Fox Foundation Inc
Fox Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Lancaster, Ohio. Its 2025 filing reports 39 grants totaling $1,645,631 to organizations in Ohio, South Carolina, Maine, and New Jersey.
Fox Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Fox Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 39 grants in 2025 (avg $42K), mostly in Ohio. 19% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,645,631
- -6.6% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 39
- +21.9% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $42,196
- -23.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $1,921,853
- -10.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 19% first-time grantees (7 of 36, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (80% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Fox Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The 2023 filing lists Robert L Fox as the contact and states that there are no special requirements for application materials. It says giving is not restricted to preselected organizations; award restrictions are non-specified.
- Review Cycle
- Non-specified.
- Deadline
- Non-specified.
- Contact
Application contact: Robert L Fox
Mailing address: 1445 Cincinnati Zanesville Road Sw, Lancaster, OH 43130
Phone: (740) 653-9581
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Fox Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The United Way of the Midlands ($308K). Together the top 10 received $1.1M.
Grant Size Distribution
184 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 130 grants of 184 (71%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, reported grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio (80%), South Carolina (19%), Maine (1%), and New Jersey (1%). Percentages are as reported.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 39 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Fox Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
19%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 7 of 36 grantees (19%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $13K; repeat grants $54K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 75% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% 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 (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $1.5M (2023) to $1.8M (2020). In 2025 it made 39 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The United Way of the Midlands Columbia, SC | General | $308,071 |
| Fairfield County Foundation Lancaster, OH | Decorative Arts Endwoment/Botany Playground | $125,000 |
| Fairfield County Foundation Lancaster, OH | General | $121,540 |
| Decorative Arts Center of Ohio Lancaster, OH | General | $75,000 |
| Franklin Park Conservatory Columbus, OH | General | $75,000 |
| Maywood Mission Lancaster, OH | General | $75,000 |
| Ohio State University Foundation Columbus, OH | General | $75,000 |
| Salvation Army Lancaster, OH | General | $75,000 |
| Foundation Dinnersshelter Lancaster, OH | General | $55,000 |
| Lancaster Fresh Market Inc Lancaster, OH | General | $50,000 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,921,853 | $1,107,586 | $1,680,789 | $1,645,631 | 39 | $1,646,331 | $1,101,543 | $1,668,061 |
| 2024 | $2,140,954 | $1,060,939 | $1,788,454 | $1,761,685 | 32 | $1,762,485 | $1,084,004 | $1,697,790 |
| 2023 | $2,259,547 | $1,032,095 | $1,546,148 | $1,524,596 | 34 | $1,524,607 | $1,043,582 | $1,801,463 |
| 2022 | $2,250,319 | $999,491 | $1,638,240 | $1,614,999 | 38 | $1,615,886 | $992,966 | $1,711,833 |
| 2021 | $2,364,426 | $960,295 | $1,866,534 | $1,829,366 | 41 | — | $953,987 | $1,669,764 |
| 2020 | $2,547,664 | $927,806 | $1,871,517 | $1,845,145 | 38 | — | $936,772 | $1,683,899 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Fox Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $1.7M for 2025 — 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 foundation is provided. Its grants support organizations with varied missions. For example, Maywood Mission describes its work as providing relief and promoting the welfare of people in need; The Lighthouse Inc says it provides shelter and counseling for victims of domestic abuse; and Lancaster Fresh Market Inc says it preserves and promotes the historical and cultural aspects of a traditional market for Lancaster and the greater Fairfield County community.
Other recipients include Franklin Park Conservatory, whose stated mission is to support Franklin Park Conservatory and Botanical Gardens through financial support, advocacy, and volunteerism, and Ohio State University Foundation, which raises funds and manages endowments and planned gifts for the benefit of The Ohio State University.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation reported 39 grants totaling $1,645,631. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $308,071, with a median grant of $30,000.
The largest reported grant was $308,071 to The United Way of the Midlands in Columbia, South Carolina, for general purposes. Other notable grants included $125,000 and $121,540 to Fairfield County Foundation in Lancaster, Ohio; $75,000 each to Decorative Arts Center of Ohio, Franklin Park Conservatory, Maywood Mission, Ohio State University Foundation, and Salvation Army; and $50,000 each to Lancaster Fresh Market Inc and Mid-Ohio Food Collective.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Robert L Fox, Elizabeth Q Fox, Robert W Fox, and Elizabeth Zawislak as trustees.
Fox Foundation Inc's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Elizabeth Q. Fox
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Robert W. Fox
Trustee
On filings since 2020
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Zawislak
Trustee
On filings since 2021
2.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Donald R. Sutton (2020–2021) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Fox Foundation Inc
How much does Fox Foundation Inc give each year?
Fox Foundation Inc gave $1.6M across 39 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $1.8M across 32 grants.
What is Fox Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Fox Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $30,000, and its average grant was $42,196, across 39 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Fox Foundation Inc that year got $13K on average.
Where does Fox Foundation Inc give grants?
Fox Foundation Inc gives mostly in Ohio: 80% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was South Carolina (19%). The most frequent recipient cities were Lancaster, OH (20 grants), Columbus, OH (7 grants) and Athens, OH (2 grants).
Does Fox Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 95% of Fox Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (37 of 39) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Fox Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Fox Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include The United Way of the Midlands ($308,071), Fairfield County Foundation ($256,540 across 4 grants) and Decorative Arts Center of Ohio ($75,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Fox Foundation Inc?
Fox Foundation Inc reported $1.9M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $1.7M (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 Fox Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants support organizations with varied missions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Fox Foundation Inc?
The 2023 filing lists Robert L Fox as the contact and states that there are no special requirements for application materials. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Fox Foundation Inc's EIN?
Fox Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6023906. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
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 2020 (received by the IRS March 10, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 4, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 7, 2025)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS March 30, 2026)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 14, 2023)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2025
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Fox Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/fox-foundation-inc-morg_e7657383bdb844d4999d891b16c07948
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_316023906_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Fox Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/fox-foundation-inc-morg_e7657383bdb844d4999d891b16c07948},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Fox Foundation Inc'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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