Wayne H Towne Family Foundation
The Wayne H Towne Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Fresno, California. In its 2025 filing, it reported 15 grants totaling $314,805 to charitable organizations, including organizations working in education, mental health, animal care, and community services.
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation at a glance
In short: Wayne H Towne Family Foundation gave $315K across 15 grants in 2025 (avg $21K), mostly in California. 20% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $314,805
- +58.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 15
- +15.4% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $20,987
- +37.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $9,000
- Total assets
- $6,171,387
- -1.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 20% first-time grantees (3 of 15, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- California (93% 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 Wayne H Towne Family Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 4948 North Arthur Avenue, Fresno, CA 93705
Phone: (559) 244-5195
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wayne H Towne Family Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Fresno Philharmonic Association ($100K). Together the top 10 received $282K.
Grant Size Distribution
64 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 59 grants of 64 (92%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 93% of grant dollars went to recipients in California and 6% to recipients in Michigan. Nebraska accounted for 0% as reported in the filing. The listed 2025 grants included recipients in California and Michigan.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 15 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Wayne H Towne Family Foundation open to new grantees?
20%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 3 of 15 grantees (20%) were first-time recipients. With only 15 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. First grants averaged $43K; repeat grants $15K. How we count
Medians: $20K first-time, $9K repeat.
- 80% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 82% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 98% 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 (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 $159K (2019) to $315K (2025). In 2025 it made 15 grants totaling $315K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Fresno Philharmonic Association Fresno, CA | Funds are to be used for the Capital Campaign Phase I for the reduction of the Association debt in preparation for the subsequent enablement of the Capital Campaign Phase II endowment. | $100,000 |
| Valley Public Television Fresno, CA | Educational programming | $50,000 |
| Sierra Meadows Foundation Inc Fresno, CA | Funds are to be used for the benefit of the Encourage Speech Services Program for the children of Fresno, California. | $35,000 |
| Hinds Life Care Fresno, CA | Funds for the greatest benefit of the organization. | $20,000 |
| Valley Animal Center Fresno, CA | Funds are to be applied to the area of greatest need forcats and dogs. | $20,000 |
| Hillsdale College Hillsdale, MI | Funds are to be used to facilitate the education of all Americans on our great American history. | $20,000 |
| The Cat House on the Kings Parlier, CA | Funds are to be used for medical needs, pet food and other supplies needed for the care of the cats in the sanctuary. | $10,000 |
| Fresno Mission Fresno, CA | Funds to be used where there is the greatest need in the organization. | $9,000 |
| Girl Scouts of Central Calif South Fresno, CA | Funds to be used for program services that will directly benefit under served girls in the San Joaquin Valley. | $9,000 |
| Evangel Home Fresno, CA | Funds are to be used for the programmed services of the organizations. | $9,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Wayne H Towne Family 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 | $6,171,387 | $256,974 | $348,770 | $314,805 | 15 | $316,239 | $224,650 | $322,335 |
| 2024 | $6,263,183 | $282,484 | $209,008 | $199,006 | 13 | $199,506 | $273,543 | $315,305 |
| 2023 | $6,189,708 | $240,017 | $235,175 | $182,419 | 12 | $187,919 | $191,629 | $204,506 |
| 2022 | $6,184,865 | $411,507 | $388,717 | $173,094 | 12 | $173,094 | $268,097 | $182,419 |
| 2021 | $6,162,075 | $470,323 | $374,633 | $163,598 | 12 | $163,598 | $259,288 | $173,094 |
| 2020 | $6,066,386 | $532,637 | $356,744 | $160,388 | 12 | — | $397,630 | $163,598 |
| 2019 | $5,890,492 | $506,472 | $352,366 | $159,164 | 12 | — | $374,389 | $160,388 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wayne H Towne Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $322K 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 include support for educational programming and institutions, mental health services, animal care, and community organizations.
Among the grantees’ own descriptions, Valley PBS says it enriches, educates, and strengthens San Joaquin Valley communities through public service media. Sierra Meadows Foundation says it provides free counseling services to improve access to mental healthcare in California’s Central Valley. Valley Animal Center describes providing housing, medical and wellness services, adoption services, and humane education for dogs and cats. The Cat House on the Kings describes providing medical care, housing, food, and adoption services for abandoned and unwanted cats. Sierra College Foundation says it raises funds for students and college programs and supports quality educational opportunities.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 15 grants totaling $314,805. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $100,000, with a median grant of $9,000. Notable grants included:
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary J Towne-Merritt as President, J Wesley Merritt as Secretary, Janet L Towne and Louis W Jelinek as Directors, and Patricia A Towne as Treasurer.
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation is led by Mary J Towne-Merritt, President on every filing since 2019; none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Mary J Towne-Merritt
President
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Janet L Towne
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Louis W Jelinek
Director
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
J Wesley Merritt
Secretary
On filings since 2019
0.3 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia A Towne
Treasurer
On filings since 2019
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
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.
Frequently asked questions about Wayne H Towne Family Foundation
How much does Wayne H Towne Family Foundation give each year?
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation gave $315K across 15 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $199K across 13 grants.
What is Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's typical grant size?
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $9,000, and its average grant was $20,987, across 15 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Wayne H Towne Family Foundation that year got $43K on average.
Where does Wayne H Towne Family Foundation give grants?
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation gives mostly in California: 93% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Michigan (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Fresno, CA (11 grants).
Does Wayne H Towne Family Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 15 grants with a stated purpose on Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's largest grantees?
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Fresno Philharmonic Association ($100,000), Valley Public Television ($50,000) and Sierra Meadows Foundation Inc ($35,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 59% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wayne H Towne Family Foundation?
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation reported $6.2M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $316K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $322K (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 Wayne H Towne Family Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants include support for educational programming and institutions, mental health services, animal care, and community organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wayne H Towne Family Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds; it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's EIN?
Wayne H Towne Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 77-0454941. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Does Wayne H Towne Family 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
(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 April 30, 2026)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 3, 2020)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS June 17, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS July 15, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 5, 2024)
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Wayne H Towne Family Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/wayne-h-towne-family-foundation-morg_bcb3dcd99f6940a39d11d99b55713643
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_770454941_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Wayne H Towne Family Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/wayne-h-towne-family-foundation-morg_bcb3dcd99f6940a39d11d99b55713643},
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 H Towne Family 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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