Wexner Foundation
The Wexner Foundation is a private foundation based in New Albany, Ohio. It focuses primarily on developing leaders in the North American Jewish community and in Israel’s public service sector through educational and cohort-based leadership initiatives.
Wexner Foundation at a glance
In short: Wexner Foundation gave $203K across 9 grants in 2025 (avg $23K), mostly in New York. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $203,488
- +14.7% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 9
- -57.1% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $22,610
- +167.7% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $300
- Total assets
- $5,025,563
- +8.3% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- New York (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026.
How to apply to Wexner Foundation
- Contact
Application contact: Barbara Abrahamson President
Mailing address: 8000 Walton Parkway Suite 110, New Albany, OH 43054
Phone: (614) 939-6060
Website: https://wexnerfoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Wexner Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 9 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Lawfare Project Inc ($200K). Together the top 9 received $203K.
Grant Size Distribution
124 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 100 grants of 124 (81%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation’s stated work includes the North American Jewish community and Israel’s public service sector. In its 2025 grants, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in New York, 1% to Ohio, and a reported less than 1% to Indiana.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 9 itemized grants.
Cities
How Wexner Foundation gives
- Giving fell 89% from 2022 to 2025. Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $177K (2024) to $4.5M (2023). In 2025 it made 9 grants totaling $203K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Lawfare Project Inc New York, NY | Fight discrimination by providing legal counsel and services to members of the jewish community who have been targeted and harmed based on their ethnicity, religion, citizenship, or nationality. | $200,000 |
| Habitat for Humanity-Mid Ohio Columbus, OH | To Provide Community Resource Funding | $1,450 |
| Family Mentor Foundation Columbus, OH | To Provide Community Support | $300 |
| Furniture Bank of Central Ohio Columbus, OH | To Provide Community Support | $300 |
| Gleaners Food Bank of Indiana Indianapolis, IN | To advance change in America by ensuring equitable access to nutritious food for all in partnership with the communities we serve. | $300 |
| Leveling the Playing Field Columbus, OH | To help local students experience a childhood full of positive youth sports memories and take advantage of the physical and mental benefits youth sports have to offer. | $300 |
| Ohio Newsboys Association Inc Columbus, OH | To Provide Community Support. | $300 |
| Second Helpings Inc Indianapolis, IN | To Provide Community Support. | $300 |
| United Way of Central Ohio Columbus, OH | To Provide Community Resource Funding | $238 |
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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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $5,025,563 | $12,158,914 | $11,805,823 | $203,488 | 9 | $1,548,178 | $12,943 |
| 2024 | $4,640,042 | $12,842,712 | $12,186,217 | $177,334 | 21 | $1,472,961 | $51,339 |
| 2023 | $3,686,906 | $14,917,241 | $16,360,440 | $4,468,306 | 30 | $16,178,234 | $23,539 |
| 2022 | $5,094,557 | $10,927,166 | $12,275,970 | $1,818,138 | 33 | $12,089,380 | $520 |
| 2021 | $6,442,852 | $9,976,190 | $9,376,596 | $1,688,462 | 31 | $9,177,533 | $135 |
| 2020 | $5,787,648 | $10,734,234 | $10,686,719 | $2,994,270 | 28 | — | $226 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation’s stated mission is to develop and inspire leaders in the North American Jewish community and across Israel’s public service sector. Its initiatives provide educational and leadership development opportunities for professionals and volunteers, including the Wexner Heritage Program, Wexner Israel Fellowship, and Wexner Graduate Fellowship/Davidson Scholars Program.
Its 2025 filing describes direct activities in religious education for Jewish community leaders, leadership development for mid-career leaders in Israel’s public sector, and leadership development for Jewish communal professionals in graduate schools. The website also describes programs for Jewish communal professionals and volunteer leaders.
Among the organizations receiving grants in 2025, The Lawfare Project says it works to defend the civil and human rights of Jewish people and fight discrimination. Other grantees describe work addressing hunger, food insecurity, poverty, and community needs. For example, Second Helpings says it provides food rescue, hunger relief, and culinary job training in central Indiana; Family Mentor Foundation says it provides weekend food access to food-insecure children; and Furniture Bank of Central Ohio says it provides furniture to people facing severe life challenges.
Grantmaking
The Foundation’s 2025 filing reports 9 grants totaling $203,488. The smallest was $238, the largest was $200,000, and the median was $300. The largest grant was $200,000 to The Lawfare Project Inc. of New York, NY, for legal counsel and services to Jewish community members targeted or harmed based on ethnicity, religion, citizenship, or nationality. Other listed grants included $1,450 to Habitat for Humanity-Mid Ohio and grants of $238–$300 to several community, hunger-relief, and youth-serving organizations.
The Foundation’s website says it generally is not a grant-making philanthropy and has no application process for agencies and organizations. Its 2025 filing lists Barbara Abrahamson, President, as the contact for an application and refers applicants to an attachment for the form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Officers and directors listed on the 2025 filing are Leslie H. Wexner, Trustee and Chairman; Barbara Abrahamson, President; Abigail S. Wexner, Trustee; Peggy W. Ugland, Treasurer; Gordon I. Mars, Vice President; Gideon Kaufman, Trustee; Jay H. Moses, Vice President; and Matthew S. Zeiger, Trustee.
Wexner Foundation is led by Barbara Abrahamson, President on every filing since 2020; 3 of 8 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Barbara Abrahamson
President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$699K (2020) → $798K (2025)
Leslie H. Wexner
Trustee & Chairman
Trustee → Trustee & Chairman, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Abigail S. Wexner
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gideon Kaufman
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matthew S. Zeiger
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Gordon I. Mars
Vice President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$239K (2020) → $266K (2025)
Jay H. Moses
Vice President
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$196K (2020) → $281K (2025)
Peggy W. Ugland
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Dennis S. Hersch (2020–2021) — Secretary & Trustee
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $798K, to Barbara Abrahamson (President). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Wexner Foundation
How much does Wexner Foundation give each year?
Wexner Foundation gave $203K across 9 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $177K across 21 grants.
What is Wexner Foundation's typical grant size?
Wexner Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $300, and its average grant was $22,610, across 9 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does Wexner Foundation give grants?
Wexner Foundation gives mostly in New York: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (6 grants) and Indianapolis, IN (2 grants).
Does Wexner Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 9 grants with a stated purpose on Wexner Foundation's 2025 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Provide Community Support" (4 grants).
Who are Wexner Foundation's largest grantees?
Wexner Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include The Lawfare Project Inc ($200,000), Habitat for Humanity-Mid Ohio ($1,450) and Family Mentor Foundation ($300), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 99% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Wexner Foundation?
Wexner Foundation reported $5.0M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Its revenue that year was $12.2M.
What does Wexner Foundation fund?
The Foundation’s stated mission is to develop and inspire leaders in the North American Jewish community and across Israel’s public service sector. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Wexner Foundation?
Wexner Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check wexnerfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Wexner Foundation's EIN?
Wexner Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7320631. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 10, 2023)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS August 19, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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