BDT Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Athens, OH EIN: 85-4394568

BDT Foundation is a private foundation, based in Athens, OH. IRS filing data is available from 2022 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $397K in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 4 grants totaling $31K.

BDT Foundation at a glance

In short: BDT Foundation gave $31K across 4 grants in 2025 (avg $8K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Annual giving (2025)
$31,000
+26.5% vs 2024
Grants made (2025)
4
+33.3% vs 2024
Average grant
$7,750
-5.1% vs 2024
Median grant
$2,500
Total assets
$396,676
-9.8% vs 2024
Primary geography
Ohio (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026.

Who BDT Foundation funds

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 4 recipients in 2025

Neighborhood Design Center: $25KNeighborhood Design Center$25KStuarts Opera House: $3KStuarts Opera House$3KThe Ohio University Foundation: $2KThe Ohio University Foundation$2KAthens County Historical Society: $1KAthens County HistoricalSociety$1K

The largest 2025 recipient was Neighborhood Design Center ($25K). Together the top 4 received $31K.

Grant Size Distribution

20 grants across all recorded years

20<$50K$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 20 grants of 20 (100%).

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

Grant Distribution by State

1state

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 4 itemized grants.

States

Cities

ColumbusAthensNelsonvilleAlbanyBainbridgeGlousterMillfieldWesterville

How BDT Foundation gives

  • Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+15%). Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 146% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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

$0$20K$40K$60K$80K3 grants2022 10 grants2023 3 grants2024 4 grants2025

From 2022 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $25K (2024) to $61K (2023). In 2025 it made 4 grants totaling $31K.

Grants by year

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Neighborhood Design Center Columbus, OHOperating Expenses$25,000
Stuarts Opera House Nelsonville, OHOperating Expenses$3,000
The Ohio University Foundation Athens, OHOperating Expenses$2,000
Athens County Historical Society Athens, OHOperating Expenses$1,000
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Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Figures from IRS filings, by filing year
Filing yearTotal AssetsRevenueExpensesGrants paidGrantsQualifying DistributionsDistributable Amount
2025$396,676—$42,978$31,0004$31,000$21,181
2024$439,654—$25,549$24,5003$24,849$22,684
2023$465,203$32,500$62,389$60,50010$60,789$23,228
2022$495,092$50,000$27,374$27,0203$27,374$23,110

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, BDT Foundation reported a distributable amount of $21K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Leadership & Key People

Officers and directors from IRS filings

BDT Foundation is led by James Thomas, President on every filing since 2022; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • James Thomas

    President

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Donald Dispenza

    Vice President

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

  • Nicholas Bittner

    Secretary

    On filings since 2022

    1 hr/week

    No compensation reported

Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2022–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.

Frequently asked questions about BDT Foundation

How much does BDT Foundation give each year?

BDT Foundation gave $31K across 4 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $25K across 3 grants.

What is BDT Foundation's typical grant size?

BDT Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,500, and its average grant was $7,750, across 4 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does BDT Foundation give grants?

BDT Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Athens, OH (2 grants).

Does BDT Foundation give general operating support?

Yes: 100% of BDT Foundation's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (4 of 4) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

How large is BDT Foundation?

BDT Foundation reported $397K in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $31K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $21K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What is BDT Foundation's EIN?

BDT Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 85-4394568. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2022–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings.

Data update history

(5)

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS March 26, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS March 26, 2025)
  3. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS March 26, 2025)
  4. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
  5. IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2022–2024

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The filing figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0. About GrantGraph Open

Figures come from BDT Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.

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