Bicknell Fund
The Bicknell Fund is a private foundation incorporated in 1949 in Cleveland, Ohio. It was established by Kate Hanna Bicknell and Warren Bicknell, Jr. "for the purpose of promoting the well-being of mankind." The fund operates as a grantmaking organization supporting nonprofit institutions primarily in the Cleveland area and across multiple states.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$5.2M
-5.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$312K
+7.6% YoY
Grant Count
28
-3.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$11K
+11.4% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Bicknell Fund reported a distributable amount of $311K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Bicknell Fund's primary mission centers on promoting the well-being of mankind through charitable, benevolent, educational, scientific, and research work.
Key funding priorities include:
- Public affairs and social services
- Arts and humanities
- Secondary, vocational, and special education
- Health and human services, with emphasis on assisting the homeless and disadvantaged
- Education initiatives
- Social and human services in the Cleveland, Ohio area
Grantmaking
The fund provides general support, program support, annual fund support, local disaster relief, and scholarship funding.
Grant Range
$7,300–$8,000
Average Grant
approximately $12,000
Review Cycle
are April 1st and September 1st annually.
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The fund primarily supports organizations in the Cleveland, Ohio area, though grantmaking extends across multiple states including Ohio, New York, Georgia, and California. The foundation has supported organizations across eight states, with Ohio being the primary focus area.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets:
- Total assets (2024): $5,218,279–$5,532,876
Annual Activity:
- Total revenues (2024): $259,254–$336,904
- Total expenses (2024): $377,177–$408,444
- Investment income and dividends (2024): $225,397
- Annual giving has ranged from $290,000–$363,000 in recent years
Historical Context: In 1994, the fund's assets exceeded $6.4 million with expenditures over $291,200 for grants ranging from $1,000–$35,000.
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $5,218,279 | $5,532,876 | $5,551,332 |
| Revenue | $259,254 | $336,904 | $248,362 |
| Expenses | $408,444 | $377,177 | $436,617 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $331,808 | $309,571 | $357,566 |
| Net Investment Income | $184,618 | $269,383 | $180,511 |
| Distributable Amount | $311,414 | $293,848 | $316,837 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
114 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Bicknell Fund
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Adirondack Lakes Center for the Arts ($50,000), Archbold Foundation ($30,000), The Salvation Army ($20,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ADIRONDACK LAKES CENTER FOR THE ARTS BLUE MOUNTAIN LAKE, NY | POTTERS RESORT PURCHASE | $50,000 |
| BROOKWOOD SCHOOL THOMASVILLE, GA | ANNUAL FUND | $7,000 |
| SOUTH KENT SOUTH KENT, CT | ANNUAL FUND | $7,500 |
| MISS HALL'S SCHOOL PITTSFIELD, MA | ANNUAL FUND IN HONOR OF KATE LUZIUS' 56TH REUNION | $5,000 |
| THOMASVILLE CENTER FOR THE ARTS THOMASVILLE, GA | ANNUAL WILDLIFE ARTS FESTIVAL | $5,000 |
| APPALACHIAN TRAIL RESILIECY FUND HARPERS FERRY, WV | APPALACHIAN TRAIL REPAIR AND CLEARING | $10,000 |
| HILLSDALE COLLEGE HILLSDALE, MI | BICKNELL REPLACEMENT GRANT SCHOLARSHIP FUND | $5,000 |
| LAWRENCE SCHOOL BROADVIEW HTS, OH | COMMUNITY EDUCATION SERIES | $5,000 |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS CLEVELAND, OH | GENERAL OPERATIONS | $10,000 |
| TEAM RUBICON LOS ANGELES, CA | HURRICANE HELENE RELIEF | $10,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Current Officers and Trustees:
- Samantha K. Crowley – President/Trustee
- Warren Bicknell III – Vice President/Trustee
- Steven Foster – Secretary/Treasurer
- Kate B. Luzius – Trustee
- Wendy H. Bicknell – Trustee
- Alexander S. Taylor – Trustee
- W. Gates Kirkham – Trustee
- Matt Van de Motter – Trustee
- Andrew T. Meyer – Trustee
The foundation is governed by nine officers and trustees who serve without compensation. Advisory Service Inc. serves as the principal officer.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| SAMANTHA K CROWLEY CO MN ADVISORY | PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | 5 | — |
| WARREN BICKNELL III MN ADV SRV LLC | VICE PRESIDENT/TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| KATE B LUZIUS CO MN ADV SRV LLC | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| WENDY H BICKNELL CO MN ADV SRV LLC | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| ALEXANDER S TAYLOR CO MN ADV SV LLC | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| W GATES KIRKHAM CO MN ADV SRV LLC | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| MATT VAN DE MOTTER CO MN ADV SV LLC | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
| STEVEN FOSTER CO MN ADV SRV LLC | SECRETARY/TREASURER | 5 | — |
| ANDREW T MEYER | TRUSTEE | 1 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation demonstrates recent grantmaking activity with awards in 2024 supporting diverse causes including arts organizations, medical education programs, and urban agriculture initiatives. The fund maintains an active grantmaking schedule with biannual application deadlines and continues to support both established relationships and new initiatives across its priority areas.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Bicknell Fund fund?
The Bicknell Fund's primary mission centers on promoting the well-being of mankind through charitable, benevolent, educational, scientific, and research work. Key funding priorities include: • Public affairs and social services • Arts and humanities • Secondary, vocational, and special education • Health and human services, with emphasis on assisting the homeless and disadvantaged • Education initiatives • Social and human services in the Cleveland, Ohio area
How do I apply for a grant from Bicknell Fund?
**Grant Activity:** • Made 30 grants in 2024 • Total giving in 2024: $312,000 • Median grant size: $7,300–$8,000 • Grant range: $500–$51,000 • Average grant size: approximately $12,000 **Types of Support:** The fund provides general support, program support, annual fund support, local disaster relief, and scholarship funding. **Application Process:** Proposal submission deadlines are April 1st and September 1st annually. **Restrictions:** The Bicknell Fund trustees determine grant awards. Only …
Where does Bicknell Fund make grants?
The fund primarily supports organizations in the Cleveland, Ohio area, though grantmaking extends across multiple states including Ohio, New York, Georgia, and California. The foundation has supported organizations across eight states, with Ohio being the primary focus area.
What size grants does Bicknell Fund award?
In 2024, Bicknell Fund awarded 28 grants totaling $312K — an average of about $11K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Bicknell Fund required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Bicknell Fund reported a distributable amount of $311K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Bicknell Fund's EIN?
Bicknell Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6513799. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Bicknell Fund's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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