Wayne County Community Foundation
Wayne County Community Foundation is a public charity and community foundation based in Wooster, Ohio. Established in 1978, it accepts contributions, creates and administers funds, and makes grants and scholarships for the benefit of the greater Wayne County, Ohio area.
Wayne County Community Foundation at a glance
In short: Wayne County Community Foundation gave $7.8M across 137 grants in 2025 (avg $57K), mostly in Ohio. 29% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $7,766,090
- +51.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 137
- +5.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $56,687
- +43.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $20,000
- Total assets
- $156,431,193
- +14.3% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 29% first-time grantees (39 of 135, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (92% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Wayne County Community Foundation
- How to Apply
-
Eligible organizations submit a Letter of Interest first; those meeting basic requirements are invited to complete a full application. Applicants should review the guidelines for the specific opportunity. Scholarship applications are separate: one application is considered for eligible opportunities, and individual scholarships may have additional criteria or require supplemental materials.
- Review Cycle
- Competitive Community Grants are due March 1 and September 1; The Women’s Fund is due September 1. The next listed deadlines are September 1, 2026, for both programs. Scholarship applications are open December 15 through March 15 each year; the listed scholarship deadline is March 15, 2027.
- Deadline
- Competitive Community Grants are due March 1 and September 1; The Women’s Fund is due September 1.
- Next open deadline
- March 15, 2027 (Wayne County Community Foundation Scholarships)
- Contact
Mailing address: 517 North Market Street, Wooster, OH 44691
Phone: (330) 262-3877
Website: https://waynecountycommunityfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
8 open opportunities from Wayne County Community Foundation
Employment Resource Fund
Wayne County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Wayne County Community Foundation Scholarships
Wayne County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Expected ~March
Based on past cycles
Wayne County Emergency Response Fund
Wayne County Community Foundation
Amount
Varies
Deadline
Rolling (quarterly review)
Who Wayne County Community Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Downtown Arts Theater Inc ($1.1M). Together the top 10 received $3.8M.
Grant Size Distribution
622 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 485 grants of 622 (78%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s grant opportunities are for organizations and activities benefiting Wayne County, Ohio. Its 2025 grant dollars were reported as 92% to recipients in Ohio, 4% in Florida, and 1% in New York; the filing narrative says out-of-state grants are generally paid from donor-advised funds.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 137 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wayne County Community Foundation open to new grantees?
29%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 39 of 135 grantees (29%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $32K; repeat grants $68K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $24K repeat.
- 58% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+12%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). 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 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.5M (2023) to $10.2M (2021). In 2025 it made 137 grants totaling $7.8M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Downtown Arts Theater Inc Wooster, OH | General Support | $1,056,391 |
| Wooster City Schools Wooster, OH | General Support | $459,838 |
| People to People Ministries Wooster, OH | General Support | $386,452 |
| Wayne County Regional Training Facility Apple Creek, OH | General Support | $300,000 |
| Grace Church Wooster, OH | General Support | $290,915 |
| Healthcare 2000 DBA the Viola Startzman Clinic Wooster, OH | General Support | $289,016 |
| Wayne Center for the Arts Wooster, OH | General Support | $271,700 |
| The Salvation Army Wooster, OH | General Support | $254,240 |
| Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County Vero Beach, FL | General Support | $250,000 |
| Orrville Area Boys & Girls Club Orrville, OH | General Support | $196,256 |
Ready to take the next step with Wayne County Community Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Foundation reported that $23,360,962 of its assets were held on behalf of other area tax-exempt charitable organizations as of June 30, 2025.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $156,431,193 | $18,873,146 | $9,814,335 | $7,766,090 | 137 | $10,078,483 |
| 2024 | $136,879,144 | $10,272,766 | $6,982,223 | $5,126,916 | 130 | $3,363,351 |
| 2023 | $121,593,936 | $6,329,494 | $5,432,392 | $3,454,170 | 110 | $2,011,427 |
| 2022 | $110,981,023 | $15,756,594 | $8,321,835 | $6,905,778 | 125 | $5,527,436 |
| 2021 | $126,248,009 | $18,118,883 | $11,689,930 | $10,223,290 | 120 | $4,496,437 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s mission is to provide philanthropic leadership to Wayne County, Ohio. Its stated goals include encouraging charitable giving, helping community organizations create and manage endowments, and overseeing investments and disbursements for charitable purposes.
Its competitive grants include capital and program grants in Arts & Culture; Civic & Community Affairs; Conservation & Environment; Education; Health & Wellness; and Human Services. Eligible applicants include tax-exempt charitable organizations, public schools, churches, and qualified government agencies serving Wayne County residents. The Foundation encourages collaborations among organizations.
Examples of grantees’ work include People to People Ministries, which says it provides emergency assistance to economically disadvantaged people and families in Wayne County, and Wayne Center for the Arts, which says it works to expand arts access, provide arts education, improve quality of life through art, and contribute to local economic development. Other 2025 grantees include organizations whose stated missions involve children’s personal development, animal welfare, and hospital and wellness services.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the Foundation reported 137 grants totaling $7,766,090. Grant amounts ranged from $5,041 to $1,056,391, with a median of $20,000. The Foundation’s grant opportunities include competitive community grants, The Women’s Fund, and other named funds; it also offers scholarships.
Among the largest reported 2025 grants were $1,056,391 to Downtown Arts Theater Inc.; $459,838 to Wooster City Schools; $386,452 to People to People Ministries; $300,000 to Wayne County Regional Training Facility; and $290,915 to Grace Church. Each was listed as general support. The Foundation also reported a $250,000 grant to Youth Sailing Foundation of Indian River County in Florida.
For most grant opportunities, applicants begin with a Letter of Interest through the online application process. The Foundation says it responds within three business days; applicants who meet basic requirements are invited to submit a full application. It says decisions are communicated by June 1. Competitive grants are generally valid for up to one year, with the full award expected to be used within that period. The Foundation requests reports with appropriate documentation from competitive grant recipients. It does not award grants to individuals except through scholarship funds.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Brent R. Steiner as president; Marlene Barkheimer as treasurer; Deanna Troutman as vice president; Adam A. Briggs as secretary; Maribeth Burns as assistant treasurer; and Roger D. Proper Jr. as assistant secretary. Listed trustees are Michael D. Agnoni, W. Michael Jarrett, Cheryl M. Kirkbride, and Glenda Lehman Ervin.
Wayne County Community Foundation is led by Melanie Garcia, Executive Director on every filing since 2022; 1 of 17 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Melanie Garcia
Executive Director
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$14K (2022) → $119K (2025)
Brent R. Steiner
President
Vice President → President, 2025
On filings since 2021
3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Cheryl M. Kirkbride
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Glenda Lehman Ervin
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mark A. Auble
Trustee
President → Trustee, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael D. Agnoni
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
W. Michael Jarrett
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
William J. Robertson
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cyril Ofori
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Scott Boyes
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Cindy Vaughn
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lynn Moomaw
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Adam A. Briggs
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Deanna Troutman
Vice President
Secretary → Vice President, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Maribeth Burns
Assistant Treasurer
Trustee → Assistant Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Marlene Barkheimer
Treasurer
Trustee → Treasurer, 2025
On filings since 2021
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Roger D. Proper Jr.
Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (7)
- Former: Bala Venkataraman (2021–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Mary Alice Streeter (2021–2024) — Treasurer
- Former: Larry Markley (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Steve Matthew (2021–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Sara L. Patton (2021–2022) — Former Executive Director
- Former: Howard J. Wenger (2021) — Trustee
- Former: Jc Johnston III (2021) — Assistant Treasurer
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2025. "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 $119K, to Melanie Garcia (Executive Director).
Frequently asked questions about Wayne County Community Foundation
How much does Wayne County Community Foundation give each year?
Wayne County Community Foundation gave $7.8M across 137 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $5.1M across 130 grants.
What is Wayne County Community Foundation's typical grant size?
Wayne County Community Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $20,000, and its average grant was $56,687, across 137 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wayne County Community Foundation that year got $32K on average.
Where does Wayne County Community Foundation give grants?
Wayne County Community Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 92% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Wooster, OH (53 grants), Orrville, OH (9 grants), Smithville, OH (7 grants) and Rittman, OH (6 grants).
Does Wayne County Community Foundation give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of Wayne County Community Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (137 of 137) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990.
Who are Wayne County Community Foundation's largest grantees?
Wayne County Community Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Downtown Arts Theater Inc ($1,056,391), Wooster City Schools ($459,838) and People to People Ministries ($386,452), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wayne County Community Foundation?
Wayne County Community Foundation reported $156.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $18.9M.
What does Wayne County Community Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s mission is to provide philanthropic leadership to Wayne County, Ohio. Its stated goals include encouraging charitable giving, helping community organizations create and manage endowments, and overseeing investments and disbursements for charitable purposes. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wayne County Community Foundation?
Eligible organizations submit a Letter of Interest first; those meeting basic requirements are invited to complete a full application. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wayne County Community Foundation's EIN?
Wayne County Community Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1281026. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 16, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 13, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS November 14, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Wayne County Community Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wayne County Community Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wayne-county-community-foundation-morg_9c5303e4190946e4901d6bdb4cba16ec
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341281026_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wayne County Community Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wayne-county-community-foundation-morg_9c5303e4190946e4901d6bdb4cba16ec},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 Wayne County Community 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.
Wayne County Community Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?