CommUnity!
The Dayton Foundation 2024-25 Report to the Community
Our Message to the Community
e believe a community is built on the idea of “unity” – that together we can achieve more than any one of us could alone. More than 4,400 individuals, families and organizations that have established charitable funds through The Dayton Foundation may each have their own vision for their funds, but they are bound by a common thread, which is to enrich the lives of others and uplift Greater Dayton.
This past September at our 2025 Meeting Celebration – Celebrate CommUnity! – at Carillon Historical Park, we were reminded of this message of unity as we gathered with more than 1,000 fund holders, advisor partners, nonprofit representatives and other special friends to celebrate all that is good in Greater Dayton. Thanks to you, we are privileged and thankful to fulfill our mission to help you help others through philanthropy and community leadership.
Scenes from the 2025 Meeting Celebration »
Report on Fiscal Year 2025
The difference our fund holders made in the region and beyond in the last fiscal year reflected the compassion and generosity that define our community. Thanks to our donors, more than $120 million was awarded in charitable grants and distributions from July 1,
2024, to June 30, 2025. This marked the second-highest grant total awarded in a single fiscal year for the Foundation and contributed to a cumulative impact on thousands of charities. The Foundation now has awarded more than $1.5 billion in grants since our founding in 1921. In addition, new contributions to our funds ranked among the highest in our history, surpassing $111 million. By fiscal year-end, total assets among all funds under management had reached an all-time high of nearly $1.3 billion. Your generosity is extraordinary, especially for a region of our size, and is a testament to the power of a community foundation.
We also welcomed 312 new funds focused on fulfilling the educational dreams of young people, caring for our environment and furry friends, supporting our region’s vibrant music and performing arts organizations, providing social services to those in need and so much more. Each day, we’re reminded of the dedication our
fund holders have for others, and we are so proud to be part of their legacy of giving.
Because many donors choose to establish funds with few or no restrictions on their grants, The Dayton Foundation can respond to urgent community needs and champion
This (year) marked the secondhighest grant total awarded in a single fiscal year for the Foundation and contributed to a cumulative impact on thousands of charities.
leadership initiatives that are central to our mission. These flexible gifts empower us to support and collaborate with individuals and organizations working to create lasting change across our region. Current initiatives include expanding our region’s skilled workforce through the Employers’ Workforce Coalition; engaging older
Employers’ Workforce Coalition
adults to share their expertise with nonprofits through the Del Mar Encore Fellows initiative; coordinating support for individuals and families affected by brain injuries through the Brain Health Collective; ensuring regional learners have access to resources and opportunities for lifelong success through Learn to Earn Dayton; and strengthening nonprofits that address
our region’s most critical needs through the Nonprofit Capacity-Building Partnership. You may read more about some of these efforts on pages 4 and 5 of this Report to the Community. As we look ahead to the future and its unforeseen opportunities and challenges, we draw strength from the power of our community and its ability to unite us, close divides and move us forward together. We are deeply grateful to you – our fund holders, partners, collaborators and friends – for continuing to make Greater Dayton a stronger, more vibrant place for all. It is a true honor to help you help others. k
Janice L. Culver, CPA Chair, Governing Board
Michael M. Parks, CFRE President
Janice L. Culver
Michael M. Parks
Impacting CommUnity! through Collaboration
rom harnessing the talent of older adults to benefit our region to strengthening local nonprofits serving vulnerable populations, The Dayton Foundation united with “CommUnity” partners to impact change through its leadership
At the heart of some of these efforts are Del Mar Encore Fellows, who are highly
skilled older adults hired to work on pressing community issues to effect real change. Since 2017, fellows have served 29 organizations, contributing more than 61,000 hours of work and providing an estimated $3.2 million in value to the Greater Dayton economy.
This past year, nine fellows worked with six nonprofit organizations, including several that are carrying out other Dayton Foundation leadership initiatives. The Brain Health Collective, which was launched in 2021 by the University of Dayton with support from the Foundation, enlisted the expertise of Fellow Brett Hart, who, along with Foundation staff, helped spread awareness about brain health and injuries through events such as Lunch-andLearns, the Fall Resource Fair and the annual Symposium. Thanks to this work, individuals and families dealing with brain injuries now have improved access to coordinated care and resources to enhance their quality of life.
Another Foundation initiative, the Employers’ Workforce Coalition, led by Executive Director Joe Sciabica, added Fellow Dan Foley to its team in FY25. Dan brought his experience as a longtime public official to help the EWC strengthen Greater Dayton’s talent pipeline by addressing critical workforce gaps in all sectors of our economy.
With the goal of filling a projected 59,000 jobs in our 14-county area by 2030, the EWC was created to meet the region’s growing demand due to a competitive labor market, retiring baby boomers and shrinking high school graduating classes.
The EWC is committed to aligning workforce development efforts with the real needs of
Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative
Brain Health Collective
employers and workers. Through collaborations with community-based organizations, education providers and employers, EWC will help bridge the skills gap, expand access to opportunity and advocate for targeted upskilling and reskilling pathways for individuals across the region. EWC’s three main strategies include:
k increasing participation by engaging 6,000 to 23,000 potential workers who currently are not employed or underemployed;
k increasing migration by attracting 2,000 to 4,000 new workers to our region; and
k increasing retention by retaining 1,000 to 4,000 existing workers through advancement and engagement initiatives.
Significant progress also was made on another Foundation leadership initiative impacting Greater Dayton. The Nonprofit Capacity-Building Partnership, a collaborative effort by The Dayton Foundation and the Mathile Family Foundation, is enhancing the effectiveness, resilience and impact of nonprofits serving Montgomery County. The second cohort launched in 2024, and 28 nonprofit organizations currently are engaged in professional development, networking and learning opportunities for two years. To date, 49 nonprofits have participated in or graduated from the program, which is designed to lift our region’s nonprofits and give them long-term sustainability. k
“When local leaders and advocates united to address brain health, The Dayton Foundation provided the platform and resources, including a fellow, to make it happen. This helped ensure that hospitals, schools, local care services, brain awareness organizations and government agencies were included in creating a pathway for individuals, families and caregivers to access services, find healing and discover purpose after brain injury,” said Brett Hart, Del Mar Encore Fellow for the University of Dayton’s Brain Health Collective. “By strengthening brain health in our region, we are not only helping individuals recover; we are helping our entire community thrive. Together, we can turn the silent epidemic of brain injury into a story of resilience and recovery.”
“When I retired in 2024 after many years in local government, I wanted to continue working in a way that could add value to the community. The Del Mar Encore Fellows Initiative allows me to do this,” said Dan Foley, a former Montgomery County Clerk of Courts and three-term County Commissioner. “Working as a fellow for the Employers’ Workforce Coalition, I am helping our team to find local workforce solutions that can benefit the region for years to come. If we do this right, it means an additional $4 billion in earnings and $6 billion in GDP to our regional economy to improve the lives of our friends and neighbors.”
Nonprofit Capacity-Building Partnership
Building Comm through Grantmaking
their important work. These include The Basic Human Needs Grants program, which awarded $275,249 in grants to address the needs of Greater Dayton’s most vulnerable populations, and the Robert and Helen Harmony Fund for Needy Children, which awarded $53,500 to help area youth impacted by poverty attend camp, an opportunity that these two former factory workers didn’t get to experience as children.
More than $1.03 million in discretionary grants and Greenlight GrantsSM was distributed to 78 area nonprofits for innovative and impactful projects that build “CommUnity” throughout Greater Dayton. This support is made possible by donors who place little or no restrictions on the grants awarded from their funds, enabling the Foundation to respond to urgent community needs and develop
proactive, systemic solutions. The following organizations were awarded discretionary or Greenlight Grants of $5,000 or more.
Advocates for Basic Legal Equality ($30,000) environmental issue mitigation
The Bach Society of Dayton ($5,150) harpsichord
college application assistance
Boys & Girls Club of Dayton ($75,000) new facility
prenatal program expansion
Brukner Nature Center ($20,000) paved outdoor
Caesar’s Ford Theatre, Inc. ($10,000) AmericanIndian historical film
Choices in Community Living, Inc. ($8,000) new generator
CityWide Neighborhood Development Corporation ($7,200) Farview Gardens revitalization
The Conscious Connect CDC ($75,000) green space transformation
County Corp ($13,500) marketing plan
Dayton Children’s Hospital ($5,000) new food pantry freezer
The Dayton Fellowship Club, Inc. ($6,600) electrical system and kitchen upgrades
Dayton Movies dba The Neon ($10,000) patio enhancements
Dayton Public Radio – WDPR ($5,000) new donor portal and staff remote music accessibility
Dayton Sewing Collaborative ($5,950) Fashion Club pilot program
Dayton Sewing Collaborative
Dayton Theatre Guild ($10,000) solar panel installation
Downtown Dayton Partnership Corporation ($25,000) Courthouse Square Transformation Project Plan
Economic & Community Development Institute ($20,000) new Women’s Business Center at Central State University
Elizabeth’s New Life Center ($20,000) HVAC unit replacements
El Puente Educational Center, Inc. ($7,500) GED support for students
Families of Addicts Foundation ($5,000) professional training for two trainers
The Foodbank, Inc. ($75,000) new Community Centered Building
4 Paws for Ability ($6,000) ADA-compliant automatic door
Girls on the Run Dayton ($5,000) updated curriculum materials
Golden Age Senior Citizens DBA Xenia Adult Services Center ($8,000) minivan purchase
Goodwill Easterseals Miami Valley ($25,181) assistive equipment and services
Greene County FISH (Friends In Service to Humanity) Pantry ($20,000) new freezer and cooler Hope Road Organization ($7,500) Youth Arts and Nature Hub
I Am Well Foundation ($7,500) Wellness Beyond Barriers program
The Learning Tree Farm, Inc. ($10,800) new utility tractor
The Legal Kid Foundation ($5,000) Student Ambassador Program expansion
Little Art Theatre Association, Inc. ($25,000) theatre restorations
Miami Valley Public Media (WYSO) ($81,900) new generator
Miami Valley Symphony Orchestra ($7,500) stringed instruments for youth
Montgomery County Law Enforcement ($37,500) law enforcement memorial
Mosaic Institute of Greater Dayton ($7,500) Twin Towers neighborhood mosaics
National Aviation Hall of Fame ($25,000) Phase II
Discovery Flight Innovation Lab
NPower, Inc. ($25,000) IT training
Nurturing Community Cultivating Justice
($20,873) Dayton Dialogue on Race Relations support
Parity, Inc. ($75,000) organizational capacity building and program expansion
Preble County Art Association ($7,500) stainedglass art studio
Preschool Promise ($20,000) Be Ready by Five awareness campaign
Rebuilding Together Dayton, Inc. ($25,000) Fall Prevention program expansion
A Special Wish Foundation of Southwest Ohio ($5,000) board development training
Victory Project ($7,500) front entrance expansion
Warren County Arts Council (ArtScape) ($7,500) glass camp and class materials
We Care Arts, Inc. ($15,000) roof replacement Wildflower Child & Family Center ($5,938) outdoor, multipurpose classroom
The Woodland Arboretum Foundation ($6,000) points-of-interest map and QR code landmark signs k
Grant Guidelines
The Dayton Foundation welcomes discretionary and Greenlight GrantsSM requests from Greater Dayton organizations that have been recognized as tax exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for at least two years. The Foundation’s discretionary grants are intended to benefit the community through new efforts or expansions of existing projects or initiatives, as well as capital and other special projects that enable organizations to expand services. Projects must represent unique and unduplicated efforts that will affect a substantial number of people. Greenlight Grants are small, quick grants awarded to local, nonprofit organizations in need of funding for special projects, program expansions, capital improvements or capacity building. For more information on these and other grant opportunities, visit daytonfoundation.org or contact Tania Arseculeratne, senior Community Engagement officer, at (937) 225-9966.
“BONDS Robotics is one of several community high school robotics teams across the Miami Valley supported by the RaiseSTEM! initiative. These teams provide opportunities to Dayton students whose schools lack afterschool robotics programs and competitive robotics challenges,” said Ava Goldinger, head coach for BONDS Robotics.
“Thanks to The Dayton Foundation’s Greenlight Grant,SM students were taught and mentored by local volunteers to build an outreach robot during the downtime between competition seasons. This robot will continue to be a learning tool and teaching opportunity for students in the years to come, with a goal of inspiring the next generation of engineers.”
“For a family facing eviction, the threat isn’t just losing a home; it’s having their children uprooted from their school, leading to significant academic and social struggles,” said Stacy Schweikhart, CEO of Learn to Earn Dayton. “With generous support from the Dayton Legal Heritage Foundation of The Dayton Foundation, we convened a cross-sector team to launch an Access to Counsel pilot to provide 125 families with the critical legal and social service supports they need to prevent the detrimental consequences of an eviction.”
Stories of CommUnity!
When more than 1,000 donors, nonprofit and financial professionals, and community friends recently gathered at The Dayton Foundation’s Celebrate CommUnity! event at Carillon Historical Park, they saw engaging arts performances by Stivers School for the Arts, local funk band Heather Redman & The Reputation and the Springfield Symphony Jazz Orchestra, featuring Grammyaward winning artist Carmen Bradford.
Arguably the most memorable highlight of the night, however, was a heartfelt tribute to Judy McCormick and Betsy Whitney, two longtime Dayton Foundation donors who were honored for their dedication to the Foundation and Greater Dayton.
“Judy and Betsy aren’t just amazing volunteers. They have big hearts and a passion for giving back,” said past Governing Board Chair Ellen Ireland during the presentation. “When I think about your contributions and what you’ve accomplished, I am reminded of the principles of being fully committed to civic responsibility and to being passionate about life. You are part of The Dayton Foundation’s soul and spirit. On behalf of all of us, we thank you for your extraordinary service.”
Smiling from ear to ear, Judy and Betsy spoke a few words of gratitude to the crowd.
“We just feel so happy that we live in a community that recognizes everybody and gives everybody an opportunity, and it works out well,” Betsy said.
“All I can say is thank you all for being here. Boy, have you made it fun tonight!” Judy said.
“One of the committees I got to serve on was the one that chose Mike Parks as president of the Foundation. How did we do?” Judy continued, pausing for applause. “He is the ‘king of collaboration,’ that’s how he gets you all together, that’s how you get the ‘CommUnity!’ ”
The tribute signified the culmination of decades of service and generosity from Judy and Betsy that continues today. Though neither can pinpoint how they first met, it’s their common desire to help others that has bonded them over the years and laid the groundwork for an enduring friendship.
A Yellow Springs native, Betsy has long been a fixture in Greater Dayton, particularly in the arts scene as a volunteer, donor and patron. Giving back has been a concept ingrained in her since she was a child during World War II.
“Growing up during the war, giving and doing was expected of everyone. Girls learned to knit squares for blankets for servicemen. Women sent cookies by air to the front,” Betsy said. “The gratitude and responses instilled in me a desire to continue to find ways to give back.”
Betsy and her late husband, Lee, moved
Though neither can pinpoint how they first met, it’s their common desire to help others that has bonded them over the years and laid the groundwork for an enduring friendship.
Betsy Whitney (left) and Judy McCormick were honored at The Dayton Foundation’s Celebrate CommUnity! event on September 25, 2025.
to Dayton in 1954, and she embarked on a journey of service which provided her with invaluable leadership experience and connections. She balanced this work while raising three young children, quickly becoming an integral figure on the nonprofit scene. She has served on numerous boards, including the Dayton Art Institute, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra, The Human Race Theatre Company, Victoria Theatre Association (now Dayton Live) and the YWCA of Dayton. The YWCA holds a special place in her heart, as it was her first volunteer opportunity in Dayton and resulted in a partnership that has lasted for nearly 70 years.
“I’m proud of the work I’ve done to support the YWCA, which helps so many women through its shelters and rehabilitation programs,” said Betsy, who recently had a YWCA lifetime achievement award named in her honor.
When Judy, a native of Colorado, moved to Dayton with her husband, Bill, it wasn’t long before she immersed herself in charitable causes. If building her career as a teacher, supporting Bill in his work as a stockbroker or raising their four daughters wasn’t enough to occupy her time, Judy felt a calling to serve in various volunteer and board roles for local nonprofits and her church, Westminster Presbyterian. When raising funds for charitable causes, she often would say, “Where are we now?” and “How much more do we have to go?”
One of the things that drew the McCormicks to the area was Dayton’s arts scene. She is a longtime supporter and/or former board member of organizations such as the Dayton Art Institute, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Live, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance and Dayton Public Radio. Now more than ever, Judy encourages others to patronize these organizations and support the rich arts offerings our region has to offer.
“DCDC, in particular, is a premier dance company that often doesn’t get the audience attendance or recognition locally that it deserves,” Judy said. “I hope to raise awareness and renew support of DCDC, reclaiming it as one of the real jewels of our city.”
Perhaps one of Judy and Betsy’s most longstanding associations is through their work with The Dayton Foundation. In 1990, Betsy became the second woman appointed to the Foundation’s Governing Board. Judy joined the Governing Board in 1999 and in 2004 became its first chairwoman. While their time on the Board has concluded, both continue to serve on the Foundation’s Marketing and Public Relations Committee, with Betsy, who is now a more than 30-year member, and Judy, a member for more than 20 years, rarely missing a meeting.
Judy and Betsy, along with their beloved late
“At the Foundation, everyone is welcome, and everyone can have an influence. That is what I call ‘CommUnity! ’”
Judy McCormick with her late husband, Bill, in 2006
Your CommUnity! Foundation at Work
In Fiscal Year 2025, Dayton Foundation donors invested $120,365,047 in their community and beyond through 26,406 grants and program distributions.
$1.28 billion in total assets was held in 4,368 charitable funds, and 312 new funds and Charitable Checking AccountsSM were established. Since 1921, 500,527 grants totaling $1.5 billion have been awarded to benefit charities near and far.
Empowering CommUnity! through Scholarships
rom helping recent high school graduates attend college for the first time to supporting working individuals in improving their career paths, more than $3.6 million in scholarships was awarded in fiscal year 2025 to assist nearly 1,500 students in furthering their education. Among these were 562 scholarships totaling $2.1 million from 324 Dayton Foundation funds, as well as $1.5 million in scholarships awarded to 935 students through the DaytonMontgomery County Scholarship Program and Montgomery County Ohio College Promise – both component funds of The Dayton Foundation.
While many of the Foundation’s scholarship funds supported graduating high school students pursuing a degree at a four-year college or university, 18 percent of scholarships awarded in 2025 benefited current college students or nontraditional students. Twentyfive percent assisted students looking to attain a skilled trade certification or a two-year degree. One such scholarship, awarded through the NORCO Advanced Learning Award Fund, was created by Edna Cook Norvell as an ode to her late husband, Robert, a military veteran and
aerospace engineer, and to the family values instilled in her to “do the best she could with what she had.” An educator who spent 55 years teaching in nine states and four foreign countries, Edna saw firsthand how children from low-income families often gave up on advanced education. To date, the fund has helped ensure 55 students don’t give up –awarding $342,000 to assist graduating Greene County seniors pursuing a vocational program or two-year degree.
Similarly, the family of Jerry Trimbach, one of the founding owners of 2-J Supply Company,
established a Scholarship Fund in his memory after his passing in 2002 to help students pursuing degrees at Sinclair Community College. Jerry graduated from Sinclair while parenting four young children with his wife, Joan, to whom he was married for 50 years. He credited his education for his later success in life – a legacy that has passed on to the students his fund has supported through nearly $24,000 in scholarships.
“I was pregnant with our first child, and we had $10 in our pockets. We knew if we wanted to raise a family, Jerry needed to get more education. He had a high school diploma and nothing else,” recalled Joan Trimbach in a 2002 Dayton Foundation article. “Jerry worked hard during his life to get an education and earn a good living for our family, so I feel very blessed. It felt good to set up this fund through The Dayton Foundation.”
A Foundation fund that supports the endeavors of nontraditional students is The Jerry and Diana Sanders Nursing Scholarship Fund, which was established in 2023 to provide financial aid to second-year (or higher) students in the Sinclair Community College or Kettering College nursing programs. Jerry Sanders, a United States Air Force veteran, and Diana
Edna Norvell with past scholarship recipients of the NORCO Advanced Learning Award Fund in 2015
Montgomery County Ohio College Promise
Sanders, a retired PNC employee, created the fund to honor the example set by their parents – lifelong philanthropists who believed deeply in helping others and supporting individuals striving to build better futures.
“We believe education should always be within reach, no matter ones’ age or life circumstances. Nontraditional students bring experience, resilience and perspective to their studies, and by supporting them, we’re helping
$3.6M in scholarships awarded to 1,497
students in FY25
In the last 20 years, $37.8M in scholarships helped nearly 25,000 students.
to strengthen not only their individual futures but our communities as well,” Jerry Sanders said. “It’s inspiring to know that our scholarship fund is part of a larger network of generosity that strengthens Dayton and beyond.”k
For information on how you can help others further their dreams by establishing a Scholarship Fund, visit daytonfoundation.org or contact Michelle Brown, director of scholarship services, at mbrown@daytonfoundation.org or (937) 225-9965.
“The Dayton Foundation makes it easy for us to give back in a meaningful way. They handle the details and ensure our scholarship fund is managed responsibly, so we can focus on helping students succeed,” said Jerry Sanders, a Dayton Foundation donor. “To us, being part of the Foundation’s ‘CommUnity’ means carrying forward our parents’ legacy of compassion, while standing alongside others who share the same commitment to giving back. Together, we can accomplish far more than any of us could alone.”
“Nursing has always been my passion because I want to care for others and make a difference in people’s lives. But I always felt like being a good mom meant not missing activities, being present, volunteering at the school and working to provide rather than me pursuing my dream of becoming a nurse,” said Elizabeth Briscoe, recipient of The Jerry and Diana Sanders Nursing Scholarship. “My children inspired me to go back to school, and receiving this scholarship brings me one step closer to that goal. It’s so much more than just a financial help — it’s a reminder that my hard work and dreams are worth believing in, and it’s never too late!”
Leadership of The Dayton Foundation
he Dayton Foundation and its charitable activities are governed by a Board of 15 experienced civic leaders, who also serve as the Board of Trustees for charitable organizations within the Foundation and on standing Board committees. Additionally, hundreds of community volunteers serve on fund grantmaking and scholarship committees. Learn more at daytonfoundation.org.
Governing Board
Janice L. Culver, CPA, retired chief fiduciary officer, KeyBank NA, Cleveland, chair
Cassie B. Barlow, president, Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education, and retired 88th Air Base Wing and Installation commander, Wright-Patterson Air Force Base, vice chair
Rakesh Arora, CEO, CIC AMERICA Group of Companies
Thomas J. Becker, past CEO, Becker Electric Supply
George E. Forest, retired lieutenant colonel, United States Air Force, and director of logistics, Special Operations Forces Group
Art Harlan, director, Henny Penny Corporation
Lori Kershner, founder and president, LMK Advocacy
Valerie Lemmie, director of Exploratory Research, Charles F. Kettering Foundation
Alice O. McCollum, retired judge, Montgomery County Probate Court
David T. Miller, retired vice president of Finance and CFO, Dayton Children’s
L. Tony Ortiz, faculty emeritus, Wright State University
Alonzo Patterson III, MD, pediatrician, Kettering Health, Miami Valley Hospital, Primed Physicians and Dayton Children’s
Martha Shaker, president, Concept Rehab, Inc.
Josh Stucky, proprietor, Square One Salons & Spas
James M. Vaughn, vice president of Finance, Taylor Communications, Inc.
Senior Management Team
Michael M. Parks, president
Anna Demmitt, executive assistant to the president
Stephen D. Darnell, vice president, Finance
Jill A. Koorndyk, vice president, Donor Services
Michelle L. Lovely, senior vice president, Development and Donor Services
Christine L. Smith, vice president, Marketing and Public Relations
Barbra A. Stonerock, vice president, Community Engagement
Amy Wagner, senior vice president, Operations
See a complete staff listing at daytonfoundation.org.
Martha Shaker Josh Stucky
L. Tony Ortiz Alonzo Patterson III
George E. Forest
Art Harlan
Cassie B. Barlow, vice chair
Lori Kershner
Valerie Lemmie
Janice L. Culver, chair
Rakesh Arora
James M. Vaughn
Thomas J. Becker
Alice O. McCollum David T. Miller
Past Board Members
Charles F. Kettering 1921-25
D. Frank Garland 1921-28
William D. Chamberlin 1921-36
Francis J. McCormick 1921-38
Milton Stern 1921-43
John G. Lowe 1925-27
Donald A. Kohr 1927-58
Ezra M. Kuhns 1928-60
Harry B. Canby 1936-56
H. Beckman Ohmer 1939-41
Charles J. Brennan 1942-62
Jack R. Silverman 1945-46
Samuel L. Finn 1946-58
Edward L. Kohnle 1957-73
Milton H. Wagner 1958-71
David L. Rike 1961-78
William Kuntz 1962-73
Robert A. Stein 1972-73
Jerome F. Tatar 2004-15
Ellen S. Ireland 2005-16
Vicki D. Pegg 2006-11
John E. Moore, Sr. 1972-91
Louis S. Goldman 1973-82
Robert S. Oelman 1974-80
Charles W. Danis 1974-84
Frederick C. Smith 1979-89
Anne S. Greene 1980-90
Jesse Philips 1983-92
Richard F. Glennon, Sr. 1984-98
Lloyd E. Lewis, Jr. 1988-94
Burnell R. Roberts 1989-2000
Thomas J. Danis 1990-99
Charles Abramovitz 1990-01
Betsy B. Whitney 1990-02
John W. Berry, Sr. 1991-97
Charles S. Brown 1992-01
Douglas L. Hawthorne 1993-02
Robert S. Neff 1993-02
Caryl D. Philips 1993-02
Clayton L. Mathile 1994-96
Rajesh K. Soin 1994-01
Estus Smith 1994-02
Paula J. MacIlwaine 1994-04
Operating Fund Contributors
housands of individuals, corporations and financial institutions contribute to funds of The Dayton Foundation, including the Foundation’s operating fund,
Operating gifts help the Foundation help others by undertaking critical leadership initiatives and collaborative efforts to benefit our community, maintaining and improving services for donors and not-for-profit organizations, and ensuring the Foundation’s dedication to improving the quality of life throughout the Dayton Region.
Bronze-level Sponsors
Aegon Asset Management; Anderson Financial Strategies; Bahl & Gaynor, Inc.; The Campbell Investment Group – UBS; Eubel Brady & Suttman Investment + Wealth Management; Fifth Third Bank; Honaker Hayes Wealth Management – UBS; James Investment; Johnson Investment Counsel; LCNB National Bank; Parallel Advisors; PNC
Individual & Other Gifts to the Operating Fund
Visionary ($5,000 or above)
Colleen M. Ryan 2009-18
Craig J. Brown 2009-20
Charles G. Schroeder 2010-16
Anita J. Moore 2010-22
Ratna Palakodeti, 2011-20
Maureen A. Lynch 2011-22
James R. Pancoast 2011-22
J. Norman Eckstein 2011-24
William L. Gillispie 2012-22
Lisa E. Hanauer 2012-22
Rick Omlor 2014-18
Marva Cosby 2015-24
We deeply appreciate all Dayton Foundation donors and what they do for Greater Dayton. In this report, we recognize the following individuals who contributed to the Foundation’s operating fund in fiscal year 2025 (July 1, 2024, to June 30, 2025). For those donors who wish to remain anonymous, we respectfully honor their preference.
2025 Dayton Foundation Meeting Celebration Sponsors
Gold-level Sponsors
Bieser, Greer & Landis LLP Attorneys-at-Law; FEG Investment Advisors; JPMorgan Chase & Co; KeyBank N.A.; Marsh McLennan Agency; The Synergy Schade Team – UBS; Waverly Advisors
Silver-level Sponsors
Back to Business I.T.; Flagel Huber Flagel; Merrill Lynch; Morgan Stanley – Ohio Valley; Brandy R. Risheill, CFP®; CDFA® – UBS
Anonymous Donors; Lois Bigler; The Ariel Alexandra & Kenneth Paul Bosch Fund; Janice Culver & Eugene Kurtz; Roberta A. & J. Norman Eckstein; Glennon Family Foundation; Lisa E. Hanauer & Susan G. Spiegel; Elizabeth Hardy, PhD & Richard Omlor; Robert E. Miller Trust; Elaine C. Musick; David H. Ponitz, PhD; Marcia L. Schade; Harry A. Toulmin, Jr., and Virginia B. Toulmin Fund
Partner ($1,000 - $4,999)
Anonymous Donors; Carol & Jack H. Adam; Jessica & Shon Anderson; Veni & Soma S. Avva; Joseph N. Bausman; Becker Family Foundation; Elizabeth & James Butts; Mr. & Mrs. Gwyn Carlisle; Stephen P. Donovan; Mr. & Mrs. Robert A. Easterling; Jack T. Eddington; Mary Lu & James Flynn; Mr. & Mrs. George E. Forest; Dr. & Mrs. John P. German; Joyce E. Gibbs & Janice E. James; Arthur L. Harlan; James Harrison; Mr. & Mrs. Bradley J. Hausfeld; Joanne Hawkins, MD, & Patrick Hawkins; Barbara A. Hayde & Ronald F. Budzik; Donald M. Heinrich; Mr. & Mrs. Franz J. Hoge; Michael E. Hosford; Mr. & Mrs. Gary L. Hunt, CPA; Ellen & Jeff Ireland; Mr. & Mrs. John Jahoda; Edward F. Jauch; Lilli Ann Johnson; Jamie King; Valerie Lemmie; Hon. Alice O. McCollum; Dr. & Mrs. Tom Melzoni; Mr. & Mrs. David
Miller; Gerald M. Miller & Carole A. Miller Family Foundation; Anna & John Monnett; Anita J. Moore; Mr. & Mrs. Bradford J. Murphy; Darrell L. Murphy; Susan & Shaun P. Nicholson; Joseph C. Oehlers, Esq.; Barbara N. O’Hara; Dr. & Mrs. Robert Orosz; Mr. & Mrs. James R. Pancoast; Laura B. & Peter W. Pannier; Gerald Parisi; Amy & Mike Parks; Alonzo Patterson III, MD; William D. Pflaum; Carole E. Remick; Kathleen P. Rupp; Agata & Jamie Schade; Ann & Bill Schuerman; Mr. & Mrs. Richard W. Schwartz; Mr. & Mrs. Mark Shaker; Robert Shroder; Geoffrey W. Smith; Mr. & Mrs. Tim Stewart; Mitzi & John Stuckey; Joshua Stucky; Mr. & Mrs. Jerome Tatar; Mr. & Mrs. James M. Vaughn; Nodie M. Washington, PhD, & Willie J. Washington, PhD; The Wilsons; Mr. & Mrs. Gerald M. Woodley; Mr. & Mrs. John York; Deanna & Bob Zikias
Friend ($500-$999)
Anonymous Donors; Richard L. Blessing; Mr. & Mrs. Tony Boland; The Borland Group; Cait & Brandon Botschner; Mr. & Mrs. Donald Burke; Allen Byrum; Mr. & Mrs. Robert D. Dean; Mr. & Mrs. Gregg Emrick; Dr. & Mrs. Kim Goldenberg; Lynn & David Goldenberg; Janet A. & Donald L. Grieshop; Donald F. Harker III, Esq.; Jean & Stephen Henrich; Robert L. Jones; Helen Jones-Kelley & Tom Kelley; Dr. & Mrs. Neil M. Kantor; William F. Keck; Lori Kershner; Gary L. LeRoy, MD; Mr. & Mrs. Mark Mathews; Mary & David Mathews; Judy D. McCormick; Susan B. McCoy; Katherine W. Miller; L. Tony Ortiz; Ann M. Pettee; Mark A. Poeschl; Catherine Ponitz & John Rego; Lt. Gen. & Mrs. Richard V. Reynolds, USAF (ret); Laraine Rodney; Mr. & Mrs. Charles J. Roedersheimer; Mr. & Mrs. Edwin L. Ryan, Jr.; Beth & Alan Schaeffer; Debra J. Serie; Nancy Soloski; Karin Spicer & Edward Blake; Barbra A. Stonerock & Bear Monita; Nate Subler;
Mary T. Tymeson; Mr. & Mrs. John L. Watson; Betsy B. Whitney; Tom Young
Supporter ($200-$499)
Anonymous Donors; Dr. & Mrs. Douglas Almoney; Martha M. Amongero; Avni Arora, MD, & Rakesh Arora; Joy & Fred Bartenstein; Nicky Beckwith; Mr. & Mrs. Brian W. Beebe; Mr. & Mrs. John R. Beran; Mr. & Mrs. Peter M. Bloch; Mr. & Mrs. Dale Brunner; Allen Byrum; Mr. & Mrs. Jean Luc Caillat; Krista & Jim Caley; Richard Cammerer, MD; Rick Carlile; Mr. & Mrs. J. Andrew Chance; Mr. & Mrs. David J. Clancy; Mr. & Mrs. Robert F. Clark; Eva M. ConleyWilliamson; Mr. & Mrs. Joseph Cooper; Richard M. DeLon; Dona Vella - Donations, Inc.; Deborah L. Dulaney; Ronald E. Footer; William Gillispie; Eugene L. Gross; Mr. & Mrs. Jon G. Hazelton; Mr. & Mrs. J. Stephen Herbert; Jeanne S. & L. Leo Holihan; Louis G. Homan; Katherine M. Hott, MD; Deena Hummel; Jill & Scott Koorndyk; Col. Greg Kuehner; Kelly Marie & Joseph Robert Lehman; Mr. & Mrs. Samuel W. Lumby; Susan McNamara-Ten Eyck & Raymond Ten Eyck, PhD; Richard J. Metzgar; Gregory R. Millat; Mr. & Mrs. Matthew Naveau; Mr. & Mrs. Robert Nelson; Mary Catherine Plogman; Kay L. Price; Karen K. Purdum; Carolyn Ray; Mr. & Mrs. Ronald E. Rearick; Marian S. Rodgers; Paula Saunders, PhD; Mr. & Mrs. William John Schindler, Jr.; Ann & Gerald Schmidt; Sarah Schwieterman; Leigh Sempeles; Dr. & Mrs. Surendra Singhvi; Pam & Gary Smiga; Christine L. & Christopher J. Smith; Mr. & Mrs. Eric Spina; Mr. & Mrs. James D. Stahler; PhD; William T. Thorn, CPA; Dr. & Mrs. John H. Voorhies, Jr.; Amy & P.J. Wagner; Dr. & Mrs. Bradley A. Weber; Rich Whitney; Mr. & Mrs. Andrew Wilson; Dr. & Mrs. Niels M. Winther; Mr. & Mrs. Dwight S. Woessner; Joseph Zehenny
Donor (Under $200)
Anonymous Donors; Phyllis Beal; Peggy Beavin; Linda M. Bepler; Mr. & Mrs. Robert M. Bertke; Charles Brinkman, Jr.; Kendall D. Cobb; Mr. & Mrs. Gary W. Crim; Carrie & Nathan E. Dalrymple; Greg Darling; Mr. & Mrs. Stephen Darnell; Dayton Lasertoma Club in honor of Mya Smedley; Jo & Cliff Dech; Mr. & Mrs. Charles L. DeCoste; Regina A. Dixon; Mr. & Mrs. Wolfgang H. Ege; David P. Eller; Beth & John Ey; Nancy & Karl Frydryk; Mr. & Mrs. John Gazzerro; Dr. & Mrs. Glenn Gollobin; Lawrence John Hayes, Sr.; Carol Siyahi Hicks; Mr. & Mrs. Frederic Hill; Maj. & Mrs. Timothy A. Holmen; Mr. & Mrs. Byron L. Kentner; Roy A. Kouts; Barbara Kuhns; Mr. & Mrs. Anthony M. Lacon; Mr. & Mrs. C. David Leach; Sandy & Regis Lekan; Judith W. Lindner; Dr. and Mrs. Peter H. Luther; Amy MacDonell & Randall Shepard; Laura Marshall & Howard Horstman; Mr. & Mrs. Norval D. Martin; Mr. & Mrs. Daniel McCabe; LaTonia J. McCane; Mary & Kevin McDonald; Kenneth R. McHenry; Mr. & Mrs. Timothy B. McHenry; Karen & Dale Medford; Jessica Metzger & Brian Vaughan; Carol Ann Miller; Dr. & Mrs. Gerald Molfenter; Vicki & Lee Morgan; Mr. & Mrs. Marvin Olinsky; Mark Oliver; Don Pabst; Dr. & Mrs. James M. Pacenta; Jena & Joe Pado; Heidi Ries, MD, & Michael Ries; Chris Riordan; Mr. & Mrs. Brian Roberts; Mary Esther Rollins; Gerri A. Sheehan; Rebecca L. Shepard; Mr. & Mrs. Robert E. Smith; Janice & Bill Staler; Mr. & Mrs. Richard M. Taylor; Maureen L. Tehan; Diane K. Timmons; Gina L. Timmons; Dr. & Mrs. Terence P. Torbeck; Carol Warner & Frank Winslow; William G. Wagner; Susanne & Paul Weaver; Mr. & Mrs. Robert J. Whalen; Mr. & Mrs. John Wheeler; Marie P. Wolff; Karl L. Zengel; Mr. & Mrs. Donald P. Zimmer; Stephen C. Zimmer
Ten Ways The Dayton Foundation Can Help You Help Others
We provide highly personalized service, and a live person answers your call.
Whether you want to give now or in the future, locally, nationwide or even internationally, we can customize a charitable-giving plan for you. We make giving fast and easy with a click on our website or phone call to a live person.
We are the region’s oldest and largest community foundation. Since 1921, The Dayton Foundation has been helping individuals, families and organizations help others in Greater Dayton and beyond. Thanks to them, more than 4,400 charitable funds have awarded $1.5 billion in grants to date.
We build permanent endowment funds that benefit the community forever and help create personal legacies.
Each year we assist thousands of donors and award tens of millions of grant dollars to nonprofit organizations, helping to carry out their charitable dreams during their lifetime and for years to come.
We multiply the impact of gift dollars by pooling them with other gifts and grants.
Combining contributions from Community Impact Endowment and Field-of-Interest Funds helps the Foundation respond to community needs through the Foundation’s Discretionary Grants and Greenlight GrantsSM programs and leadership initiatives. In addition, our Partners in Giving program and grants from donor funds are supporting innovative, collaborative and impactful work in Greater Dayton.
Our charitable funds help you invest in the causes you care about most.
We offer an array of endowed fund options that allow your fund to be positioned for growth over time and to provide lasting support for the charitable causes most meaningful to you. The Foundation’s free Charitable Checking AccountSM Service also provides a great way to handle your regular charitable gifts.
We accept a wide variety of assets and can facilitate even the most complex forms of giving.
You can gift appreciated stock, real estate, cash via checks or other assets and receive maximum charitable and tax benefits. You also can plan future gifts through bequests, lead trusts, life insurance policies and other arrangements.
If you gift a qualified charitable distribution from your traditional IRA to one of our select charitable fund options, particularly if you are of an age when you must take a required minimum distribution, you could benefit from significant tax savings as well.
Our staff has broad charitable giving expertise, as well as firsthand knowledge of community issues and needs.
We employ a staff of local experts, including CFREcertified fundraising executives, grantmaking professionals, and former presidents and CEOs of area nonprofits. More than being experts in their fields, our staff is actively involved in the community as volunteers, neighbors, parents and enthusiasts.
We partner with professional advisors to help them serve their clients’ charitable- and estateplanning needs.
We work with you and your trusted advisors to develop the best and most tax-wise, customized and effective charitable-giving plans. Plus, financial advisors may retain management of their clients’ assets in charitable funds that exceed $250,000.
We offer maximum tax advantages under state and federal law. Gifts of cash to The Dayton Foundation are deductible up to 60 percent of your adjusted gross income (AGI), and gifts of appreciated, long-term capital gains property are deductible at fair market value, up to 30 percent of AGI. We also can offer solutions to help reduce estate-tax liability.
We are a community leader, convening agencies and coordinating resources to create positive change. The Dayton Foundation brings together community leaders and nonprofit organizations to identify emerging problems and opportunities, as well as meet challenges, in our region. Our leadership initiatives address large-scale community issues, may involve major, long-term grant commitments and foster partnerships. These collaborations have the opportunity to create a greater impact on our community than any one organization could accomplish alone.
To learn how The Dayton Foundation can help you help others, visit daytonfoundation.org or call (937) 222-0410 to speak to a member of our Development and Donor Services department.
Betsy Whitney and her late husband, Lee, in 2005
“[The Dayton Foundation] has given me the opportunity to meet community leaders and learn about their vast experiences and use that knowledge to improve lives across the region.”
husbands, have established endowment funds through The Dayton Foundation, making sure their favorite charities and causes keep thriving long into the future. They credit partnering with the Foundation as the reason they’ve been able to join with others to make an impact on their “CommUnity.”
“The Dayton Foundation serves as a community umbrella to cover many needs, each spoke is important as a service to others,” Betsy said. “It has given me the opportunity to meet community leaders and learn about their vast experiences and use that knowledge to improve lives across the region.”
“The Foundation offers us a streamlined and efficient way to make our own charitable gifts, as well as opportunities to be a part of a bigger effort when our gift is added to the gifts of others,” Judy added. “At the Foundation, everyone is welcome, and everyone can have an influence. That is what I call ‘CommUnity!’” k
Adrienne are defining examples of what it means to support ” The Heards’ commitment to helping others is a philosophy they have put into practice since they were teenagers volunteering their time – Adrienne in her native Washington, D.C./Northern Virginia, and Calvin in the west side of Dayton.
“Helping others is a part of who I am and how I was raised,” Adrienne said, who cites her father as her inspiration for giving back. “He was a leader in our community and demonstrated concern for others. He promoted causes that enabled African-American teenagers to get a taste of leadership and politics and was an advocate and mentor for youth.”
Calvin also witnessed strong community involvement growing up, as his mother, a 34-year educator for Dayton Public Schools, dedicated her time and talents to causes important to her.
“Whether it was her sorority, Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, our church or other community organizations, she was always involved in something,” Calvin said. “She could not play a musical instrument, however, she would go from school to school in the Miami Valley talking about the Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra.”
As a former board member and president for the African-American Community Fund of The Dayton Foundation, Calvin also cites his association with its co-founders, John Moore, Sr., and Lloyd Lewis, Jr., as an inspiration for his desire to get involved.
“Thanks to their vision for AACF, individuals can develop their own approach to giving back to this community and others,” he said.
In addition to their volunteerism, Adrienne, owner of Heard Management, a business
“Making
our contributions with the help of AACF
and The Dayton Foundation makes it easy for us to connect to various charitable organizations.”
management firm she founded in 1993, and Calvin, a retired senior level human resource professional who currently is a consultant for Heard Management, devote their time professionally to helping organizations succeed. They also provide charitable support to nonprofits important to them, such as Alpha Kappa Alpha Sorority, Believers Christian Fellowship Church, Dayton Alumni Kappa Alpha Psi Foundation, Kappa Alpha Psi Fraternity, Sigma Boule and Trotwood-Madison Educational Foundation, through a Charitable Checking Account AACF in 2011.
“Making our contributions with the help of AACF and The Dayton Foundation makes it easy for us to connect to various charitable organizations,” Calvin said. “These nonprofits are making a huge impact in the Dayton area, and it gives us a warm feeling inside to know our support assists them in their missions.”
Education is particularly important to the Heards, as Calvin currently serves as the president of Trotwood-Madison Educational Foundation, and Adrienne is a former president of the Trotwood-Madison Board of Education. Trotwood-Madison Schools hold a special place in their hearts, as it’s where their two sons were educated.
because of family, friends and the opportunity to be involved,” Adrienne said.
This love for “CommUnity” is what drives them to give both their dollars and time, and to leave a lasting mark on the region that’s been so good to them.
“Through our charitable funds and our service, we want to ensure people in the community have the opportunity to better themselves,” Calvin said. “But most of all, we want to make Dayton/Trotwood a better place for everyone.”k
ugarcreek Township residents Jessica have built a life focused on faith, family and paying forward their blessings. Growing up in the lake community of Shawnee Hills near Jamestown, Ohio, instilled in them small-town values and a Christian faith that has laid the groundwork
“Over the years, we had opportunities to move to other areas, but we decided to stay
“At every stage of our lives together, we have felt God has blessed us so much. God calls on us to be charitable through 2 Corinthians 9:7: ‘Each of you should give what you have decided in your heart to give, not reluctantly or under compulsion, for God loves a cheerful giver,’” Jessica and Shon said. “It’s important for us to honor God in this way and be good stewards of His resources.”
Adrienne and Calvin Heard
“Being part of The Dayton Foundation family is inspirational because you can really feel you are a part of something bigger than yourself.”
The Andersons support charitable causes important to them through the Jessica and Shon Anderson Charitable Fund, which they established with The Dayton Foundation in 2019. Shon, president and chief wealth strategist for Anderson Financial Strategies, also regularly recommends the Foundation’s services to his clients.
“While Jessica and I have always incorporated charitable giving into our lives, I first discovered how efficient using The Dayton Foundation was through my professional work with clients,” Shon said. “My firm regularly connects clients to the Foundation to incorporate strategic giving into their financial lives, for reasons such as convenient reporting, ease of distribution, tax efficiency and asset administration. These reasons also make sense for Jessica and me.”
In addition to their charitable giving, the Andersons, together with their four children, volunteer through Fairhaven Church for various community initiatives. Jessica has become involved with the Bellbrook-Sugarcreek Community Support Center, including spearheading such activities as a kids’ costume drive. Shon also serves as a trustee for Central State University, a board member for the Miami Valley Hospital Foundation and a member of the Wright State Planned Giving Council. He credits his grandmother, Vita Anderson, who was always generous with her time and money
despite her limited finances, as an inspiration for giving back.
“God blesses everyone with different resources to be able to give to the world. Developing a ‘spirit of giving’ not only helps others, but creates harmony and balance in life,” said Jessica, an attorney by training and contracting officer for the United States Air Force Department of Defense. “We incorporate this into our kids’ lives by encouraging them to donate items, money and time.”
The Andersons’ love for Greater Dayton also drives their giving. “Dayton is a special city with a rich history of people pulling together to support one another. As we say in finance, ‘the entity is greater than the sum of the parts,’” Shon said. “By combining resources with the Foundation, we also are made aware of many organizations in our community that we may not have heard of otherwise.”
Above all, the Andersons hope to be remembered as a Christian family that supports their “CommUnity.”
“Helping others is important to us because God has blessed us so much and calls on each of us to do good and share with others,” Jessica said. “Being part of The Dayton Foundation family is inspirational because you can really feel you are a part of something bigger than yourself.” k
Shon and Jessica Anderson
Area Community Foundations Affiliated with The Dayton Foundation Ruth and Emerson Booher Committee-Advised Fund for Versailles, Ohio
Centerville-Washington Foundation Community Foundation for Kettering Community Foundation of Miami Township Vandalia-Butler Foundation
Editorial Content: Gina Johnson, Brandon Sutherland, Christine Smith, Soteria Brown
Design: Bridge Communications
Printing: Progressive Printers, Inc.
Donor Feature Photography: Catapult Creative
Confirmed in Compliance with National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations
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