Ridgeway Foundation
Ridgeway Foundation is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds.
Ridgeway Foundation at a glance
In short: Ridgeway Foundation gave $115K across 51 grants in 2025 (avg $2K), top state Virginia. 8% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $115,000
- +8.5% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 51
- +2.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $2,255
- +6.4% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $2,000
- Total assets
- $1,376,206
- +9.5% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 8% first-time grantees (4 of 50, 2025)
- Primary geography
- Virginia (48% 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 Ridgeway Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: 1283 Michigan Avenue, Cincinnati, OH 45208-2757
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who Ridgeway Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Virginia Museum of Fine Art ($20K). Together the top 10 received $53K.
Grant Size Distribution
238 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 238 grants of 238 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 48% of grant dollars went to recipients in Virginia and 41% to recipients in Ohio. Michigan and North Carolina each accounted for 4%, and Kentucky accounted for 2%.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 51 itemized grants.
Cities
Is Ridgeway Foundation open to new grantees?
8%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 50 grantees (8%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $1K; repeat grants $2K. How we count
Medians: $1K first-time, $2K repeat.
- 90% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 22% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 112% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2025). 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 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $80K (2020) to $115K (2025). In 2025 it made 51 grants totaling $115K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Virginia Museum of Fine Art Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $20,000 |
| Planed Parenhood Southwest Ohio Cincinnati, OH | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $7,000 |
| Valentine Richmond History Center Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $5,000 |
| Camping & Education Foundation Cincinnati, OH | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Capital Trees Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Cincinnati Shakespeare Company Cincinnati, OH | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Communities in Schools of Richmond Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Feed More Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
| Maymont Foundation Richmond, VA | Organization's Charitable Purpose | $3,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Ridgeway Foundation?
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 | $1,376,206 | $263,835 | $142,743 | $115,000 | 51 | $119,420 | $247,842 | $106,672 |
| 2024 | $1,257,264 | $139,918 | $126,508 | $106,000 | 50 | $109,258 | $122,669 | $103,489 |
| 2023 | $1,242,795 | $121,961 | $111,282 | $91,000 | 38 | $98,645 | $109,324 | $92,162 |
| 2022 | $1,233,543 | $161,473 | $117,958 | $94,000 | 54 | $97,968 | $146,656 | $95,026 |
| 2021 | $1,190,285 | $149,421 | $101,043 | $80,000 | 45 | $83,472 | $133,042 | $97,311 |
| 2020 | $1,142,233 | $82,821 | $103,044 | $80,000 | 39 | — | $71,204 | $82,309 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Ridgeway Foundation reported a distributable amount of $107K 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 grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. For example, grantee FeedMore describes its mission as fighting hunger in Central Virginia, while Communities in Schools of Richmond says it connects community resources with schools to help young people learn, stay in school, and prepare for life. Cincinnati Shakespeare Company describes its work as bringing Shakespeare and the classics to audiences of all ages.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the foundation made 51 grants totaling $115,000. Grant amounts ranged from $1,000 to $20,000, with a median of $2,000.
The largest 2025 grant listed was $20,000 to Virginia Museum of Fine Art in Richmond. Other notable grants included $7,000 to Planned Parenthood Southwest Ohio in Cincinnati; $5,000 to Valentine Richmond History Center in Richmond; and $3,000 each to Camping & Education Foundation, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company, and Queen City Pollinators Project in Cincinnati, and to Capital Trees, Communities in Schools of Richmond, Feed More, Lewis Ginter Botanical Gardens, Maymont Foundation, and Richmond SPCA in Richmond. The stated purpose for these grants was “organization's charitable purpose.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists:
- Sarah A Bahlman — President
- Elizabeth Lowsley-Williams — Grant Consul
- Caroline S Bahlman — Vice Pres, S
- William C Bahlman — Treasurer
- Bix Lowsley-Williams — Assistant Tr
Ridgeway Foundation is led by Sarah A. Bahlman, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 5 officers listed in 2025 report compensation.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sarah A. Bahlman
President
Trustee → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Caroline S. Bahlman
Vice President & S
Trustee → Vice President & S, 2023
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Elizabeth Lowsley-Williams
Grant Consul
Trustee → Grant Consul, 2023
On filings since 2020
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Bix Lowsley-Williams
Assistant Tr
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
William C. Bahlman
Treasurer
On filings since 2023
1.5 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (1)
- Former: Will Bahlman (2020–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2025. "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 Ridgeway Foundation
How much does Ridgeway Foundation give each year?
Ridgeway Foundation gave $115K across 51 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $106K across 50 grants.
What is Ridgeway Foundation's typical grant size?
Ridgeway Foundation's median grant in 2025 was $2,000, and its average grant was $2,255, across 51 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Ridgeway Foundation that year got $1K on average.
Where does Ridgeway Foundation give grants?
Ridgeway Foundation's top state is Virginia, with 48% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. The next largest state was Ohio (41%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (22 grants), Richmond, VA (14 grants), Concord, NC (2 grants) and Leland, MI (2 grants).
Who are Ridgeway Foundation's largest grantees?
Ridgeway Foundation's largest 2025 grantees include Virginia Museum of Fine Art ($20,000), Planed Parenhood Southwest Ohio ($7,000) and Valentine Richmond History Center ($5,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 28% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is Ridgeway Foundation?
Ridgeway Foundation reported $1.4M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $119K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $107K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Ridgeway Foundation fund?
No mission statement for the foundation is provided. Its grants show support for a range of charitable organizations. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Ridgeway Foundation?
The foundation does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Ridgeway Foundation's EIN?
Ridgeway Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1712320. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does Ridgeway Foundation 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
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 14, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Ridgeway Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Ridgeway Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 12, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/ridgeway-foundation-morg_52d4e4c24d3a4d56903cb23c7e57ed3d
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311712320_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Ridgeway Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/ridgeway-foundation-morg_52d4e4c24d3a4d56903cb23c7e57ed3d},
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 Ridgeway Foundation'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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