Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund
The Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its 2026 filing reports grants for scholarships to colleges and universities, including institutions in Ohio and several other states.
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund at a glance
In short: Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund gave $55K across 17 grants in 2026 (avg $3K), mostly in Ohio. 8% of 2026 grantees were new. Source: 2026 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2026)
- $54,500
- -6.4% vs 2025
- Grants made (2026)
- 17
- +21.4% vs 2025
- Average grant
- $3,206
- -22.9% vs 2025
- Median grant
- $2,500
- Total assets
- $689,038
- -3.4% vs 2025
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (1 of 13, 2026; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (80% of itemized 2026 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2026 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2026; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 630858, Cincinnati, OH 45263-0858
Phone: (248) 984-1400
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2026
The largest 2026 recipient was Ohio State University ($10K). Together the top 10 received $41K.
Organizations only. It also paid 4 individual scholarships ($9,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
71 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 71 grants of 71 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2026, 80% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio. The reported shares for other recipient states were Pennsylvania (8%), Massachusetts (6%), Oklahoma (4%), and Maine (3%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2026 grant dollars across all 17 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2026
In 2026, 1 of 13 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. With only 13 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 8 points. First grants averaged $2K; repeat grants $4K. How we count
Medians: $2K first-time, $3K repeat.
- 62% of 2026 grantees were also funded in 2025. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2023 to 2026 (−12%). Method
- In 2026 it paid out 85% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2021–2026). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2026, annual grant giving ranged from $51K (2024) to $69K (2021). In 2026 it made 17 grants totaling $55K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University Columbus, OH | Scholarships | $10,000 |
| Cleveland State University Cleveland, OH | Scholarships | $7,000 |
| University of Akron Akron, OH | Scholarship | $6,000 |
| Pennsylvania State University University Park, PA | Scholarships | $4,500 |
| 4 individual scholarships Recipients not named | — | $9,000 |
| Wheaton College Norton, MA | Scholarships | $3,000 |
| University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Scholarships | $2,500 |
| Miami University Oxford, OH | Scholarships | $2,500 |
| Kent State University Kent, OH | Scholarships | $2,000 |
| University of Mount Union Alliance, OH | Scholarship | $2,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The fund’s filing type is Form 990-PF (a private foundation).
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 | $689,038 | $56,911 | $81,173 | $54,500 | 17 | $55,708 | $31,530 | $65,892 |
| 2025 | $713,302 | $26,639 | $82,629 | $58,250 | 14 | $59,314 | $6,009 | $62,561 |
| 2024 | $769,293 | $9,809 | $72,834 | $50,500 | 12 | $51,323 | $5,902 | $56,131 |
| 2023 | $832,292 | $24,206 | $84,157 | $62,000 | 14 | $63,023 | $3,072 | $55,673 |
| 2022 | $892,274 | $28,696 | $90,844 | $60,500 | 14 | $61,558 | $2,088 | $65,341 |
| 2021 | $954,427 | $147,121 | $94,124 | $69,000 | 16 | — | $124,308 | $57,036 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund reported a distributable amount of $66K for 2026 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the fund itself is provided. Its 2026 grants include scholarships to colleges and universities. Among its grantees, an individual recipient Reserve University describes itself as a research-oriented university with strengths in health, engineering, the arts and sciences, law, management, and social work. Wheaton College describes its work as providing a liberal arts education in a collaborative community.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2026, the fund reported 17 grants totaling $54,500. Grant amounts ranged from $500 to $10,000, with a median of $2,500. Notable grants included $10,000 to Ohio State University, $7,000 to Cleveland State University, $6,000 to the University of Akron, and $4,500 to Pennsylvania State University. Other recipients included an individual recipient Reserve University ($3,500), an individual recipient Medical University ($3,000), Wheaton College ($3,000), and the University of Cincinnati ($2,500).
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2026 filing lists the following individuals as members of the Board of Managers: Sharon Fitzgerald, Josh Englehart, Juan Antunez, Byron Hopkins, Domenic Wlodyka, Renee Palacio Fitzgerald, Dawn Udovicic, Marwin Walling, and Connie Luhta.
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's 2026 filing lists 9 officers; all 9 officers listed in 2026 are compensated.
Officers on the 2026 filing
Connie Luhta
Board of Managers
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$200 (2021) → $300 (2026)
Josh Englehart
Board of Managers
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$200 (2021) → $400 (2026)
Juan Antunez
Board of Managers
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$200 (2021) → $350 (2026)
Sharon Fitzgerald
Board of Managers
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
$200 (2021) → $50 (2026)
Byron Hopkins
Board of Managers
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$250 (2023) → $400 (2026)
Domenic Wlodyka
Board of Managers
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
$250 (2023) → $50 (2026)
Renee Palacio Fitzgerald
Board of Managers
On filings since 2025
1 hr/week
$150 (2025) → $400 (2026)
Dawn Udovicic
Board of Managers
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
$200 (2026)
Marwin Walling
Board of Managers
New on the 2026 filing
1 hr/week
$300 (2026)
Former officers (4)
- Former: Jim Laudato (2023–2024) — Board of Managers
- Former: Phillip Schar (2021–2022) — Board of Managers
- Former: Van McWreath (2021–2022) — Board of Managers
- Former: Kenneth R. Reeves (2022) — Board of Managers
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2021–2026. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2026 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2026 filing was $400, to Josh Englehart (Board of Managers). 9 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund
How much does Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund give each year?
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund gave $55K across 17 grants in 2026, according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2025 it gave $58K across 14 grants.
What is Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's typical grant size?
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's median grant in 2026 was $2,500, and its average grant was $3,206, across 17 grants on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund that year got $2K on average.
Where does Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund give grants?
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund gives mostly in Ohio: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest states were Pennsylvania (8%) and Massachusetts (6%).
Does Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund give general operating support?
Not in 2026: none of the 17 grants with a stated purpose on Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's 2026 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Scholarships" (10 grants) and "Scholarship" (7 grants).
Who are Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's largest grantees?
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's largest 2026 grantees include Ohio State University ($10,000), Cleveland State University ($7,000) and University of Akron ($6,000), according to its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It also paid 4 individual scholarships ($9,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 42% of its itemized 2026 grant dollars.
How large is Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund?
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund reported $689K in total assets on its 2026 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $56K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $66K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund fund?
No mission statement for the fund itself is provided. Its 2026 grants include scholarships to colleges and universities. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund?
The foundation states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's EIN?
Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 38-3384181. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2021–2026.
Does Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(7)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS June 21, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS June 21, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 28, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS June 24, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS June 2, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2026 (received by the IRS July 9, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2021–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 4, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/charles-elmer-scholarship-fund-morg_34a790a0a19c458a883f82886393f31e
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_383384181_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/charles-elmer-scholarship-fund-morg_34a790a0a19c458a883f82886393f31e},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-04. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Charles Elmer Scholarship Fund'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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