Encova Foundation of Ohio

COLUMBUS, OH EIN: 31-1712343 Website

The Encova Foundation of Ohio is a private foundation established in 2000 and based in Columbus, Ohio. It is a company-sponsored foundation supported by Encova Insurance. The foundation operates alongside the Encova Foundation of West Virginia as part of Encova's corporate philanthropy strategy.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$8.4M

-1.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$965K

+7.8% YoY

Grant Count

-35.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$10K

+65.8% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Encova Foundation of Ohio reported a distributable amount of $406K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

The Encova Foundation of Ohio supports organizations involved in arts and culture, education, health, cancer, and human services. The foundation's strategic focus areas include:

Improving communities and families
Promoting education
Encouraging wellness
Helping children succeed
Supporting industry initiatives

Preference is given to organizations that:

Impact communities where Encova associates work and live
Demonstrate strong financial management and governance in accordance with Better Business Bureau accreditation guidelines
Have an Encova associate involved as a board member, committee member, long-time volunteer, or active partner
Provide volunteer opportunities for Encova associates

The foundation does not support organizations that serve only their own memberships (such as fraternal, labor, social, or religious organizations) or those that discriminate against people based on age, race, religion, gender, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, or military or veteran status.

Grantmaking

The foundation is open to new applicants. Recent grant activity shows:

Grant Range

** Approximately $27,000 based on recent data

Average Grant

** Approximately $27,000 based on recent data

Ready to take the next step with Encova Foundation of Ohio?

Assess fit for your org Draft an LOI Find open RFPs

Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation supports organizations across multiple states, with particular emphasis on communities where Encova operates. Geographic reach includes Ohio (Columbus, Cincinnati, Cleveland, and other cities), as well as funding in California, Florida, Georgia, Texas, Illinois, Indiana, Maryland, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, New Jersey, North Carolina, Tennessee, Virginia, and Wisconsin.

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $1.3M (75%)

Iowa $113K (7%)

Georgia $101K (6%)

Illinois $54K (3%)

Tennessee $41K (2%)

Maryland $31K (2%)

California $23K (1%)

Florida $13K (1%)

+13 more states

States

California Connecticut District of Columbia Florida Georgia Iowa Illinois Maryland Michigan Minnesota Missouri New Hampshire New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Tennessee Texas Virginia Washington Wisconsin

Cities

AkronAmesAnn ArborAtlantaBellevueBethesdaBexleyCanal WinchesterCantonCarnesvilleCarrollCarrolltonCedar FallsCenterburgChicagoCincinnatiClaytonClevelandClydeColumbus

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

As of Fiscal Year 2023:

Total Assets: $8,521,289
Total Revenues: $1,041,150
Total Expenses: $949,023
Number of Employees: 0

The foundation's assets increased 2.6% from the previous year.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$8,364,378	$8,521,289	$9,024,670
Revenue	$841,344	$1,041,150	$1,396,503
Expenses	$753,421	$949,023	$4,470,349
Qualifying Distributions	$964,696	$894,800	$1,843,264
Net Investment Income	$572,894	$367,319	$265,716
Distributable Amount	$406,354	$365,013	$330,102

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

250 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from Encova Foundation of Ohio

Foundation

Encova Foundation of Ohio Grant

Encova Foundation of Ohio

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Cristo Rey Columbus High School ($36,000), Community Shelter Board ($20,000), Franklin County Historical Society ($15,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
American Lung Cancer Association columbus, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$1,250
Columbus Museum of Art columbus, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$2,500
Community Shelter Board columbus, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$20,000
Cornerstone of Hope Independence, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$5,000
Cristo Rey Columbus High School DULUTH, GA	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$36,000
Franklin County Historical Society ST CADIZ, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$15,000
Gamma Iota Sigma FRESNO, CA	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$10,000
Jazz Arts Group of Columbus COLUMBUS, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$4,000
Law Enforcement Foundation Dublin, OH	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$7,500
National Diversity Council HOUSTON, TX	ANNUAL OPERATIONS	$3,200

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The foundation's trustees include J. Christopher Howat and Thomas J. Obrokta.

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

No officer/director data available.

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

The Encova Foundation of Ohio has supported educational initiatives, including scholarships for students. The foundation made a $1 million gift to Ohio Dominican University to support insurance students and establish an academy. The foundation has also provided grants to organizations such as Hospice of North Central Ohio and supported scholarship programs at West Virginia School of Osteopathic Medicine.

Students receive $89500 through three scholarships

Subject Areas

Focus areas based on grantmaking activity

Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking

Frequently Asked Questions

What does Encova Foundation of Ohio fund?

The Encova Foundation of Ohio supports organizations involved in arts and culture, education, health, cancer, and human services. The foundation's strategic focus areas include: • Improving communities and families • Promoting education • Encouraging wellness • Helping children succeed • Supporting industry initiatives Preference is given to organizations that: • Impact communities where Encova associates work and live • Demonstrate strong financial management and governance in accordance with …

How do I apply for a grant from Encova Foundation of Ohio?

The foundation is open to new applicants. Recent grant activity shows: • **2023 Total Grants Awarded:** Approximately $895,000 across 143 grants • **Average Grant Size:** Approximately $27,000 based on recent data • **Recent Notable Grants (2023):** • The New Albany Community Foundation: $50,000 and $40,000 • New Directions Career Center: $25,000 The foundation has awarded grants to organizations including JDRF International and various community foundations and service organizations.

Where does Encova Foundation of Ohio make grants?

What size grants does Encova Foundation of Ohio award?

In 2024, Encova Foundation of Ohio awarded 93 grants totaling $965K — an average of about $10K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is Encova Foundation of Ohio required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Encova Foundation of Ohio reported a distributable amount of $406K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.