Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation
The Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation is a public charity based in Cleveland, Ohio, formed in 1994. It is a supporting organization of the Cleveland Foundation, organized to benefit and carry out the Foundation’s charitable and educational functions. Its filing describes grantmaking for or on behalf of the Cleveland Foundation.
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation at a glance
In short: Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation gave $2.1M across 89 grants in 2024 (avg $24K), mostly in Ohio. 11% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $2,143,705
- +3.1% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 89
- -7.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $24,087
- +11.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $44,257,403
- +9.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 11% first-time grantees (10 of 89, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (99% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation
- Contact
Mailing address: 6601 Euclid Avenue, Cleveland, OH 44103
Phone: (216) 861-3810
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Village of Healing ($200K). Together the top 10 received $915K.
Organizations only. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name.
Grant Size Distribution
385 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 358 grants of 385 (93%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 99% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 1% to recipients in Pennsylvania, and less than 1% to recipients in West Virginia.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 89 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation open to new grantees?
11%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 10 of 89 grantees (11%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $24K; repeat grants $24K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 79% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+13%). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $1.8M (2022) to $2.1M (2024). In 2024 it made 89 grants totaling $2.1M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Village of Healing Euclid, OH | Village of Healing Locations and Services Expansion | $200,000 |
| YWCA of Cleveland Ohio Cleveland, OH | Capital Needs for YWCA Greater Cleveland Facilities | $170,000 |
| Help Foundation Inc Euclid, OH | Lakewood Adult Day Services and Vocational Program Expansion | $150,000 |
| Joseph's Home Cleveland, OH | A new home for healing: joseph's home renovation and relocation | $125,000 |
| Cleveland Kids Book Bank Cleveland, OH | Capital Campaign for Office and Warehouse Move | $105,000 |
| Achievement Centers for Children Highland Hills, OH | Family Support Services: Helping Families Thrive | $45,000 |
| Case Western Reserve University Cleveland, OH | The mildred s. Higley honor fund (end129300) at the mandel school of applied social sciences | $30,000 |
| Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland Cleveland, OH | Hunger relief and food rescue - no one goes hungry. No food goes to waste | $30,000 |
| Malachi House Inc Cleveland, OH | General Support | $30,000 |
| Reach Success Cleveland, OH | Career Passion Program Inside/Out | $30,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $44,257,403 | $3,173,733 | $2,734,128 | $2,143,705 | 89 | $3,173,733 |
| 2023 | $40,483,181 | $1,261,924 | $2,624,283 | $2,078,300 | 96 | $1,261,924 |
| 2022 | $37,217,207 | $2,575,722 | $2,321,685 | $1,790,000 | 75 | $2,575,722 |
| 2021 | $45,795,016 | $3,866,437 | $2,402,401 | $1,904,500 | 64 | $3,866,437 |
| 2020 | $42,268,433 | $999,042 | $2,479,148 | $2,023,069 | 61 | $999,042 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The fund’s stated mission is to operate exclusively for the benefit of, and carry out the charitable and educational functions of, the Cleveland Foundation. Its filing describes its program as grantmaking in support of those functions.
Its 2024 grants included support for facility and service expansions, capital needs, and program services. For example, Village of Healing describes its work as addressing social determinants of health and health disparities through programming, advocacy, and collaboration. HELP Foundation says it provides housing and supportive services for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank describes its mission as fostering literacy and a love of reading by providing free books to children through community partnerships. Other 2024 recipients included organizations whose stated missions involve emergency food distribution, services for people with acute medical needs, and empowering women and eliminating racism.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the fund reported 89 grants totaling $2,143,705. Grants ranged from $7,000 to $200,000, with a median grant of $15,000. The largest listed awards included $200,000 to Village of Healing for locations and services expansion; $170,000 to YWCA of Cleveland Ohio for facility capital needs; $150,000 to HELP Foundation for adult day services and vocational program expansion; $125,000 to Joseph’s Home for renovation and relocation; and $105,000 to Cleveland Kids’ Book Bank for its office and warehouse move.
Other listed grants included $45,000 to Achievement Centers for Children for family support services; $30,000 each to an individual recipient Reserve University for the Mildred S. Higley Honor Fund, Hunger Network of Greater Cleveland for hunger relief and food rescue, Malachi House for general support, and Reach Success for its Career Passion program; $27,500 to Youth Opportunities Unlimited for Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates program support; and $25,000 to Cleveland Rape Crisis Center for services for children and families affected by sexual assault.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Sharon Higley Watts as president; Doug Wang, Patricia Nobili, Jeff Linton, and Brian Broadbent as vice presidents and trustees; Ginger F Mlakar as secretary; and Anthony Gattuso as treasurer.
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation is led by Sharon Higley Watts, President on every filing since 2020; none of the 7 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Sharon Higley Watts
President
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Doug Wang
First Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jeff Linton
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patricia Nobili
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Brian Broadbent
Vice President & Trustee
On filings since 2021
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Ginger F. Mlakar
Secretary
On filings since 2020
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Gattuso
Treasurer
On filings since 2022
0.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (3)
- Former: Rosanne Potter (2020–2021) — Treasurer · Filing note: Until 51321
- Former: Anthony Gattuso Eff (2021) — Treasurer
- Former: Brian Broadbent Eff (2020) — Vice President & Trustee
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.
Frequently asked questions about Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation
How much does Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation give each year?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation gave $2.1M across 89 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. In 2023 it gave $2.1M across 96 grants.
What is Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's typical grant size?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $24,087, across 89 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation that year got $24K on average.
Where does Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation give grants?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 99% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (72 grants), Euclid, OH (2 grants) and Independence, OH (2 grants).
Does Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation give general operating support?
Occasionally: 8% of Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (7 of 89) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990.
Who are Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's largest grantees?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include Village of Healing ($200,000), YWCA of Cleveland Ohio ($170,000) and Help Foundation Inc ($150,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990. It also paid 1 grant to individuals ($20,000), which are not listed by name. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation reported $44.3M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $3.2M.
What does Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation fund?
The fund’s stated mission is to operate exclusively for the benefit of, and carry out the charitable and educational functions of, the Cleveland Foundation. Its filing describes its program as grantmaking in support of those functions. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check clevelandfoundation.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's EIN?
Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1784955. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(6)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS November 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS November 14, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS November 15, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS November 15, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS November 16, 2025)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/higley-fund-of-the-cleveland-foundation-morg_b1e6bdb41e344e6493d83fd228189b76
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341784955_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Higley Fund of the Cleveland Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/higley-fund-of-the-cleveland-foundation-morg_b1e6bdb41e344e6493d83fd228189b76},
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 Higley Fund of the Cleveland 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.
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