John L Severance
Grants are made according to the last will and testament ofjohn l severence dated january 31, 1935 in conjunction with the trust agreement dated december 23, 1915 and the operating agreement dated april 30, 2009. In compliance with the trust document, keybank as trustee, makes grants to the cleveland museum of art to be used to purchase works of art. Under the Ohio institutional trust funds act of 1999, the beneficiary has chosen to receive the maximum of income based on the greater of 5% of afv or traditional income.keybank maintains a responsiveness to the needs and activities of thebeneficiaries organization in the attainment of its mission. Please note the charity has a right to direct or approve investments and thetrustee has the authority to amend the document to insure thecontinuation to qualify as a 509(a)(3).
John L Severance at a glance
In short: John L Severance gave $4.2M across 1 grant in 2025 (avg $4.2M), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $4,244,559
- +13.8% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 1
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $4,244,559
- +13.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $4,244,559
- Total assets
- $62,320,777
- -2.8% vs 2024
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026.
Who John L Severance funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top recipient in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was The Cleveland Museum of Art ($4.2M).
Grant Size Distribution
5 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $1–5M range: 5 grants of 5 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Grant Distribution by State
Share of the 2025 grant dollars on its one itemized grant.
States
Cities
How John L Severance gives
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (+2%). Method
From the foundation's IRS Form 990 filings. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $3.4M (2021) to $4.2M (2025). In 2025 it made 1 grant totaling $4.2M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Cleveland Museum of Art Cleveland, OH | Used for the Purchase of Works of Art. | $4,244,559 |
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Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $62,320,777 | $2,728,609 | $4,668,299 | $4,244,559 | 1 | $2,728,609 |
| 2024 | $64,091,830 | $13,036,691 | $4,167,851 | $3,729,976 | 1 | $13,030,715 |
| 2023 | $55,391,624 | $2,017,091 | $4,212,937 | $3,845,245 | 1 | $2,017,091 |
| 2022 | $57,587,472 | $3,316,435 | $4,560,349 | $4,180,457 | 1 | $3,316,435 |
| 2021 | $58,831,389 | $4,464,253 | $3,798,438 | $3,415,245 | 1 | $4,464,253 |
| 2020 | $58,165,574 | $2,331,201 | $3,827,999 | $3,458,782 | 1 | $2,331,201 |
| 2019 | $59,662,372 | $4,318,339 | $3,832,836 | $3,510,009 | 1 | $4,318,339 |
About John L Severance
Based on IRS filings
John L Severance is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Brooklyn, OH. IRS filing data is available from 2019 through 2025. As of 2025, the organization holds $62.3M in total assets. In 2025, it awarded 1 grant totaling $4.2M. Net investment income was $2.7M.
Focus Areas
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
John L Severance's 2025 filing lists 2 officers; 1 of 2 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Keybank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
$322K (2019) → $421K (2025)
Russ Klimczuk
Cma Assistant Treasurer of Finance
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2019–2025. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $421K, to Keybank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about John L Severance
How much does John L Severance give each year?
John L Severance gave $4.2M across 1 grant in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $3.7M across 1 grant.
How large is John L Severance?
John L Severance reported $62.3M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $2.7M.
What is John L Severance?
John L Severance is a public charity focused on Arts, Culture & Humanities, based in Brooklyn, OH. It holds $62.3M in total assets as of 2025.
Where does John L Severance operate?
John L Severance has awarded grants in Ohio.
What is John L Severance's EIN?
John L Severance's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6506884. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 12, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 7, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 8, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 5, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 8, 2025)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 5, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 7, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Live grants for the work John L Severance funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
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