Wenger Foundation Inc

Foundation · Grantmaker MYERSTOWN, PA EIN: 25-1779023 Website

Wenger Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Myerstown, Pennsylvania, established in 1996. The foundation was created by Carl and Margaret Wenger to support philanthropic causes in their community and beyond. The organization operates as a 501(c)(3) private nonoperating foundation with a mission centered on giving for education, health care, and family services.

Key facts about Wenger Foundation Inc

EIN: 25-1779023
Latest 990 filing: Form 990-PF, 2024
Annual giving (2024): $599,369
Grants made (2024): 42
Average grant: $14,271
Median grant: $2,825
Total assets: $1,789,988
Primary geography: Pennsylvania (79% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated June 2026.

Who Wenger Foundation Inc funds

By grant dollars, the top recipient states for Wenger Foundation Inc's 42 itemized 2024 grants were Pennsylvania (79%) and Ohio (14%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lebanon, PA (10 grants), Myerstown, PA (9 grants) and Cortland, NY (2 grants). 100% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$1.8M

+10.9% YoY

Annual Giving

$599K

-0.0% YoY

Grant Count

+10.5% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$14K

-9.6% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Wenger Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $80K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The foundation supports initiatives across multiple subject areas including:

Education
Health
Religion
Human services
Family services

Grantmaking

The foundation made 28 grants in its most recent fiscal year (2024). Recent grantees include:

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations across multiple states including Alabama, Colorado, Florida, Indiana, Kansas, Massachusetts, Michigan, Missouri, North Carolina, New York, Pennsylvania, and South Carolina. Primary focus areas include Pennsylvania, New York, and Kentucky.

Grant Distribution by State

Pennsylvania $1.6M (63%)

New York $266K (11%)

Kansas $249K (10%)

Massachusetts $215K (9%)

Ohio $84K (3%)

Florida $41K (2%)

Indiana $22K (1%)

Michigan $15K (1%)

+10 more states

States

Alabama Colorado Florida Iowa Indiana Kansas Kentucky Massachusetts Michigan Missouri North Carolina New York Ohio Pennsylvania South Carolina Tennessee Texas Virginia

Cities

LebanonMyerstownLancasterLititzManheimLeolaEphrataFort MyersIndianapolisMariettaEast BerlinJordanKansas CityMiddletownPalmyraColorado SpringsCornwallCortlandGreenvilleHanover

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of December 2024:

Total Assets: $1,789,988
Total Revenue: $807,382
Total Expenses: $733,427
Net Income: $73,955
Total Liabilities: $0

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$1,789,988	$1,613,497	$1,705,121
Revenue	$807,382	$471,598	$390,854
Expenses	$733,427	$727,902	$940,017
Qualifying Distributions	$599,562	$608,598	$848,144
Net Investment Income	$100,155	$90,195	$8,121
Distributable Amount	$79,951	$76,896	$87,769

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2024

Grant Size Distribution

180 grants across all recorded years

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Lebanon Valley Bible Church ($161,557), Oaks Community Church - Graeve Daf ($84,155), On Fire Youth Ministries ($49,140).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
LEBANON VALLEY BIBLE CHURCH LEBANON, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$161,557
OAKS COMMUNITY CHURCH - GRAEVE DAF MIDDLETOWN, OH	GENERAL PURPOSE	$84,155
ON FIRE YOUTH MINISTRIES MYERSTOWN, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$49,140
COMMUNITY HOMES OF LEBANON CTY LEBANON, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$37,500
JUBILEE MINISTRIES LEBANON, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$36,176
CALVARY CHAPEL LEBANON, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$34,288
COBYS FAMILY SERVICES LEOLA, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$31,665
FRIENDSHIP COMMUNITY LITITZ, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$31,543
JORDAN UMC - TOWN FAM DAF JORDAN, NY	GENERAL PURPOSE	$19,200
LEBANON COUNTY CHRISTIAN MINISTRIES LEBANON, PA	GENERAL PURPOSE	$13,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

Key personnel include:

President: Rose E. Walmer
Treasurer: Nancy J. Layser
Secretary: Adam Wenger

The foundation was founded by Carl Wenger (May 20, 1932 – April 30, 2021) and Margaret Wenger. Carl began his entrepreneurial career in 1947 as a "nickel man" at local auctions, eventually building Wengers Farm Machinery into a successful business. The foundation reflects the philanthropic values of Carl and Margaret and continues to be guided by their children and grandchildren.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
ROSE E WALMER	PRESIDENT	—	$20,000
NANCY J LAYSER	TREASURER	—	—
ADAM WENGER	SECRETARY	—	—
MARGARET I WENGER	DIRECTOR	—	—
ROGER NORTH	DIRECTOR	—	—
MOLLY DUBBLE	DIRECTOR	—	—

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The foundation's premier annual event is the Praise Dinner, first held in 1996 as a memorial dinner for Carl and Margaret Wenger. This event continues to be a significant gathering for the foundation's community engagement efforts.

[PDF] 2024 Annual Report - Kosciusko County Community Foundation

2021

Carl Wenger passed away on April 30, 2021, leaving a legacy of philanthropic impact that continues through the foundation's ongoing grantmaking activities.

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Wenger Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation's mission is giving primarily for education, health care, and family services. The organization identifies four core values that guide its grantmaking: Faith, Family, Education, and Community. The foundation supports initiatives across multiple subject areas including: • Education • Health • Religion • Human services • Family services

How do I apply for a grant from Wenger Foundation Inc?

The foundation made 28 grants in its most recent fiscal year (2024). Recent grantees include: • Lebanon Valley Bible Church ($161,557) • On-Fire Youth Ministries ($49,140) • Jubilee Ministries ($36,176) Grant amounts typically range from $500 to $215,184. The foundation has distributed over $5.7 million cumulatively since its establishment. The foundation's annual giving totaled $599,369 in 2024, with total expenses of $733,427.

Where does Wenger Foundation Inc make grants?

What size grants does Wenger Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, Wenger Foundation Inc awarded 42 grants totaling $599K — an average of about $14K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Wenger Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Wenger Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $80K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.