L Z Francis Foundation Ima
L Z Francis Foundation IMA is a private foundation based in Cleveland, Ohio. In 2024, it made 29 grants totaling $609,500, primarily to organizations in Vermont.
L Z Francis Foundation Ima at a glance
In short: L Z Francis Foundation Ima gave $610K across 29 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Vermont. 7% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $609,500
- -4.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 29
- +7.4% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,017
- -10.8% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $15,000
- Total assets
- $6,680,510
- -3.0% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 29, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Vermont (90% 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 L Z Francis Foundation Ima
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1900 E 9Th Street, Cleveland, OH 44114
Phone: (216) 222-2113
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who L Z Francis Foundation Ima funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Vermont Land Trust ($119K). Together the top 10 received $431K.
Grant Size Distribution
141 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 127 grants of 141 (90%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2024, 90% of grant dollars went to recipients in Vermont. The remaining grant dollars went to recipients in Massachusetts (3%), Maryland (2%), New Hampshire (2%), and Florida (2%).
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 29 itemized grants.
Cities
Is L Z Francis Foundation Ima open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 2 of 29 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $15K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $15K repeat.
- 76% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+11%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 115% 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 $546K (2020) to $659K (2022). In 2024 it made 29 grants totaling $610K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Vermont Land Trust Montpelier, VT | Water Quality Solutions on | $119,000 |
| Shelburne Farms Shelburne, VT | Capital Campaign & Marshall | $63,000 |
| Intervale Center Burlington, VT | Agricultural Development | $50,000 |
| The Nature Conservancy Vermont Chapter Montpelier, VT | Dam Removal Project | $44,000 |
| Outright Vermont Burlington, VT | Operations Grant | $30,000 |
| Fairbanks Museum & Planetarium St Johnsbury, VT | Matsinger Forest Project | $25,000 |
| Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund Montpelier, VT | Support for Vermont Food | $25,000 |
| South Hero Land Trust Inc South Hero, VT | Goulet Farm Conservation | $25,000 |
| Zeno Mountain Farm Lincoln, VT | Expansion and Rennovation | $25,000 |
| New Learning Journey Fayston, VT | Campaign for Barn | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with L Z Francis Foundation Ima?
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 | $6,680,510 | $628,834 | $828,454 | $609,500 | 29 | $739,797 | $546,779 | $642,080 |
| 2023 | $6,889,479 | $736,677 | $846,155 | $636,000 | 27 | $712,317 | $608,791 | $591,797 |
| 2022 | $6,999,584 | $421,490 | $862,740 | $658,500 | 24 | $732,608 | $292,278 | $636,265 |
| 2021 | $7,418,030 | $533,227 | $756,123 | $549,000 | 27 | $619,772 | $376,963 | $689,356 |
| 2020 | $7,797,618 | $1,954,355 | $762,727 | $545,500 | 34 | — | $1,828,802 | $585,869 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, L Z Francis Foundation Ima reported a distributable amount of $642K 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
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including land conservation, environmental education, food systems, and youth services. For example, Vermont Land Trust describes its mission as helping people protect, care for, and connect to land; Intervale Center says it works to strengthen community food systems; and Outright Vermont says it seeks to build a Vermont where LGBTQ+ youth have hope, equity, and power. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not a stated mission of the foundation.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation made 29 grants totaling $609,500. Grant amounts ranged from $2,500 to $119,000, with a median of $15,000.
Among the largest grants were $119,000 to Vermont Land Trust for “Water Quality Solutions On,” $63,000 to Shelburne Farms for “Capital Campaign & Marshall,” $50,000 to Intervale Center for “Agricultural Development,” and $44,000 to The Nature Conservancy Vermont Chapter for a dam removal project. Other grants included $30,000 to Outright Vermont for an operations grant and $20,000 to Oxfam America for a Gaza humanitarian response.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Katharine Nason Tipper as president/treasurer, Charles F Tipper as vice president/secretary, and Jessica A Oski as vice president/assistant secretary.
L Z Francis Foundation Ima is led by Katharine Nason Tipper, President & Treasurer on every filing since 2020; 1 of 3 officers listed in 2024 is compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Katharine Nason Tipper
President & Treasurer
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
Charles F. Tipper
Vice President & Secretary
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
$55K (2020) → $58K (2024)
Jessica A. Oski
Vice President & Assistant Secretary
On filings since 2020
No compensation reported
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 $58K, to Charles F Tipper (Vice Pres/Secretary).
Frequently asked questions about L Z Francis Foundation Ima
How much does L Z Francis Foundation Ima give each year?
L Z Francis Foundation Ima gave $610K across 29 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $636K across 27 grants.
What is L Z Francis Foundation Ima's typical grant size?
L Z Francis Foundation Ima's median grant in 2024 was $15,000, and its average grant was $21,017, across 29 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from L Z Francis Foundation Ima that year got $15K on average.
Where does L Z Francis Foundation Ima give grants?
L Z Francis Foundation Ima gives mostly in Vermont: 90% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Burlington, VT (10 grants), Montpelier, VT (5 grants) and South Hero, VT (2 grants).
Does L Z Francis Foundation Ima give general operating support?
Yes: 31% of L Z Francis Foundation Ima's 2024 grants with a stated purpose (9 of 29) were for general or operating support, per its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are L Z Francis Foundation Ima's largest grantees?
L Z Francis Foundation Ima's largest 2024 grantees include Vermont Land Trust ($119,000), Shelburne Farms ($63,000) and Intervale Center ($50,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 38% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is L Z Francis Foundation Ima?
L Z Francis Foundation Ima reported $6.7M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $740K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $642K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does L Z Francis Foundation Ima fund?
No foundation mission statement is provided. Its 2024 grants show support for organizations working in areas including land conservation, environmental education, food systems, and youth services. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from L Z Francis Foundation Ima?
The foundation makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is L Z Francis Foundation Ima's EIN?
L Z Francis Foundation Ima's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1721860. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does L Z Francis Foundation Ima accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
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
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). L Z Francis Foundation Ima funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/l-z-francis-foundation-ima-morg_408096621ea5466c9385b5a9ab21fb5c
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341721860_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{L Z Francis Foundation Ima funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/l-z-francis-foundation-ima-morg_408096621ea5466c9385b5a9ab21fb5c},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-12. 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 L Z Francis Foundation Ima'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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