The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc. is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Established by Austin E. Knowlton in 1981, it supports higher education in the United States through grants and contributions to qualified colleges and universities.
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc at a glance
In short: The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc gave $11.6M across 46 grants in 2024 (avg $252K), mostly in Ohio. 27% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $11,575,000
- -5.2% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 46
- +7.0% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $251,630
- -11.3% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $30,000
- Total assets
- $266,549,523
- +12.3% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 27% first-time grantees (11 of 41, 2024)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (77% 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 The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc
- How to Apply
-
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Its stated process is to contact Sherri L. Calk and submit materials in any form, including proof of tax-exempt status. The filing lists no restrictions on awards.
- Contact
Application contact: Sherri L Calk
Mailing address: 312 Walnut Street Suite 3130, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 381-2400
Email: scalk@aekfoundation.org
Website: HTTPS://WWW.AEKFOUNDATION.ORG/
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc
Who The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was Ohio State University Foundation ($6.1M across 3 grants). Together the top 10 received $10.6M.
Grant Size Distribution
257 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 155 grants of 257 (60%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Ohio, and its website describes scholarship support at colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. In 2024, 77% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio, 10% to California, 4% to Kentucky, 2% to Texas, and 2% to New Jersey.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 46 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc open to new grantees?
27%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 41 grantees (27%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $119K; repeat grants $342K. How we count
Medians: $60K first-time, $28K repeat.
- 63% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+1%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 104% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). 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 $10.6M (2020) to $12.2M (2023). In 2024 it made 46 grants totaling $11.6M.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Ohio State University Foundation Columbus, OH | Bmec Building | $6,000,000 |
| Denison University Granville, OH | Career Exploration Center | $1,000,000 |
| The College of Wooster Wooster, OH | Lowry Center | $1,000,000 |
| Ronald Reagan Presidential Fdn & Institute Simi Valley, CA | Program Services | $925,000 |
| Georgetown College Georgetown, KY | Davis-Reid Alumni Gym Project | $500,000 |
| Institute for Citizens and Scholars Princeton, NJ | Program Services | $200,000 |
| Ronald Reagan Presidential Fdn & Institute Simi Valley, CA | National Economic Forum | $200,000 |
| The Alexander Hamilton Society Washington, DC | Program Services | $200,000 |
| Alliance for Higher Education in Prison Denver, CO | Program Services | $150,000 |
| Camping and Education Foundation Cincinnati, OH | Program Services | $150,000 |
Ready to take the next step with The Austin E Knowlton 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $266,549,523 | $9,276,471 | $13,982,264 | $11,575,000 | 46 | $12,994,621 | $8,570,430 | $12,499,267 |
| 2023 | $237,444,476 | $5,944,556 | $14,456,222 | $12,204,256 | 43 | $13,500,208 | $5,376,963 | $11,043,811 |
| 2022 | $215,831,198 | $5,094,681 | $13,779,334 | $11,420,000 | 54 | $13,003,635 | $4,535,657 | $11,382,138 |
| 2021 | $257,901,877 | $9,230,954 | $13,496,550 | $11,460,000 | 53 | $12,075,801 | $10,888,127 | $11,874,541 |
| 2020 | $225,698,470 | $5,468,021 | $12,189,076 | $10,640,000 | 61 | — | $8,314,369 | $9,949,756 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12.5M 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
The foundation’s stated primary mission is to promote and advance higher education in the United States. It says it aims to support student success and help colleges and universities create more rewarding and inspiring educational experiences. Its website describes endowed scholarships at qualified colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana, with preference for Ohio students planning to major in a STEM field.
The 2024 grants show support for colleges and universities, including awards for a building at Ohio State, a career exploration center at Denison University, and a project at the College of Wooster. Other recipients included organizations with different missions: the Ohio Justice and Policy Center describes its work as pursuing fair and redemptive criminal justice systems through advocacy, policy reform, and community education; the Cincinnati Ballet Company describes its mission as advancing dance through performance, training, education, and engagement.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 46 grants totaling $11,575,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $6,000,000, with a median award of $30,000.
The largest reported grant was $6,000,000 to the Ohio State University Foundation for the BMEC building. Other major grants included $1,000,000 each to Denison University for a Career Exploration Center and the College of Wooster for the Lowry Center; $925,000 to the an individual recipient Presidential Foundation & Institute for program services; and $500,000 to Georgetown College for the Davis-Reid Alumni Gym project.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists John C. Lindberg as president, Eric V. Lindberg as vice president and CIO, Robert A. Pitcairn Jr. as secretary, and Edward D. Diller as treasurer.
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc is led by John C. Lindberg, President on every filing since 2020; all 4 officers listed in 2024 are compensated.
Officers on the 2024 filing
John C. Lindberg
President
On filings since 2020
15 hrs/week
$100K (2020) → $200K (2024)
Edward D. Diller
Treasurer
On filings since 2020
12 hrs/week
$100K (2022) → $200K (2024)
Eric V. Lindberg
Vice President & CIO
Vice President → Vice President & CIO, 2022
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$275K (2020) → $631K (2024)
Robert A. Pitcairn Jr.
Secretary
On filings since 2020
25 hrs/week
$150K (2020) → $200K (2024)
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2024 filing was $631K, to Eric V Lindberg (Vice President and CIO). 4 officers or directors reported compensation on that filing.
Frequently asked questions about The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc
How much does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc give each year?
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc gave $11.6M across 46 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $12.2M across 43 grants.
What is The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's typical grant size?
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's median grant in 2024 was $30,000, and its average grant was $251,630, across 46 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc that year got $119K on average.
Where does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc give grants?
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc gives mostly in Ohio: 77% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was California (10%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (14 grants), Fredericksburg, TX (5 grants), Columbus, OH (3 grants) and Simi Valley, CA (2 grants).
Does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 46 grants with a stated purpose on The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Services" (34 grants).
Who are The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's largest grantees?
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's largest 2024 grantees include Ohio State University Foundation ($6,105,000 across 3 grants), Ronald Reagan Presidential Fdn & Institute ($1,125,000 across 2 grants) and Denison University ($1,040,000 across 2 grants), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 71% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc?
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc reported $266.5M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $13.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $12.5M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc fund?
The foundation’s stated primary mission is to promote and advance higher education in the United States. It says it aims to support student success and help colleges and universities create more rewarding and inspiring educational experiences. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc?
The foundation does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's EIN?
The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1044475. 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 The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-austin-e-knowlton-foundation-inc-morg_cd271c1da0a54a9e8755a7e890fea9f9
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_311044475_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-austin-e-knowlton-foundation-inc-morg_cd271c1da0a54a9e8755a7e890fea9f9},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. 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 The Austin E Knowlton 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.
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