Ohio History Connection
Ohio History Connection is a Columbus-based public charity that preserves and shares Ohio’s history through historic sites and museums, archives, education, exhibits, and historic preservation. The organization says its mission is to spark discovery of Ohio’s stories; its work includes housing the State Historic Preservation Office and official state archives and managing more than 50 sites and museums across Ohio.
Ohio History Connection at a glance
In short: Ohio History Connection gave $1.5M across 43 grants in 2025 (avg $36K), mostly in Ohio. 70% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $1,537,978
- +28.2% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 43
- -30.6% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $35,767
- +84.8% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $19,000
- Total assets
- $6,539,004
- -13.0% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 70% first-time grantees (30 of 43, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Ohio History Connection
- Review Cycle
- The listed September 8, 2026 application deadline has passed. The program page says applications open by June 30 each year.
- Deadline
- The listed September 8, 2026 application deadline has passed.
- Contact
Mailing address: 800 East 17Th Ave, Columbus, OH 43211-2474
Phone: (614) 297-2300
Website: https://ohiohistory.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
4 open opportunities from Ohio History Connection
Ohio History Fund Grants
Ohio History Connection
Amount
Up to $19,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ohio History Fund Grants: Bricks & Mortar Grant
Ohio History Connection
Amount
US $2,000 - US $20,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Ohio History Fund Grants: Organizational Development Grant
Ohio History Connection
Amount
US $1,000 - US $4,000
Deadline
Deadline not published
Who Ohio History Connection funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Capitol Square Foundation ($190K). Together the top 10 received $953K.
Grant Size Distribution
178 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 167 grants of 178 (94%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Ohio History Fund is statewide. In filing year 2025, all reported grant dollars went to Ohio recipients.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 43 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Ohio History Connection open to new grantees?
70%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 30 of 43 grantees (70%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $37K; repeat grants $34K. How we count
Medians: $19K first-time, $22K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 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 $185K (2019) to $1.5M (2025). In 2025 it made 43 grants totaling $1.5M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Capitol Square Foundation Worthington, OH | Women's Suffrage Monument | $190,000 |
| Van Wert County Port Authority Van Wert, OH | Paul Bruhn Grant Payment; Kauke McCurdy Block Bldg | $157,557 |
| Riddle Block 9 LLC Hinkley, OH | Paul Bruhn 1 P20AP00425 Grant Payment | $109,440 |
| Third Street Studio LLC Middletown, OH | Paul Bruhn 1 Grant Payment P20AP00425 | $95,000 |
| Painesville Tower LLC Montville, OH | Paul bruhn 1 grant payment Lake county nat'l bank | $94,330 |
| Mark Miller Holmesville, OH | Paul brun 2 grant payment - new towne gallery | $80,864 |
| Confluence Corporation Westerville, OH | Paul Bruhn 2 Grant Payment Confluence | $74,320 |
| Honey House Coshocton LLC Newark, OH | Paul Bruhn 2 Grant Payment | $59,990 |
| Ohio Historical Society Foundation Columbus, OH | Memorial Gifts | $49,250 |
| University of Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | AM250 Grant Thinking About Ohio Development | $42,500 |
Ready to take the next step with Ohio History Connection?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
Reported financials by filing year are:
These reported grant totals are organization-wide filing figures; the Ohio History Fund separately reported 14 awards totaling $187,600 in 2024. Its 2025 filing, the latest on this page, reports 43 grants totaling $1.5 million.
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Net Investment Income |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $6,539,004 | $37,587,082 | $41,988,560 | $1,537,978 | 43 | $37,433 |
| 2024 | $7,512,051 | $40,430,293 | $41,690,848 | $1,199,820 | 62 | $5,675 |
| 2023 | $5,713,736 | $29,897,248 | $31,964,047 | $316,360 | 28 | $-17,808 |
| 2022 | $8,564,141 | $29,615,218 | $28,335,177 | $326,644 | 20 | — |
| 2021 | $7,345,353 | $25,940,986 | $25,868,350 | $363,927 | 25 | — |
| 2020 | $7,233,441 | $29,104,125 | $28,972,931 | $264,018 | 19 | $15,357 |
| 2019 | $5,756,088 | $31,982,765 | $30,467,032 | $184,600 | 16 | $3,832 |
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated October 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization’s mission, as stated in its filing, is to identify, authenticate, collect, preserve, and interpret Ohio’s history. Its stated activities include operating historic sites and museums, developing exhibits and educational programs, planning and carrying out capital projects, and administering the State Historic Preservation Office.
The Ohio History Fund has three grant categories: Bricks & Mortar, Organizational Development, and Programs & Collections. Its guidelines describe support for projects that preserve and share Ohio’s history. Examples among 2025 recipients include the Capitol Square Foundation, whose stated mission is public awareness and education about the Ohio Statehouse Museum and grounds; the Cleveland Restoration Society, which says it preserves and celebrates historic buildings and places; and the Oberlin Historical and Improvement organization, which says it preserves and shares Oberlin’s heritage. These are grantee descriptions, not statements of Ohio History Connection’s mission.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, Ohio History Connection reported 43 grants totaling $1,537,978. Individual awards ranged from $6,378 to $190,000, with a median of $19,000. All reported grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio.
Among the largest reported grants were $190,000 to Capitol Square Foundation for a women’s suffrage monument; $157,557 to Van Wert County Port Authority for a Paul Bruhn grant payment related to the Kauke McCurdy Block Building; and $109,440 to Riddle Block 9 LLC for a Paul Bruhn grant payment. Other reported awards included $42,500 to the University of Cincinnati for an AM250 grant and $40,000 to America’s River Roots Experience for a web-based Freedom Journey app.
The Ohio History Fund is a separate, competitive matching-grant program. It requires applicants to provide matching funds, goods, and/or services, and applications are reviewed by experts from history-related organizations across Ohio, who make grant recommendations. The fund’s stated eligible applicant groups include nonprofit organizations and local government entities. The application materials include project information and a budget; applicants are directed to read the program guidelines, which describe eligibility, professional standards, grant categories, award limits, matching requirements, and project durations. The guidelines identify projects that do not meet the program’s requirements as ineligible.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Megan Wood as Executive Director and CEO; Jeffrey Ward as Chief Financial Officer; Gerald Dannemiller as Chief Marketing Officer; Ann Ruege as Chief Development Officer; Jennifer Aultman as Chief Historic Sites Officer; and Stacia Kuceyeski as Chief Operating Officer. It also lists Charley Moses as president, Ann Bair as vice president, Melody Young as treasurer, and Alex Hastie as secretary.
Ohio History Connection is led by Megan Wood, Executive Director & CEO since 2023 (on filings since 2020); 6 of 36 officers listed in 2025 are compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Megan Wood
Executive Director & CEO
Cultural Resources Director → Executive Director & CEO, 2023
On filings since 2020
40 hrs/week
$105K (2020) → $300K (2025)
Charley Moses
President
Secretary → Vice President, 2022
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Woytek
President & Ohio Academy of
Ex-Officio Member → President & Ohio Academy of Science, 2023
President & Ohio Academy of Science → President & Ohio Academy of, 2025
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Daniel Rivers
President & Ohio Academy of
President & Ohio Academy of History → President & Ohio Academy of, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Rob McColley
President & Ohio Senate
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jon T. Elsasser
Trustee
Trustee → Treasurer, 2022
Treasurer → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Laura P. Battocietti
Director & Capitol Square R
Ex-Officio Member → Director, Capitol Square Review & Advisory Board, 2023
Director, Capitol Square Review & Advisory Board → Director & Capitol Square R, 2024
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Lydia L. Mihalik
Director & Ohio Dept of Development
Ex-Officio Member → Director & Ohio Dept of Development, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Richard F. Hillis
Trustee
Secretary → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chief Billy W. Friend
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jen Miller
Trustee
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Guadalupe Velasquez
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert M. Roach
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Anthony Joseph
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Betty Montgomery
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
James B. Hadden
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Renu Ramankutty
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steve Coon
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janenne Allen
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Kathleen Owen Russell
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Stephen D. Dackin
Director & Dept of Educatio
Director & Dept of Education → Director & Dept of Educatio, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Christopher H. Gillcrist
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jeffrey K. Ward
Chief Financial Officer
On filings since 2019
40 hrs/week
$151K (2019) → $168K (2025)
Ann E. Ruege
Chief Development Officer
On filings since 2022
40 hrs/week
$102K (2022) → $142K (2025)
Gerald Dannemiller
Chief Marketing Officer
On filings since 2023
40 hrs/week
$110K (2023) → $142K (2025)
Jennifer Aultman
Chief Historic Sites Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$132K (2024) → $135K (2025)
Stacia Kuceyeski
Chief Operating Officer
On filings since 2024
40 hrs/week
$130K (2024) → $136K (2025)
Alex Hastie
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2019
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Allison Russo
Minority Leader & Ohio Hous
Ex-Officio Member → Minority Leader & Ohio House, 2023
Minority Leader & Ohio House → Minority Leader & Ohio Hous, 2025
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melody Young
Treasurer
Trustee → Secretary, 2022
Secretary → Treasurer, 2023
On filings since 2021
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Ann Bair
Vice President
Trustee → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Matt Huffman
Speaker of the Ohio House
Ex-Officio Member → President & Ohio Senate, 2023
President & Ohio Senate → Speaker of the Ohio House, 2025
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Dewine
Governor & State of Ohio
Ex-Officio Member → Governor & State of Ohio, 2023
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mike Duffey
Chancellor & Ohio Dept of H
Chancellor & Ohio Dept of Higher Executive Director → Chancellor & Ohio Dept of H, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Nickie J. Antonio
Minority Leader & Ohio Sena
Minority Leader & Ohio Senate → Minority Leader & Ohio Sena, 2025
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Melissa Shaw
Ohio Local History Allianc
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (53)
- Former: Gregory H. Simpson (2019–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Jason Stephens (2023–2024) — Speaker of the Ohio House
- Former: Leslie Wagner (2023–2024) — Ohio Local History Alliance
- Former: Lox A. Logan (2019–2023) — Executive Director & CEO - Former
- Former: Randy Gardner (2019–2023) — Chancellor & Ohio Dept of Higher Education
- Former: Betty Weibel (2020–2023) — Vice President
- Former: Heidi M. Samuel (2022–2023) — Trustee
- Former: Kenny Yuko (2022–2023) — Minority Leader & Ohio Senate
- Former: Christopher Woolard (2023) — Interim Superintendent of Public Instruction
- Former: Joan Cashin (2023) — President & Ohio Academy of History
- Former: Bob Lucas (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: C. Ellen Connally (2019–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Grant Douglass (2019–2022) — Emeritus Trustee
- Former: James F. Dicke II (2019–2022) — Vice President
- Former: Jamison D. Pack (2019–2022) — Chief Marketing Officer
- Former: Lucy M. Porter (2019–2022) — Emeritus Trustee
- Former: Patricia Eldredge (2019–2022) — Emeritus Trustee
- Former: Suhas Kakde (2019–2022) — Trustee & Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Thomas V. Chema (2019–2022) — President
- Former: Christy Davis (2020–2022) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Jb Hadden (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Rich Hillis (2021–2022) — Trustee
- Former: Stephanie Siddents (2021–2022) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Benjamin D. Garcia (2022) — Deputy Executive Director & Chief Learning Officer
- Former: David Stanley (2022) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: R. Anthony Joseph (2022) — Trustee
- Former: Robert L. Cupp (2022) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Bob Roach (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Governer Mike Dewine (2019–2021) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Loann W. Crane (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Micharl G. Rapp (2019–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Senator Kenny Yuko (2019–2021) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Bob Cupp (2020–2021) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Hillary Bates (2020–2021) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Senator Matt Huffman (2020–2021) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Ben Garcia (2021) — Deputy Executive Director & Chief Learning Officer
- Former: Donna Deblasio (2021) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Emilia Sykes (2019–2020) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: James A. Wilson (2019–2020) — Vice President
- Former: Paolo Demaria (2019–2020) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Robert B. Smith (2019–2020) — Emeritus
- Former: Steve George (2019–2020) — Senior Advisor to the CEO
- Former: Marsha Robinson (2020) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Nancy Shaw Goldsmith (2020) — Trustee
- Former: Elizabeth A. Weibel (2019) — Trustee
- Former: George M. Ironstrack (2019) — Trustee
- Former: Jackie Barton (2019) — Division Director
- Former: Jennifer Scheehle (2019) — Chief Development Officer
- Former: Larry Householder (2019) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Lavanya Vemsani (2019) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Senator Larry Obhof (2019) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Vicki A. Motz (2019) — Ex-Officio Member
- Former: Wendy Zucal (2019) — Ex-Officio Member
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
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $300K, to Megan Wood (Executive Director & CEO). 6 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about Ohio History Connection
How much does Ohio History Connection give each year?
Ohio History Connection gave $1.5M across 43 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $1.2M across 62 grants.
What is Ohio History Connection's typical grant size?
Ohio History Connection's median grant in 2025 was $19,000, and its average grant was $35,767, across 43 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ohio History Connection that year got $37K on average.
Where does Ohio History Connection give grants?
Ohio History Connection gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Columbus, OH (6 grants), Cincinnati, OH (5 grants), Cleveland, OH (2 grants) and Athens, OH (2 grants).
Does Ohio History Connection give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 43 grants with a stated purpose on Ohio History Connection's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support.
Who are Ohio History Connection's largest grantees?
Ohio History Connection's largest 2025 grantees include Capitol Square Foundation ($190,000), Van Wert County Port Authority ($157,557) and Riddle Block 9 LLC ($109,440), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 30% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ohio History Connection?
Ohio History Connection reported $6.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $37.6M.
What does Ohio History Connection fund?
The organization’s mission, as stated in its filing, is to identify, authenticate, collect, preserve, and interpret Ohio’s history. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ohio History Connection?
Ohio History Connection has no public application process in the sources Grantable reviewed. Check ohiohistory.org for current guidelines, or contact the foundation directly before submitting a request.
What is Ohio History Connection's EIN?
Ohio History Connection's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-4389673. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2019–2025.
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated October 2026.
Data update history
(8)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS May 14, 2021)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS April 11, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 12, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 3, 2024)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 15, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2019 (received by the IRS May 6, 2020)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 15, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2019–2024
Live grants for the work Ohio History Connection funds
Arts, Culture & Humanities Open opportunities, soonest deadline first.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ohio History Connection's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ohio History Connection funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 18, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ohio-history-connection-morg_4ad5733ba8104858924d6e68927849c1
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_314389673_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ohio History Connection funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ohio-history-connection-morg_4ad5733ba8104858924d6e68927849c1},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-18. 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 Ohio History Connection'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.
Ohio History Connection down — hundreds of funders to go?