
| Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship Fairfax, VA | Scholarships | $10,000 |
| Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship West Layfayette, IN | Scholarships | $10,000 |
| Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship Blacksburg, VA | Scholarships | $10,000 |
| Camp Ta-Kum-Ta South Hero, VT | Further relatedprograms | $10,000 |
| Camp One Step Chicago, IL | Further related programs | $10,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ward Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,312,834 | $327,563 | $348,579 | $252,293 | 37 | $285,149 | $264,133 | $227,218 |
| 2024 | $3,333,851 | $132,162 | $242,644 | $171,970 | 29 | $199,428 | $181,449 | $215,010 |
| 2023 | $3,351,830 | $134,713 | $308,697 | $238,451 | 34 | $248,815 | $192,096 | $196,171 |
| 2022 | $3,424,548 | $132,149 | $266,796 | $203,614 | 32 | $231,166 | $141,158 | $205,917 |
| 2021 | $3,507,444 | $126,616 | $248,922 | $174,182 | 29 | $198,783 | $217,255 | $230,582 |
| 2020 | $3,488,972 | $108,535 | $256,965 | $200,523 | 32 | — | $138,717 | $202,556 |
| 2019 | $3,566,876 | $139,973 | $273,791 | $203,144 | 32 | — | $110,312 | $211,863 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ward Foundation reported a distributable amount of $227K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation states that its purpose is to provide financial support to qualified charitable organizations to meet community needs. Its grants illustrate support for a range of organizations. For example, Good Sports says its mission is to increase youth participation in sports by providing equipment, footwear, and apparel to community organizations serving children in need. Jackson County Library Foundation says it secures resources to support and enhance library services. Caring Unlimited says it works with its community to end domestic violence in York County.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 37 grants totaling $252,293. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $26,000, with a median of $5,000. Recent giving was $171,970 across 29 grants in 2024 and $238,451 across 34 grants in 2023. The foundation reported that 36 charitable organizations received grant distributions in 2024.
Among the largest 2025 grants were $26,000 each to Boston Children’s Hospital Trust and Good Sports; $15,000 to Jackson County Library Foundation; and $13,000 to CureSearch L McGuire Legacy Fund. The foundation also gave $10,000 grants to several organizations, including the Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship in three locations, Camp Ta-Kum-Ta, Camp One Step, Camp Can Do, and Camp Sunshine. Other reported 2025 recipients include Caring Unlimited ($10,000), Blossburg Memorial Library ($5,500), Sacopee Valley Health Center ($5,000), and Misericordia Foundation ($5,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Patricia A Ward-McGuire, Marjorie A Ward, Kathryn A Ward-O’Malley, Joseph P Ward, and Thomas M Owlett as trustees.
Ward Foundation's 2025 filing lists 5 officers; all 5 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Joseph P Ward
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$4K (2019) → $4K (2025)
Kathryn A Ward-O'Malley
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$4K (2019) → $4K (2025)
Marjorie A Ward
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$4K (2019) → $4K (2025)
Patricia A Ward-McGuire
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$4K (2019) → $4K (2025)
Thomas M Owlett
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$4K (2025)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $4K, to Patricia A Ward-McGuire (Trustee). 5 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ward Foundation
How much does Ward Foundation give each year?
Ward Foundation gave $252K across 37 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $172K across 29 grants.
What is Ward Foundation's typical grant size?
Ward Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,819, across 37 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ward Foundation that year got $11K on average.
Where does Ward Foundation give grants?
Ward Foundation's top state is Massachusetts, with 23% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest states were Maine (14%) and Virginia (12%). The most frequent recipient cities were Chicago, IL (3 grants), Washington, DC (3 grants), Oak Park, IL (3 grants) and Naples, FL (3 grants).
Does Ward Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 37 grants with a stated purpose on Ward Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Further relatedprograms" (29 grants) and "Scholarships" (5 grants).
Who are Ward Foundation's largest grantees?
Ward Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Luke McGuire Memorial Scholarship ($40,000 across 5 grants), Boston Children's Hospital Trust ($26,000) and Good Sports ($26,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 36% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ward Foundation?
Ward Foundation reported $3.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $285K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $227K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ward Foundation fund?
The foundation states that its purpose is to provide financial support to qualified charitable organizations to meet community needs. Its grants illustrate support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ward 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 Ward Foundation's EIN?
Ward Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 25-1877478. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Ward 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.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 12, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 9, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 13, 2024)
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ward Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ward Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ward-foundation-morg_4a384cfc463e4701b374343018e56df9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_251877478_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ward Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ward-foundation-morg_4a384cfc463e4701b374343018e56df9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Ward 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.
Ward Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?