Local Initiative for Excellence
The Local Initiative for Excellence (L.I.F.E.) Foundation is a private foundation based in Blue Ash, Ohio. Established in 2014 by George J. Wile, it supports research intended to improve health outcomes for patients with brain and neurodegenerative disease.
Local Initiative for Excellence at a glance
In short: Local Initiative for Excellence gave $1.0M across 10 grants in 2024 (avg $104K), mostly in Ohio. 60% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $1,040,000
- +417.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 10
- +233.3% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $104,000
- +55.2% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $92,500
- Total assets
- $32,786,461
- -1.7% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 60% first-time grantees (6 of 10, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (62% 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 Local Initiative for Excellence
- How to Apply
-
The foundation’s website instructs eligible research applicants to submit a one-page letter of intent describing the problem, its significance, and the proposed approach, along with an NIH biographical sketch. The filing directs applicants to the website for detailed application materials and restrictions. The website says research grants are provided in two $50,000 installments in years one and two, with a detailed progress report due 11 months after funding begins; the second installment is subject to Scientific Advisory Committee review of that report.
- Review Cycle
- The filing directs applicants to the website for deadline details; no specific date is stated in the available information.
- Deadline
- The filing directs applicants to the website for deadline details; no specific date is stated in the available…
- Contact
Application contact: Carter Randolph
Mailing address: 4200 Malsbary Rd, Cincinnati, OH 45242
Phone: (513) 891-7144
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Local Initiative for Excellence funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was NKU Foundation Inc ($250K). Together the top 10 received $1.0M.
Grant Size Distribution
25 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was in the $50–100K range: 12 grants of 25 (48%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2024 filing’s grant-dollar distribution was 62% to Ohio, 24% to Kentucky, and 5% each to California, Virginia, and Massachusetts.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 10 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Local Initiative for Excellence open to new grantees?
60%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 6 of 10 grantees (60%) were first-time recipients. With only 10 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 10 points. First grants averaged $107K; repeat grants $100K. How we count
Medians: $135K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 30% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving grew 87% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 47% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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 $201K (2023) to $1.0M (2024). In 2024 it made 10 grants totaling $1.0M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| NKU Foundation Inc Highland Heights, KY | Undergraduate Fellowship Program | $250,000 |
| Plannned Parenthood Cincinnati, OH | Charity | $135,000 |
| Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park Cincinnati, OH | Charity | $135,000 |
| Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OH | Charity | $135,000 |
| Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Cincinnati, OH | Charity | $135,000 |
| University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | Medical Research | $50,000 |
| Salk Inst for Biological Studies La Jolla, CA | Medical Research | $50,000 |
| University of Virginia Charlottesville, VA | Medical Research | $50,000 |
| Massachusetts General Hospital Boston, MA | Medical Research | $50,000 |
| Cincinnati Children's Hospital Med Cincinnati, OH | Medical Research | $50,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Local Initiative for Excellence?
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 | $32,786,461 | $724,174 | $1,276,988 | $1,040,000 | 10 | $1,050,064 | $749,873 | $2,221,850 |
| 2023 | $33,339,275 | $13,420,110 | $311,807 | $201,000 | 3 | $213,366 | $435,939 | $1,163,922 |
| 2022 | $20,230,972 | $16,760,403 | $522,047 | $455,000 | 4 | $459,666 | $300,754 | $806,745 |
| 2021 | $3,992,616 | $388,497 | $596,383 | $555,000 | 4 | $561,142 | $96,475 | $318,755 |
| 2020 | $4,200,502 | $706,964 | $343,845 | $315,000 | 4 | — | $180,062 | $243,517 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Local Initiative for Excellence reported a distributable amount of $2.2M 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
L.I.F.E.’s stated mission is to support research to achieve better health outcomes for patients with brain and neurodegenerative disease. Its website describes research grants as supporting innovative research, productive research teams, and investigators early in their careers.
The website says eligible applicants include University of Cincinnati faculty with at least 80% FTE, including faculty based at Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center, and outside researchers at nonprofit organizations with novel approaches. The foundation also partners with NKU’s College of Informatics on scholarships for students pursuing brain-research careers; those scholarships are for students, rather than grants to outside applicants.
The 2024 filing lists a $250,000 grant to NKU Foundation Inc. for an undergraduate fellowship program and five $50,000 medical-research grants. Among other recipients, the Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra describes its mission as seeking and sharing inspiration; Cincinnati Museum Center says it inspires people to learn about science and regional history; and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park describes itself as Cincinnati’s national theater, committed to bringing diverse, engaging works to the community. These are the recipient organizations’ stated missions.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2024, L.I.F.E. gave $1,040,000 through 10 grants. Grant amounts ranged from $50,000 to $250,000, with a median of $92,500. The largest awards included $250,000 to NKU Foundation Inc. for an undergraduate fellowship program and $135,000 each to Planned Parenthood in Cincinnati, Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park, Cincinnati Museum Center, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra. The filing lists the four $135,000 grants’ purpose as “charity.” It also lists $50,000 medical-research grants to the University of Cincinnati, Salk Institute for Biological Studies, University of Virginia, Massachusetts General Hospital, and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Carter F. Randolph as president and treasurer, Carter L. Randolph and Patty Brockman as secretaries, and Garrett Wayne as trustee.
Local Initiative for Excellence is led by Carter L. Randolph, President, Treasurer & Secretary since 2021 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Carter L. Randolph
President, Treasurer & Secretary
Treasurer → President, Treasurer & Secretary, 2021
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Garrett Wayne
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Patty Brockman
Secretary
On filings since 2020
5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: George Wile (2020) — President
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 Local Initiative for Excellence
How much does Local Initiative for Excellence give each year?
Local Initiative for Excellence gave $1.0M across 10 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $201K across 3 grants.
What is Local Initiative for Excellence's typical grant size?
Local Initiative for Excellence's median grant in 2024 was $92,500, and its average grant was $104,000, across 10 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Local Initiative for Excellence that year got $107K on average.
Where does Local Initiative for Excellence give grants?
Local Initiative for Excellence gives mostly in Ohio: 62% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kentucky (24%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (6 grants).
Does Local Initiative for Excellence give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 10 grants with a stated purpose on Local Initiative for Excellence's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Medical Research" (5 grants) and "Charity" (4 grants).
Who are Local Initiative for Excellence's largest grantees?
Local Initiative for Excellence's largest 2024 grantees include NKU Foundation Inc ($250,000), Plannned Parenthood ($135,000) and Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park ($135,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 50% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Local Initiative for Excellence?
Local Initiative for Excellence reported $32.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $1.1M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.2M (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does Local Initiative for Excellence fund?
L.I.F.E.’s stated mission is to support research to achieve better health outcomes for patients with brain and neurodegenerative disease. Its website describes research grants as supporting innovative research, productive research teams, and investigators early in their careers. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Local Initiative for Excellence?
The foundation’s website instructs eligible research applicants to submit a one-page letter of intent describing the problem, its significance, and the proposed approach, along with an NIH biographical sketch. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Local Initiative for Excellence's EIN?
Local Initiative for Excellence's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 46-4081852. 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
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Local Initiative for Excellence's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Local Initiative for Excellence funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 15, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/local-initiative-for-excellence-morg_c8198d5a1b4a4fb0bfd86dba8e449fbd
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_464081852_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Local Initiative for Excellence funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/local-initiative-for-excellence-morg_c8198d5a1b4a4fb0bfd86dba8e449fbd},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-15. 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 Local Initiative for Excellence'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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