Milton James Foundation Inc
Milton James Foundation Inc is a private foundation based in Akron, Ohio. Its 2025 filing reports 30 grants totaling $973,529, including support for organizations in Ohio and elsewhere.
Milton James Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: Milton James Foundation Inc gave $974K across 30 grants in 2025 (avg $32K), mostly in District of Columbia. 7% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $973,529
- +153.9% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 30
- -3.2% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $32,451
- +162.3% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $5,000
- Total assets
- $1,723,655
- -28.6% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 7% first-time grantees (2 of 30, 2025)
- Primary geography
- District of Columbia (57% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Milton James Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The filing lists Claudia M. Hower as the contact, says there is no specific application form, and states that awards have no restrictions. The foundation says it does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
- Review Cycle
- The filing states there are no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The filing states there are no deadlines.
- Contact
Application contact: Claudia M Hower
Mailing address: 3453 West Bath Road, Akron, OH 44333
Phone: (330) 666-6514
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Milton James Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was National Parks Foundation ($528K). Together the top 10 received $897K.
Grant Size Distribution
130 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 125 grants of 130 (96%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 grants went primarily to recipients in Washington, DC (57% of grant dollars) and Ohio (41%). The filing also reports grants to recipients in New York, New Jersey, and Illinois, each accounting for 1% of grant dollars.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 30 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Milton James Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
7%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 2 of 30 grantees (7%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $3K; repeat grants $35K. How we count
Medians: $3K first-time, $5K repeat.
- 87% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 765% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 667% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2019–2025). 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 2019 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $107K (2019) to $974K (2025). In 2025 it made 30 grants totaling $974K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| National Parks Foundation Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $528,211 |
| Ideastream Cleveland, OH | General Operating Support | $252,644 |
| Akron Children's Hospital Foundation Akron, OH | Two Ultrasound Machines | $70,914 |
| American Red Cross Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $10,000 |
| Doctors Without Borders New York, NY | General Operating Support | $7,500 |
| World Central Kitchen Washington, DC | General Operating Support | $7,000 |
| University Hospitals Cleveland, OH | HEALTH | $6,000 |
| Fulfill Neptune, NJ | General Operating Support | $5,005 |
| The University of Akron Hower House Akron, OH | General Operating Support | $5,005 |
| Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank Akron, OH | General Operating Support | $5,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Milton James Foundation Inc?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,723,655 | $54,682 | $1,004,290 | $973,529 | 30 | $975,024 | $50,479 | $146,222 |
| 2024 | $2,414,812 | $109,311 | $422,832 | $383,452 | 31 | $386,014 | $53,524 | $163,349 |
| 2023 | $2,619,159 | $288,619 | $616,802 | $583,100 | 19 | $584,917 | $176,039 | $161,663 |
| 2022 | $2,947,342 | $2,717,681 | $118,125 | $112,600 | 23 | $113,793 | $34,359 | $49,574 |
| 2021 | $347,786 | $70,404 | $142,858 | $139,000 | 27 | $140,071 | $46,608 | $30,573 |
| 2020 | $420,240 | $167,441 | $689,173 | $686,503 | 29 | — | $82,372 | $40,567 |
| 2019 | $941,972 | $143,081 | $110,512 | $106,600 | 23 | — | $71,507 | $56,967 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Milton James Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $146K for 2025 — 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 mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. For example, Ideastream describes itself as Northeast Ohio’s member-supported public broadcasting service and a source of journalism and entertainment; Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation says it solicits gifts to further the mission of Children’s Hospital Medical Center of Akron. Other 2025 recipients include food banks, a humanitarian meal provider, a natural history museum, and organizations supporting parks and organ, eye, and tissue donation.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 30 grants totaling $973,529. Grant amounts ranged from $250 to $528,211, with a median of $5,000. The largest grants were $528,211 to the National Parks Foundation and $252,644 to Ideastream, both for general operating support. Akron Children’s Hospital Foundation received $70,914 for two ultrasound machines. Other grants included $10,000 to the American Red Cross, $7,500 to Doctors Without Borders, and $7,000 to World Central Kitchen, each for general operating support.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Claudia Mendat Hower as president and treasurer, Timothy Hower as vice president, and Walter Hower as secretary.
Milton James Foundation Inc is led by Claudia Mendat Hower, President & Treasurer since 2022 (on filings since 2020); none of the 3 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Claudia Mendat Hower
President & Treasurer
Trustee → Vice President & Secretary, 2021
Vice President & Secretary → President & Treasurer, 2022
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Timothy Hower
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Walter Hower
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2022
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: James H. Hower (2019–2021) — President & Treasurer
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.
Frequently asked questions about Milton James Foundation Inc
How much does Milton James Foundation Inc give each year?
Milton James Foundation Inc gave $974K across 30 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $383K across 31 grants.
What is Milton James Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
Milton James Foundation Inc's median grant in 2025 was $5,000, and its average grant was $32,451, across 30 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Milton James Foundation Inc that year got $3K on average.
Where does Milton James Foundation Inc give grants?
Milton James Foundation Inc gives mostly in District of Columbia: 57% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Ohio (41%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (9 grants), Akron, OH (9 grants) and Washington, DC (5 grants).
Does Milton James Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Yes: 93% of Milton James Foundation Inc's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (28 of 30) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are Milton James Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
Milton James Foundation Inc's largest 2025 grantees include National Parks Foundation ($528,211), Ideastream ($252,644) and Akron Children's Hospital Foundation ($70,914), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 87% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Milton James Foundation Inc?
Milton James Foundation Inc reported $1.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $975K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $146K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Milton James Foundation Inc fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its 2025 grants show support for a range of organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Milton James Foundation Inc?
The filing lists Claudia M. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Milton James Foundation Inc's EIN?
Milton James Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-1924355. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(3)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS July 1, 2020)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS July 1, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Milton James Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders with grantees in common, and similar funders in Ohio
Akron Community Foundation
Akron, OH
Akron Community Foundation funds nonprofit organizations and community efforts in Summit County across arts and culture, civic affairs, health and human services, education, and current priorities such as housing, mental health, and public safety. Its 2025 itemized grants had a median of about $15,000, though awards varied widely; it accepts online applications for competitive Community Fund grants, with application periods tied to grant-cycle deadlines.
Assets
$305.5M
Grants
335
Total Given
$14.7M
Enterprise Holdings Foundation
Saint Louis, MO
The Enterprise Holdings Foundation supports charitable and educational nonprofits in communities where Enterprise Mobility operates, focusing on health, education, arts, and disaster relief; applicants must be actively supported by an Enterprise Mobility team member, spouse, or domestic partner. Giving varies widely: it reported 9,499 grants in 2024, but its 2025 filing showed one grant of $101.4 million, so that amount is not a typical award. Applications are accepted at any time through eligible Enterprise-affiliated applicants; the Foundation does not limit giving to preselected organizations.
Assets
$594.3M
Grants
1
Total Given
$101.4M
The Swagelok Foundation
Solon, OH
The Swagelok Foundation supports a broad range of charitable, community, education, and public organizations in places where Swagelok associates live and work, primarily in Ohio. In 2025 it made 222 grants totaling about $1.37 million, ranging from $20 to $201,000, with a median grant of $1,905. It funds only preselected organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$10.4M
Grants
222
Total Given
$1.4M
Columbus Foundation
Columbus, OH
The Columbus Foundation supports a broad range of nonprofit work, including arts, education, health, basic needs, neighborhoods, and capacity building, primarily in central Ohio. Its 2024 grants had a median of $21,471, though amounts varied widely. Most grants are directed by donors and aren’t made through an application process, but some specific programs accept applications.
Assets
$2.8B
Grants
1,747
Total Given
$242.7M
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation funds nonprofits working on education, housing, community and cultural vibrancy, and related regional needs, with responsive grants focused on its eight-county Greater Cincinnati service area. Its 2024 median grant was $20,000, though amounts vary widely; specific opportunities include awards of up to $35,000 for Resilient Communities and up to $450,000 through the Neighborhood Development Fund. It lists RFP and letter-of-intent opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,408
Total Given
$184.4M
The Cleveland Foundation
Cleveland, OH
The Cleveland Foundation funds education, human services, neighborhoods and housing, health, arts and culture, the environment, economic development, and other community priorities, primarily through grants to nonprofits in Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties. Its 2024 grants ranged from about $5,000 to $17.5 million, with a median of about $30,700. It accepts applications year-round through its standard grant process, with deadlines determining which cycle an application enters.
Assets
$3.3B
Grants
1,016
Total Given
$184.2M
More similar funders
More Funders in Ohio
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Milton James Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/milton-james-foundation-inc-morg_6ddda0bc6a3e4a60ba55c2ced83ded75
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_341924355_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Milton James Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/milton-james-foundation-inc-morg_6ddda0bc6a3e4a60ba55c2ced83ded75},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. 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 Milton James Foundation Inc'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.
Milton James Foundation Inc down — hundreds of funders to go?