Donald And Alice Noble Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,082,987 (2023)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available (invitation-only)
• Decision Time: Not publicly available
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $459,673
• Median Grant: $5,000
• Total Assets: approximately $19.3 million
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Wayne County, Ohio, with some support for Ohio-based institutions

Contact Details

Address: 121 N Market St Ste 600, Wooster, OH 44691-4880
Phone: 330-264-8066
EIN: 34-1665641

Note: This foundation does not accept unsolicited applications. Contact may be made for informational purposes only.

Overview

The Donald and Alice Noble Foundation was established in 1990 by Donald E. Noble, former CEO of Rubbermaid (1959-1980), and his wife Alice M. Noble. The foundation currently manages assets of approximately $19.3 million and made charitable disbursements of $1,082,987 in its 2023 tax year per its 990-PF filing. The foundation is now run by the couple's son David D. Noble and his wife Gayle Noble (a Mandel School alumna). The foundation's grant-making focuses on arts and culture, education, human services, and mental health care, with a particular emphasis on organisations serving rural Wayne County, Ohio. The foundation's most visible legacy is the Alice Noble Ice Arena, a $5.4 million facility donated to the Wooster community in 2002. The foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, making contributions exclusively to preselected charitable organisations with which they have established relationships.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programmes

The foundation does not operate formal grant programmes with specific application cycles. All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation trustees to preselected organisations.

Recent Grant Activity (per grantmakers.io, 2024 tax year):

• Distributed 60 grants totalling $1.2 million
• Grant range: $1,000 - $459,673
• Median grant: $5,000
• All grants designated for "general operating & program support"

Notable Recent Recipients:

• ANIA Inc (Alice Noble Ice Arena): $459,673
• Case Western Reserve University Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences: $150,000
• College of Wooster: $85,650
• Central American Medical Outreach (CAMO), Orrville: $52,000

Priority Areas

Based on the foundation's stated focus and recent grant-making patterns:

• Education: Support for educational institutions including the College of Wooster and scholarship programmes
• Arts and Culture: Funding for arts organisations and cultural programmes in Wayne County
• Human Services: General operating support for non-profits serving community needs
• Mental Health Care: Support for mental health services and behavioural health programmes
• Youth Development: Co-founder of the Wayne County Community Youth Foundation, which enables students to make grant recommendations for youth-serving organisations
• Community Infrastructure: Ongoing support for the Alice Noble Ice Arena and other community facilities

What They Don't Fund

The foundation's Form 990-PF indicates it does not accept unsolicited funding requests. All funding decisions are made by trustees based on their knowledge of community needs and established organisational relationships.

Governance and Leadership

Current Leadership

• David D. Noble, President (compensation: $100,000)
• Gayle Noble (SAS '88), Foundation leader since 2002
• Rachel Relle, Trustee (compensation: $36,300)
• Donald Noble II, Board member
• Nancy L. Holland, Board member

Foundation History

Founders: Donald E. Noble (1915-2002) and Alice M. Noble (1915-2010)

Donald E. Noble served as CEO of Wooster Rubber Company (later Rubbermaid) from 1959 to 1980, building the company into a nationally recognised brand. He was a noted benefactor to the College of Wooster, where he served on the board of trustees for 41 years. Alice M. Noble was an active community volunteer who served on the Board of Directors for Interfaith Housing Corp and single-handedly raised the private donations necessary to build the Knights Field Pool in Wooster.

The couple's first date was ice skating at Brookside Park Ice Arena in Cleveland in January 1934, which inspired their later gift of the Alice Noble Ice Arena to the Wooster community.

Philanthropic Philosophy

Gayle Noble has articulated the foundation's approach: "I like to cast a stone and see the ripple effects. I want to leave a quiet legacy of change." The foundation emphasises:

• Long-term community impact
• Support for organisations they know well
• General operating support rather than project-specific funding
• Building sustainable community institutions

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The Donald and Alice Noble Foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states on its Form 990-PF that it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organisations" and "does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

All grants are made at the discretion of the foundation's trustees based on their knowledge of community needs and established relationships with organisations.

Getting on Their Radar

The foundation's grant-making is based on trustee discretion and established relationships. Specific ways organisations have connected with the foundation include:

College of Wooster Connection: Donald E. Noble served on the College of Wooster board of trustees for 41 years, and the foundation has maintained a relationship with the institution. Organisations with connections to College of Wooster may have an advantage.

Wayne County Community Foundation Partnership: The Noble Foundation helped establish the Wayne County Community Youth Foundation in 2012. Organisations working with the Wayne County Community Foundation may come to the attention of the Noble Foundation trustees.

Case Western Reserve University/Mandel School: Gayle Noble is an alumna of the Mandel School of Applied Social Sciences (SAS '88), which has received significant support including the Noble Commons facility and Noble Leadership Fellows Scholarship Fund. Her 32-year career in behavioural health informs the foundation's interest in mental health services.

Local Wayne County Presence: The foundation has a stated focus on "organisations in rural Wayne County, Ohio," suggesting a preference for locally-based non-profits.

Contact for Information: While the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, organisations may contact them at 330-264-8066 for informational purposes. However, such contact should not be made with the expectation of securing funding.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly available. As an invitation-only funder, decision timelines vary based on trustee discretion.

Success Rates

Not applicable—the foundation does not accept applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable—the foundation does not accept applications.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates on an invitation-only basis, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, analysis of their grant-making patterns reveals:

Relationship-Driven Giving: The foundation's largest grants go to organisations with which the Noble family has long-standing personal connections:

• The Alice Noble Ice Arena (ANIA) receives ongoing operational support
• Case Western Reserve University Mandel School (Gayle Noble's alma mater)
• College of Wooster (Donald E. Noble served as trustee for 41 years)

Geographic Focus: While the foundation states it serves "rural Wayne County, Ohio," it also supports some Cleveland-area institutions (CWRU Mandel School) and at least one Orrville organisation (CAMO).

General Operating Support: All 60 grants in the most recent available grant data (per grantmakers.io, 2024 tax year) were designated for "general operating & program support," suggesting the foundation trusts its grantees to allocate funds where needed rather than restricting grants to specific projects.

Preference for Established Organisations: The foundation's policy of funding only "preselected charitable organisations" indicates a preference for non-profits with proven track records and established reputations.

Multi-Year Support: Organisations like the Alice Noble Ice Arena receive substantial, ongoing support, suggesting the foundation values long-term partnerships over one-time grants.

Range of Grant Sizes: With grants ranging from $1,000 to $459,673 and a median of $5,000 (per grantmakers.io, 2024 tax year), the foundation supports organisations at various scales, though the bulk of funding goes to a small number of major recipients.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• This is an invitation-only funder—the foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals, so traditional grant-seeking strategies will not work
• Personal connections matter most: The foundation's largest grants go to organisations connected to family members' educational backgrounds (College of Wooster, CWRU Mandel School) and philanthropic interests (Alice Noble Ice Arena)
• Wayne County focus with exceptions: While the foundation emphasises rural Wayne County, Ohio, it also supports select institutions outside this geographic area when there are strong personal connections
• General operating support is the norm: All grants are designated for general operating and programme support, reflecting trust in grantee organisations rather than a desire to fund specific projects
• Long-term partnerships over one-time grants: Major grantees like ANIA receive substantial, recurring support
• College of Wooster and Mandel School connections: These institutional relationships may provide indirect pathways to foundation awareness
• Wayne County Community Foundation as a potential bridge: Organisations working with WCCF, particularly through the Youth Foundation initiative, may come to the Noble Foundation's attention
• Median grant of $5,000: While the foundation can make six-figure grants, the typical grant is relatively modest, suggesting willingness to support smaller organisations

References

1. ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Donald and Alice Noble Foundation (EIN 34-1665641). Form 990-PF filings 2022-2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/341665641 (Accessed January 2026)

2. Grantmakers.io - Donald and Alice Noble Foundation Profile. Grant data for 2024 tax year showing 60 grants totalling $1.2 million. https://www.grantmakers.io/profiles/v0/341665641-donald-and-alice-noble-foundation/ (Accessed January 2026)

3. Case Western Reserve University Mandel School - "Leaving a lasting legacy." Profile of Gayle and David Noble's philanthropy. https://case.edu/socialwork/about/news-and-publications/leaving-lasting-legacy (Accessed January 2026)

4. McIntire Bradham Sleek Funeral Home - Obituary of Alice M. Noble (1915-2010). https://www.mcintirebradhamsleek.com/2010/11/26/alice-m-noble/ (Accessed January 2026)

5. Wayne County Community Foundation - Wayne County Community Youth Foundation. Information about the Noble Foundation's role in establishing the youth grantmaking initiative. https://www.waynecountycommunityfoundation.org/community-initiatives/wayne-county-community-youth-foundation (Accessed January 2026)

6. Alice Noble Ice Arena website - About Us. History of the arena and the Noble family's donation. https://www.nobleice.com/about-us (Accessed January 2026)

7. Wooster Digital History Project - "Eight Decades of Rubbermaid in Wooster." Information about Donald E. Noble's role as CEO. http://woosterhistory.org/exhibits/show/rubbermaid/boomyearsrubbermaid (Accessed January 2026)

8. Charity Navigator - Donald and Alice Noble Foundation profile. EIN 34-1665641. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/341665641 (Accessed January 2026)