Justin R Niklas Family Foundation

Private foundation · Grantmaker Cincinnati, OH EIN: 83-2610559

The Justin R Niklas Family Foundation is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its 2025 filing lists award restrictions covering religious and educational purposes and assistance to homeless individuals and families. Its grants that year went to organizations in Ohio and Kentucky.

Key facts about Justin R Niklas Family Foundation

In short: Justin R Niklas Family Foundation gave $317K across 51 grants in 2025 (avg $6K), mostly in Ohio. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

EIN
83-2610559
Latest 990 filing
Form 990-PF, 2025
Annual giving (2025)
$316,500
Grants made (2025)
51
Average grant
$6,206
Median grant
$5,000
Total assets
$4,618,051
Primary geography
Ohio (97% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
How to apply
Contact Paul F Wenker with a letter and attachments. Full details ↓
Deadline
October 31.

Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated September 2026. Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.

Financial Overview

From 2025 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$4.6M

+9.8% YoY

Annual Giving

$317K

+11.1% YoY

Grant Count

51

+24.4% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$6K

-10.7% YoY

Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Justin R Niklas Family Foundation reported a distributable amount of $319K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

How Justin R Niklas Family Foundation gives

  • 63% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
  • Giving grew 20% from 2022 to 2025. Method
  • In 2025 it paid out 111% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method

Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.

Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing identifies religious, educational, and assistance to homeless individuals and families as restrictions on awards.

Its 2025 grantees included organizations serving different needs. Autism Connections describes its mission as uplifting the Southwest Ohio autism community through education, resources, connections, and lifelong support. Bethany House Services says it empowers homeless and at-risk families toward housing stability and long-term self-sufficiency. Casa de Paz describes its work as providing shelter for women and children subject to domestic abuse.

Grantmaking

In 2025, the foundation made 51 grants totaling $316,500. Grants ranged from $1,000 to $35,000, with a median grant of $5,000. The largest awards were $35,000 each to Our Lady of Light Ministries and Xavier Jesuit Academy, followed by $17,500 to Springer School & Center and $15,000 to The Athenaeum of Ohio. Other grants included $12,500 to St Stephen Church and $10,000 each to Autism Connections, Bethany House Services, and St Martin of Tours.

Review Cycle

October 31.

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

In 2025, 97% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 3% to recipients in Kentucky.

Grant Distribution by State

2states

Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.

States

Cities

CincinnatiCovingtonPark HillsSt MartinDaytonMasonMilfordClarcksvilleFranklinSouth Lebanon

Giving Over Time

Total grant dollars and number of grants per year

$0$100K$200K$300K$400K10 grants2019 31 grants2020 37 grants2021 34 grants2022 33 grants2023 41 grants2024 51 grants2025

From 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $130K (2019) to $317K (2025). In 2025 it made 51 grants totaling $317K.

Grant Insights

How this funder distributes its grants

Top Recipients

Top 10 recipients in 2025

Our Lady of Light Ministries: $35KOur Lady of Light Ministries$35KXavier Jesuit Academy: $35KXavier Jesuit Academy$35KSpringer School & Center: $18KSpringer School & Center$18KThe Athenaeum of Ohio: $15KThe Athenaeum of Ohio$15KSt Stephen Church: $13KSt Stephen Church$13KAutism Connections: $10KAutism Connections$10KBethany House Services: $10KBethany House Services$10KSt Martin of Tours: $10KSt Martin of Tours$10KCASA De Paz: $8KCASA De Paz$8KCatholic Inner School Education: $8KCatholic Inner SchoolEducation$8K

The largest 2025 recipient was Our Lady of Light Ministries ($35K). Together the top 10 received $160K.

Grant Size Distribution

196 grants across all recorded years

192<$50K4$50–100K$100–250K$250–500K$500K–1M$1–5M$5M+

The most common grant size was under $50K: 192 grants of 196 (98%).

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

RecipientPurposeAmount
Our Lady of Light Ministries Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$35,000
Xavier Jesuit Academy Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$35,000
Springer School & Center Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$17,500
The Athenaeum of Ohio Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$15,000
St Stephen Church Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$12,500
Autism Connections Milford, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$10,000
Bethany House Services Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$10,000
St Martin of Tours Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$10,000
CASA De Paz Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purposse$7,500
Catholic Inner School Education Cincinnati, OHPromote Charitable Purpose$7,500

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Filing year Assets Revenue Expenses Grants
2025 $4,618,051 $856,960 $441,154 $316,500
2024 $4,204,252 $497,694 $400,837 $285,000
2023 $4,107,945 $353,872 $341,289 $239,000
Revenue
Expenses
Qualifying Distributions
Net Investment Income
$0$2M$4M$6M2019 2020 2021 2022 2023 2024 2025
Metric202520242023
Total Assets$4,618,051$4,204,252$4,107,945
Revenue$856,960$497,694$353,872
Expenses$441,154$400,837$341,289
Qualifying Distributions$355,170$325,641$266,135
Net Investment Income$770,976$415,297$277,306
Distributable Amount$319,413$298,576$255,333

Data update history

When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable

  1. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 9, 2025)
  2. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 11, 2026)
  3. Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS June 27, 2020)
  4. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 13, 2021)
  5. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS May 12, 2022)
  6. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 13, 2023)
  7. Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 14, 2024)

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

The 2025 filing lists Paul Wenker, E Thomas Arnold, and Anne M Niehaus as trustees.

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's 2025 filing lists 3 officers; all 3 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.

Officers on the 2025 filing

  • Anne M. Niehaus

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    $11K (2019) → $19K (2025)

  • E. Thomas Arnold

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    $14K (2019) → $19K (2025)

  • Paul Wenker

    Trustee

    On filings since 2019

    1.5 hrs/week

    $11K (2019) → $19K (2025)

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

Paul Wenker — Trustee: $19KPaul WenkerTrustee$19KE Thomas Arnold — Trustee: $19KE Thomas ArnoldTrustee$19KAnne M Niehaus — Trustee: $19KAnne M NiehausTrustee$19K

The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $19K, to Paul Wenker (Trustee). 3 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.

Contact

Application contact: Paul F Wenker
Mailing address: PO Box 9885 3874 Paxton Ave, Cincinnati, OH 45209
Phone: (513) 378-3075

Frequently asked questions about Justin R Niklas Family Foundation

How much does Justin R Niklas Family Foundation give each year?

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation gave $317K across 51 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $285K across 41 grants.

What is Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's typical grant size?

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $6,206, across 51 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.

Where does Justin R Niklas Family Foundation give grants?

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 97% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (42 grants) and Covington, KY (2 grants).

Who are Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's largest grantees?

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Our Lady of Light Ministries ($35,000), Xavier Jesuit Academy ($35,000) and Springer School & Center ($17,500), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.

How large is Justin R Niklas Family Foundation?

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation reported $4.6M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $355K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $319K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).

What does Justin R Niklas Family Foundation fund?

No mission statement is provided. The foundation’s filing identifies religious, educational, and assistance to homeless individuals and families as restrictions on awards. See mission & focus areas ↑

How do I apply for a grant from Justin R Niklas Family Foundation?

Contact Paul F Wenker with a letter and attachments. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑

What is Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's EIN?

Justin R Niklas Family Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 83-2610559. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.

Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.

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