Ward Foundation
Ward Foundation is a private foundation based in Altoona, Pennsylvania. Its 2025 filing reports grants to charitable organizations in Pennsylvania, including organizations classified under human services, arts, and education.
Ward Foundation at a glance
In short: Ward Foundation gave $27K across 19 grants in 2025 (avg $1K), mostly in Pennsylvania. 42% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $27,050
- -23.4% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 19
- -26.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $1,424
- +4.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $1,000
- Total assets
- $769,092
- +3.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 42% first-time grantees (8 of 19, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Pennsylvania (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 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 states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 1553, Altoona, PA 16603
Phone: (814) 944-0803
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 Operation Our Town ($5K). Together the top 10 received $24K.
Grant Size Distribution
122 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 122 grants of 122 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
All grant dollars reported for 2025 went to recipients in Pennsylvania. Listed recipients include organizations in Altoona, Cresson, Hollidaysburg, and Pittsburgh.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 19 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ward Foundation open to new grantees?
42%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 8 of 19 grantees (42%) were first-time recipients. With only 19 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $450 first-time, $1K repeat.
- 53% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−17%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 73% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF 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 $27K (2025) to $43K (2023). In 2025 it made 19 grants totaling $27K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Operation Our Town Altoona, PA | Human Services | $5,000 |
| ASO Altoona, PA | ARTS | $3,500 |
| Mount Aloysius Cresson, PA | Education | $3,000 |
| Blair County Historical Society Altoona, PA | Educational | $2,500 |
| Urban Impact Foundation Pittsburgh, PA | Human Services | $2,500 |
| Altoona Curve Altoona, PA | Human Services | $2,250 |
| Railroaders Memorial Museum Altoona, PA | ARTS | $2,000 |
| Altoona Ambucs Altoona, PA | Human Services | $1,000 |
| Blair County Arts Foundation Altoona, PA | ARTS | $1,000 |
| St Vincent De Paul Monastery Gardens Hollidaysburg, PA | Human Services | $1,000 |
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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 | $769,092 | $34,113 | $30,474 | $27,050 | 19 | $27,050 | $34,113 | $37,006 |
| 2024 | $742,986 | $23,769 | $39,894 | $35,325 | 26 | $35,325 | $26,563 | $36,093 |
| 2023 | $707,301 | $24,912 | $45,890 | $42,750 | 29 | $42,750 | $27,742 | $33,328 |
| 2022 | $682,807 | $15,681 | $35,502 | $32,700 | 25 | $32,700 | $27,149 | $35,733 |
| 2021 | $856,311 | $63,233 | $39,004 | $35,700 | 23 | $35,700 | $63,233 | $39,302 |
| 2020 | $787,160 | $27,563 | $40,975 | $38,600 | 26 | — | $27,563 | $35,517 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ward Foundation reported a distributable amount of $37K 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
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for human services, arts, and education, as well as an educational grant to Blair County Historical Society.
Among its grantees, Operation Our Town describes its mission as facilitating community-business partnerships to fight drug use and crime through law enforcement, treatment, and prevention. Urban Impact Foundation says it runs programs intended to help at-risk youth on Pittsburgh’s North Side become contributing members of society. Blair County Arts Foundation says it serves community cultural needs and presents arts programs through the preservation and operation of the historic Mishler Theatre. Lakemont Volunteer Fire Company describes its work as volunteer firefighting and rescue services, along with fire-prevention education.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 19 grants totaling $27,050. Grants ranged from $250 to $5,000, with a median of $1,000. Larger awards included Operation Our Town ($5,000), ASO ($3,500), Mount Aloysius ($3,000), Blair County Historical Society ($2,500), Urban Impact Foundation ($2,500), Altoona Curve ($2,250), and Railroaders Memorial Museum ($2,000).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists G William Ward, Michael Ward, and William T Ward as directors.
Ward Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
G. William Ward
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Ward
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William T. Ward
Director
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
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 Ward Foundation
How much does Ward Foundation give each year?
Ward Foundation gave $27K across 19 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $35K across 26 grants.
What is Ward Foundation's typical grant size?
Ward Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $1,000, and its average grant was $1,424, across 19 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ward Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Ward Foundation give grants?
Ward Foundation gives mostly in Pennsylvania: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Altoona, PA (14 grants) and Hollidaysburg, PA (2 grants).
Does Ward Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 19 grants with a stated purpose on Ward Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Human Services" (12 grants), "Arts" (3 grants) and "Education" (3 grants).
Who are Ward Foundation's largest grantees?
Ward Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Operation Our Town ($5,000), ASO ($3,500) and Mount Aloysius ($3,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 43% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ward Foundation?
Ward Foundation reported $769K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $27K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $37K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Ward Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for human services, arts, and education, as well as an educational grant to Blair County Historical Society. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ward Foundation?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests. 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 25-6059159. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 13, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open
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.
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