Foundations & Grantmakers in Ohio
6,886 grantmakers in Ohio reported grants on their latest 990s. The 2,549 that made at least 5 grants gave $3.8B. The largest by giving are Columbus Foundation, Matthew 25 Ministries Inc and The Greater Cincinnati Foundation. The list below ranks grantmakers with at least 5 grants by annual giving, and each funder links to a profile with its grant history and financials.
Looking for open funding opportunities instead? Browse Ohio grants
Foundation giving in Ohio at a glance
Active grantmakers
6,886
reported grants on latest 990
Annual giving
$3.8B
from the 2,549 with 5+ grants
Typical grant
$17K
median of each funder's average grant
Median annual giving
$64K
per grantmaker
Top 10 foundations in Ohio by annual giving
| # | Funder | City | Annual giving | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Columbus Foundation | Columbus | $242.7M | 1,747 |
| 2 | Matthew 25 Ministries Inc | Cincinnati | $200.6M | 210 |
| 3 | The Greater Cincinnati Foundation | Cincinnati | $184.4M | 1,408 |
| 4 | The Cleveland Foundation | Cleveland | $184.2M | 1,016 |
| 5 | Jack Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation | Cleveland | $131.4M | 36 |
| 6 | The Scioto County Area Foundation | Portsmouth | $90.8M | 49 |
| 7 | Jack Joseph & Morton Mandel Foundation | Cleveland | $77.0M | 284 |
| 8 | Jewish Federation of Cleveland | Cleveland | $72.7M | 425 |
| 9 | The Wexner Family Charitable Fund | New Albany | $72.2M | 33 |
| 10 | Farmer Family Foundation | Cincinnati | $49.6M | 181 |
Ranked by grants reported on each funder's latest 990. Only grantmakers with at least 5 grants are ranked; 4 organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants (usually one transfer to an affiliated charity) are left out.
Most common focus areas
- Education 329 · 29%
- Health 131 · 12%
- Human Services 130 · 12%
- Community Improvement & Capacity Building 87 · 8%
- Religion Related 72 · 6%
- Arts, Culture & Humanities 71 · 6%
Share of grantmakers with a program NTEE code (37% carry any NTEE code); general grantmaking foundations (NTEE T) are not counted.
Community foundations in Ohio
- Catholic Community Foundation $22.9M · 45 grants
- Toledo Community Foundation Inc $17.8M · 406 grants
- Akron Community Foundation $14.7M · 335 grants
- Stark Community Foundation $14.6M · 260 grants
- Wayne County Community Foundation $7.8M · 137 grants
- Hamilton Community Foundation $7.8M · 142 grants
- Richland County Foundation $7.1M · 93 grants
- Community Foundation of Shelby County $6.2M · 88 grants
Showing the largest 8 of 34 with at least 10 grants.
Source: IRS Form 990 and 990-PF filings, latest available year per organization (most of the largest funders' latest filing: tax year 2025).
Most open to new grantees in Ohio
Foundations based in Ohio whose latest grant list had the largest share of organizations they had not funded in any earlier year on file.
| # | Funder | First-time grantees | Grantees | Avg first grant |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | The Bell Charitable Foundation | 96% (26) | 27 in 2025 | $22K |
| 2 | Ohio Education Association | 93% (51) | 55 in 2025 | $97K |
| 3 | WPCU Sunshine Community Fund | 92% (24) | 26 in 2024 | $12K |
| 4 | South Central Power Company Foundation | 89% (24) | 27 in 2024 | $8K |
| 5 | State Power Fund | 87% (52) | 60 in 2024 | $63K |
| 6 | Scripps Howard Fund | 77% (23) | 30 in 2024 | $19K |
| 7 | Jobsohio | 75% (282) | 377 in 2025 | $229K |
| 8 | David Novak Leadership Inc | 74% (34) | 46 in 2025 | $6K |
| 9 | Timken Foundation of Canton | 72% (79) | 109 in 2025 | $165K |
| 10 | Ohio History Connection | 72% (31) | 43 in 2025 | $36K |
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990 and 990-PF grant lists. Only foundations with at least 20 grants in each of the last three years (and 20 distinct grantees in the latest), a filing from the last 2 years, and first grants averaging at least $1K are ranked; grants to individuals are left out, and recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed grantee can look new. How we calculate this.
Showing 2,549 grantmakers in Ohio with 5+ grants on their latest 990, most giving first
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
Matthew 25 Ministries Inc
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$125.2M
Grants
210
Total Given
$200.6M
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,408
Total Given
$184.4M
The Cleveland Foundation
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$3.3B
Grants
1,016
Total Given
$184.2M
Jack Joseph and Morton Mandel Supporting Foundation
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$3.3B
Grants
36
Total Given
$131.4M
The Scioto County Area Foundation
Portsmouth, OH
Assets
$65.4M
Grants
49
Total Given
$90.8M
Jack Joseph & Morton Mandel Foundation
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$3.6B
Grants
284
Total Given
$77.0M
Jewish Federation of Cleveland
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$680.2M
Grants
425
Total Given
$72.7M
The Wexner Family Charitable Fund
New Albany, OH
Assets
$154.6M
Grants
33
Total Given
$72.2M
Farmer Family Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$242.2M
Grants
181
Total Given
$49.6M
John J & Mary R Schiff Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$176.6M
Grants
43
Total Given
$47.9M
Community Shelter Board
Columbus, OH
Assets
$27.0M
Grants
17
Total Given
$46.8M
Dayton Foundation Plus Inc
Dayton, OH
Assets
$436.8M
Grants
231
Total Given
$46.6M
Oneohio Recovery Foundation Inc
Westerville, OH
Assets
$236.7M
Grants
178
Total Given
$35.6M
United Way of Greater Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$86.6M
Grants
224
Total Given
$33.1M
The Dayton Foundation
Dayton, OH
Assets
$771.2M
Grants
589
Total Given
$32.6M
Dave Thomas Foundation for Adoption
Dublin, OH
Assets
$117.3M
Grants
135
Total Given
$31.4M
Bon Secours Mercy Health Foundation
Blue Ash, OH
Assets
$436.9M
Grants
54
Total Given
$31.0M
Strategies to End Homelessness Inc
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$12.9M
Grants
21
Total Given
$29.8M
The George Gund Foundation
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$555.9M
Grants
334
Total Given
$29.8M
The Howley Foundation
Cleveland, OH
Assets
$131.9M
Grants
60
Total Given
$28.5M
The Carl H and Edyth B Lindner
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$4.2M
Grants
16
Total Given
$23.8M
Siemer Family Foundation
Columbus, OH
Assets
$76.8M
Grants
81
Total Given
$23.1M
The Jewish Foundation of Cincinnati
Cincinnati, OH
Assets
$369.6M
Grants
37
Total Given
$23.0M
Here's the math on clicking through this list.
You, clicking into all 24 funders
~2.8 hrs
at ~7 min per funder profile
Your agents, the same 24
~1 min
every profile evaluated and scored, with reasoning
Questions about foundations in Ohio
What are the largest foundations in Ohio?
By grants reported on their latest 990s, the largest are Columbus Foundation ($242.7M across 1,747 grants), Matthew 25 Ministries Inc ($200.6M) and The Greater Cincinnati Foundation ($184.4M). Together the top 10 account for 34% of the $3.8B given by the 2,549 grantmakers in Ohio that made at least 5 grants. Organizations that reported large giving in fewer grants, usually a single transfer to an affiliated charity, are left out of the ranking.
How big is a typical foundation grant in Ohio?
The typical grant is about $17K (the median of each grantmaker's average grant). Half of these grantmakers gave less than $64K in total in their latest filing year, so many are small foundations that give to a few organizations they already know. The largest funders make many more grants, but also get the most requests.
Are there community foundations in Ohio?
Yes. We found 34 community foundations in Ohio with grant activity. The largest by giving are Catholic Community Foundation, Toledo Community Foundation Inc and Akron Community Foundation. Community foundations pool gifts from many local donors and usually run open grant rounds for nonprofits in their area, which makes them a good first stop for local funding.
How do I find Ohio foundations that accept unsolicited proposals?
Most private foundations don't run an open application. Their 990-PF says whether they only give to preselected charities, and their past grants show who they actually fund. Start with the funders above whose grant counts and typical grant size fit your budget, then check each profile's grant history for organizations like yours before you reach out. Read the grant prospecting guide.
Related guides
- Grant prospecting: how to find funders that fit
How to shortlist foundations in Ohio from their 990s and giving history.
- AI grant writing: draft proposals in your voice
Turn a shortlist into LOIs and proposals drafted from your own materials.