Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
The Martha Holden Jennings Foundation is a private 501(c)(3) foundation based in Cleveland, Ohio, dedicated to strengthening public education in Ohio. Founded in 1959, the Foundation has distributed over $170 million in grants across more than 65 years of giving, supporting approximately 150+ grantees annually.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$79.3M
+5.9% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.5M
-6.0% YoY
Grant Count
284
+2.2% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$12K
-8.0% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
Mission: To foster the development of young people to the maximum possible extent in Ohio's PK-12 public schools and to provide greater means for accomplishment on the part of Ohio's teachers by encouraging creativity in teaching and bringing greater recognition to the teaching profession.
The Foundation operates through a three-part strategic framework established in 2026:
Advancing Teachers & the Teaching Profession
- Strengthening teacher leadership, innovation, professional development, and retention
- Expanding grant opportunities to support educators
- Maintaining and enhancing recognition programs that elevate the teaching profession
- Supporting projects that deepen subject-matter expertise and pedagogical skill
- Fostering collaborative learning among educators
Supporting Students
- Expanding opportunities for student learning and achievement
Strengthening Public Education Systems
- Investing in systemic improvements across Ohio's public schools
Grantmaking
All grant requests are reviewed through the lens of the tripodal approach, with priority given to proposals demonstrating clear alignment with one or more strategic focus areas.
Review Cycle
were revised beginning in 2026
Grant Types
How to Apply
**
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
Ohio (statewide focus across all counties)
Grant Distribution by State
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Assets: $79,273,864 (as of most recent filing)
Annual Giving:
- Total giving: $3,499,529
- 2023 Revenue: $3.86M
- 2023 Expenses: $5.05M
- 2023 Total Assets: $74.9M
- 2023 Total Liabilities: $0
Average Grant Amount: $15,000
Tax Status: Tax-exempt since July 1964; EIN 34-0934478
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $79,273,864 | $74,884,018 | $68,717,475 |
| Revenue | $5,870,048 | $3,857,589 | $1,872,599 |
| Expenses | $4,655,833 | $5,049,426 | $4,614,389 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $4,434,273 | $4,708,427 | $4,453,082 |
| Net Investment Income | $5,192,527 | $3,816,464 | $2,216,647 |
| Distributable Amount | $3,802,521 | $3,506,660 | $3,706,854 |
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
Grant Size Distribution
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
5 open opportunities from Martha Holden Jennings Foundation
Jennings - Fund for Teachers Grant
MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION
Amount
US $5,000 - US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Teacher Awards Grant
MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION
Amount
US $7,500
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation- Superintendent Award Grant
MARTHA HOLDEN JENNINGS FOUNDATION
Amount
US $10,000
Deadline
Rolling / Open
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Children's Defense Fund-ohio ($31,005), Baldwin Wallace University ($30,000), Building Bridges to Careers Inc ($27,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| 1000 TIES LYNDHURST, OH | A-131-24 FINANCIAL LITERACY & SEL FOR SUCCESS | $15,000 |
| ACE COMMUNITY ACADEMY MIDDLEFIELD, OH | G/E 2024 JOHN WILSON - FLYING HIGH: DRONE TRAINING | $3,000 |
| AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AKRON, OH | G/E 2024 ZACHARY GRIFFITH - PNEUMATICS WITH AKRON CITY | $2,960 |
| AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AKRON, OH | G/E 2024 MICHAEL LAMP - STUDENT-RUN SCHOOL STORE STARTUP | $3,000 |
| AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AKRON, OH | 2024 GEORGE B. MILBOURN TEAM TEACHERS-JOAN BELL, MELISSA HIRSCHFELT, & ARNITA SKINNER - JENNINGS COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER | $1,000 |
| AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AKRON, OH | G/E 2024 SAM APPLEBY - CONTINUING ROBOTICS | $3,000 |
| AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AKRON, OH | G/E 2024 MICHAEL STARR - WOMEN MAKING AN IMPRESSION | $1,713 |
| AKRON PUBLIC SCHOOLS AKRON, OH | 2024 ASH SCIENCE TEACHER OF EXCELLENCE-BLAKE BELUSCAK - ELLET COMMUNITY LEARNING CENTER | $1,000 |
| ALLEN COUNTY EDUCATIONAL SERVICE CENTER LIMA, OH | A-1-24 CAREERS ACADEMY- PATHWAYS TO SUCCESS | $11,200 |
| AMERICA SCORES CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, OH | A-72-24 SCORES LITERACY, FITNESS & YOUTH DEVELOPMENT | $15,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Founders:
Martha Holden Jennings (1873–1962): A Cleveland native deeply committed to improving elementary and secondary public education in Ohio. After living in Europe while her husband helped build IBM's international operations, she returned to Cleveland in 1930. She established the Foundation through her estate to support teachers and students.
Arthur S. Holden, Jr. (1906–2007): An engineer and longtime business and civic leader who guided the Foundation for nearly five decades. Known for his philosophy captured in the question, "Did we do a little good today?"
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANNE C JUSTER | CHAIR & PRESIDENT | 10 | — |
| JOHN M GHERLEIN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| DEBRA H GUREN | VICE PRESIDENT | 2 | — |
| GEORGE B MILBOURN | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| JON H OUTCALT | TREASURER & DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| RENEE T WILLIS | EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR | 40 | $208,333 |
| THOMAS A RICHLOVSKY | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| LEIGH H CARTER | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
| KOYEN P SHAH | DIRECTOR | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
**January 2026:** "Visioning Forward - Advancing Public Education" initiative announced, describing how the Foundation is turning vision into action to strengthen Ohio's public schools and support teachers
**December 2025:** November grantees announced totaling $459,526
**October 2025:** Featured Lake Local Schools music teacher Danielle Shaub using rhythm to build connections
**September 2025:** September grantees announced totaling $352,531
Frequently Asked Questions
What does Martha Holden Jennings Foundation fund?
**Mission:** To foster the development of young people to the maximum possible extent in Ohio's PK-12 public schools and to provide greater means for accomplishment on the part of Ohio's teachers by encouraging creativity in teaching and bringing greater recognition to the teaching profession. The Foundation operates through a three-part strategic framework established in 2026: **Advancing Teachers & the Teaching Profession** • Strengthening teacher leadership, innovation, professional developm…
How do I apply for a grant from Martha Holden Jennings Foundation?
**Grant Types & Sizes:** • Open Grants: Typical award size is $15,000, with a range of $4,000-$55,000 • Grants to Educators • Teacher Awards • Superintendent Award • Fund for Teachers **Application Process:** • Applicants must create or log into an account on the Foundation's online application portal • All steps of the grant application process must be completed through the portal • Grant periods and application deadlines were revised beginning in 2026 • Grants are awarded for a one-year perio…
Where does Martha Holden Jennings Foundation make grants?
Ohio (statewide focus across all counties)
What size grants does Martha Holden Jennings Foundation award?
In 2024, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation awarded 284 grants totaling $3.5M — an average of about $12K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is Martha Holden Jennings Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, Martha Holden Jennings Foundation reported a distributable amount of $3.8M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is Martha Holden Jennings Foundation's EIN?
Martha Holden Jennings Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-0934478. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Martha Holden Jennings Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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