George & Margaret McLane Foundation
The George & Margaret McLane Foundation is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Established in 2011 by the estate of Wilhelmina McLane in accordance with her wishes, it supports organizations working to build community and improve people’s lives.
George & Margaret McLane Foundation at a glance
In short: George & Margaret McLane Foundation gave $1.6M across 38 grants in 2024 (avg $41K), mostly in Ohio. 26% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,555,750
- +48.0% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 38
- -15.6% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $40,941
- +75.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $5,060,965
- -16.6% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 26% first-time grantees (10 of 38, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (96% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to George & Margaret McLane Foundation
- How to Apply
-
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. The filing lists Christopher Wheeler as the contact; application form and materials, deadlines, and award restrictions are listed as N/A.
- Contact
Application contact: Christopher Wheeler
Mailing address: 1106 Race Street, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 479-7999
Website: https://mclanefoundation.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who George & Margaret McLane Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Catholic Charities SW Ohio ($250K). Together the top 10 received $996K.
Grant Size Distribution
174 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 154 grants of 174 (89%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 96% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 4% to recipients in Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 38 itemized grants.
Cities
Is George & Margaret McLane Foundation open to new grantees?
26%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 38 grantees (26%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $48K; repeat grants $38K. How we count
Medians: $9K first-time, $30K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 158% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 184% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). 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 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $604K (2021) to $1.6M (2024). In 2024 it made 38 grants totaling $1.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Catholic Charities SW Ohio Cincinnati, OH | Health and Social Services | $250,000 |
| Franklin City Schools Franklin, OH | City Schools | $200,000 |
| Optimall Services Cincinnati, OH | Private School Support | $150,000 |
| Film Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Promoting and Cultivating Film | $85,000 |
| Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society Cincinnati, OH | Community Art Center | $71,700 |
| Starfire Cincinnati, OH | Training for Mentally Challenged | $60,000 |
| The Mercantile Library Cincinnati, OH | Library | $54,000 |
| Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Cincinnati, OH | Music and Arts | $45,000 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Art Education | $40,000 |
| CET Public Television Cincinnati, OH | Education & Arts | $40,000 |
Ready to take the next step with George & Margaret McLane Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $5,060,965 | $792,141 | $1,803,092 | $1,555,750 | 38 | $1,555,750 | $703,395 | $845,480 |
| 2023 | $6,071,916 | $959,220 | $1,263,556 | $1,051,450 | 45 | $1,051,450 | $388,336 | $733,451 |
| 2022 | $6,376,252 | $412,694 | $850,042 | $658,075 | 24 | $658,075 | $330,045 | $778,836 |
| 2021 | $6,813,600 | $812,667 | $776,587 | $604,000 | 33 | $660,000 | $731,339 | $820,583 |
| 2020 | $6,777,520 | $400,007 | $990,365 | $801,382 | 34 | — | $334,271 | $648,058 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, George & Margaret McLane Foundation reported a distributable amount of $845K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s mission is to build community and improve people’s lives by supporting organizations that prepare children for school and college, enrich lives through creative arts and humanities, protect and advance the lives of people in vulnerable populations, and promote animal welfare, including no-kill shelters, spay/neuter programs, and cruelty prevention.
Its 2024 grants illustrate support for a range of organizations. For example, Optim-All Services describes its mission as meeting the needs of students in Catholic and nonpublic schools. The Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society says it works to preserve and restore Memorial Hall as a place for public gatherings and performances. The Mercantile Library describes itself as a literary library that advances interest in the written word, while the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra says its mission is to seek and share inspiration. The Art Academy of Cincinnati describes its mission as operating and overseeing an independent college of art and design.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 38 grants totaling $1,555,750. Grants ranged from $1,500 to $250,000, with a median award of $30,000. Among the largest were $250,000 to Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio for health and social services; $200,000 to Franklin City Schools; $150,000 to Optim-All Services for private school support; and $85,000 to Film Cincinnati for promoting and cultivating film. Other notable awards included $71,700 to the Cincinnati Memorial Hall Society, $60,000 to Starfire, and $54,000 to the Mercantile Library.
The foundation’s website describes an annual scholarship for a worthy Franklin High School graduate, with an award of up to $20,000 annually, renewable for four years. This is a scholarship for students, rather than a grant program for outside organizations.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The foundation’s website identifies James L. Wellinghoff as trustee, Christopher M. Wheeler as executive director, and Marilyn J. Wellinghoff as advisory board vice president. The 2024 filing lists Christopher Wheeler as executive director, Kristen Wheeler as trustee, James L. Wellinghoff and Mary Gruber Englert as members, Marilyn Wellinghoff as vice president, and Abigail Korrell as a member.
George & Margaret McLane Foundation's 2024 filing lists 6 officers; 1 of 6 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Kristen Wheeler
Trustee
On filings since 2021
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Christopher Wheeler
Executive Di
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$60K (2020) → $84K (2024)
James L. Wellinghoff
Member
President → Member, 2021
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
$24K (2020) → $0 (2024)
Abigail Korrell
Member
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Marilyn Wellinghoff
Vice President
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Mary Gruber Englert
Member
On filings since 2020
0.4 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Albert Pyle (2020–2021) — Member
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $84K, to Christopher Wheeler (Executive Di).
Frequently asked questions about George & Margaret McLane Foundation
How much does George & Margaret McLane Foundation give each year?
George & Margaret McLane Foundation gave $1.6M across 38 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $1.1M across 45 grants.
What is George & Margaret McLane Foundation's typical grant size?
George & Margaret McLane Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $40,941, across 38 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from George & Margaret McLane Foundation that year got $48K on average.
Where does George & Margaret McLane Foundation give grants?
George & Margaret McLane Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 96% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (31 grants) and Covington, KY (2 grants).
Does George & Margaret McLane Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 38 grants with a stated purpose on George & Margaret McLane Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Community Support" (3 grants).
Who are George & Margaret McLane Foundation's largest grantees?
George & Margaret McLane Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Catholic Charities SW Ohio ($250,000), Franklin City Schools ($200,000) and Optimall Services ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 39% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is George & Margaret McLane Foundation?
George & Margaret McLane Foundation reported $5.1M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.6M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $845K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does George & Margaret McLane Foundation fund?
The foundation’s mission is to build community and improve people’s lives by supporting organizations that prepare children for school and college, enrich lives through creative arts and humanities, protect and advance the lives of people in vulnerable populations, and promote animal welfare, including no-kill shelters, spay/neuter programs, and cruelty prevention. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from George & Margaret McLane Foundation?
The foundation states that it does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is George & Margaret McLane Foundation's EIN?
George & Margaret McLane Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 20-7373591. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work George & Margaret McLane Foundation funds
Philanthropy, Voluntarism & Grantmaking Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
- Nixa Affiliate Grantmaking Program Up to US $10,000 · Due October 19, 2026
- Community and School Grants $28,000 total pool; 10-15 grants expected · Due October 19, 2026
- Mary Pinola/Crescenta Valley Chamber Education Fund $500 - $5,000 for ongoing programs; up to $15,000 for Strategic Initiative Grants · Due October 19, 2026
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in George & Margaret McLane Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). George & Margaret McLane Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 19, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-margaret-mclane-foundation-morg_18c33ca9d7d641d7a0fd743e0ccfb9f6
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_207373591_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{George \& Margaret McLane Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/george-and-margaret-mclane-foundation-morg_18c33ca9d7d641d7a0fd743e0ccfb9f6},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-19. 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 George & Margaret McLane Foundation'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.
George & Margaret McLane Foundation down — hundreds of funders to go?