The Mansbach Foundation Endowment Fund helps with the essential needs that keep community groups thriving.
Written by Katherine Pyles, 2025
For decades, the Mansbach name has been tied to the success of countless organizations across the Tri-State. That legacy continues today through the Mansbach Foundation Endowment Fund at the Foundation for the Tri-State Community.
From museums and arts programs to domestic violence shelter operations, the fund supports a wide range of causes, often helping with the less visible — but no less essential — expenses that allow local organizations to fulfill their missions.
The Mansbach story begins with a journey from Eastern Europe to Ashland, Kentucky, where Joe Mansbach settled after immigrating alone to the U.S. at 19. It was in Ashland that he met his wife, Sylvia, and built what eventually became Mansbach Metal.
“I think he always appreciated Ashland because he started the business there,” said Mansbach’s granddaughter Lori Mansbach Moore. “He wanted to give back to the community that helped him be successful.”
At Mansbach Metal, acts of generosity were commonplace. Moore recalled stories of her grandmother providing snacks or clothes to children accompanying their parents and her grandfather paying for employees’ children to attend college.
“Every year that he was in business, my grandfather raised his charitable donations,” Moore said. “Even if he had a lousy business year, he’d go ahead and take care of his charities. Of course, almost all of them were local to Ashland.”
That philosophy eventually led to the creation of a family foundation, which operated for decades before being dissolved in 2011. But rather than ending the family’s charitable work, the decision resulted in the creation of a $1 million endowment at the Foundation for the Tri-State Community to ensure their giving would continue in perpetuity.
“It was a good way to make sure the money stayed local,” Moore said.
Today, the Foundation for the Tri-State Community oversees grantmaking for the endowment, distributing funds in support of causes the family has always prioritized, like education, the arts and social services. In the 15 years since the Mansbach fund has been at the Foundation, it has awarded more than $1.15 million to 20 nonprofit organizations — each personally selected by the Mansbach family — ensuring their charitable vision continues to guide every grant as the endowment grows to expand its future impact.
One organization consistently supported by the endowment is the Highlands Museum & Discovery Center, which recently rebranded as the Highlands DO!zeum to reflect its broader mix of history, science and hands-on learning.
“The museum went through a number of lean years, and during those lean years the contribution from the Mansbach fund was tremendously helpful,” said Highlands DO!zeum Executive Director Kim Jenkins. “It is not a stretch to say the Mansbach family has been instrumental in keeping us on even footing.”
Over the years, the Mansbach endowment has helped fund numerous improvements at the museum, including its fourth-floor event space and the Clark Family Discovery Center. A 2026 grant will help fund a new building-wide PA system, an expensive but essential safety upgrade, Jenkins said.
“These are not the things that people typically contribute toward, but they are the nuts and bolts of what it takes to run a successful institution,” she said.
Safe Harbor, a domestic violence shelter and advocacy center, has also benefited from the support of the Mansbach endowment. Executive Director Ann Perkins said the organization’s connection to the family began with Joe Mansbach’s son, Jerry, and his wife, Annie.
“Jerry and Annie never hesitated for a minute to pitch in,” Perkins said. “They were wonderful community members, not just for Safe Harbor but for a lot of other agencies in our area too.”
When the private foundation dissolved and the endowment was established, Perkins said she was thankful to see that Safe Harbor remained among the organizations supported.
“We were honored that they considered us part of that legacy,” she said.
The Mansbach endowment continues to meet essential needs at Safe Harbor, from the phone system that powers its 24-hour crisis line to kitchen equipment used to prepare hundreds of meals a day.
“These are not small things — they are huge investments in lifesaving services for our community,” Perkins said. “That’s what’s unique about the Foundation for the Tri-State Community: it’s an honest-to-goodness community organization. It’s a wonderful vehicle for community agencies to access community dollars.”
For families whose private foundations are winding down, funds like the Mansbach Foundation Endowment Fund show how partnering with the Foundation for the Tri-State Community can preserve their charitable intent, sustain local impact and ensure their legacy endures for generations.
