The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc

CINCINNATI, OH EIN: 31-1044475

The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation Inc. is a private philanthropic organization based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Founded in 1981 by Austin E. "Dutch" Knowlton and Charles D. Lindberg, the foundation operates as a large and activist philanthropic partner focused on supporting higher education institutions across the American Midwest and beyond.

Financial Overview

From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing

Total Assets

$266.5M

+12.3% YoY

Annual Giving

$11.6M

-5.2% YoY

Grant Count

+7.0% YoY

Avg Grant Size

$252K

-11.3% YoY

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 April 2026.

Mission & Focus Areas

Higher education institutions
Student scholarships and financial aid
STEM education and student support
Educational experiences and student success initiatives

Grantmaking

The foundation does not restrict grantmaking to preselected applicants only, indicating openness to applications.

Grant Range

$25,000

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Geographic Focus

Where this funder awards grants

The foundation primarily supports organizations in Ohio, the Midwest, and across the United States. Primary funding regions include Ohio, Illinois, and California, which account for approximately 70% of all grants. Grantmaking reaches organizations across nine states.

Grant Distribution by State

Ohio $34.1M (63%)

Illinois $9.8M (18%)

California $4.7M (9%)

Kentucky $2.9M (5%)

Pennsylvania $785K (1%)

Texas $633K (1%)

District of Columbia $200K (0%)

Indiana $200K (0%)

+4 more states

States

California Colorado District of Columbia Illinois Indiana Kentucky New Jersey New York Ohio Pennsylvania Texas Wisconsin

Cities

AkronAustinBereaBlufftonCambridgeCincinnatiClevelandColumbusCrestview HillsDallasDanvilleDenverElkhartErlangerFredericksburgGambierGeorgetownGoshenGranvilleLake Luzerne

Financial History

Multi-year comparison from IRS filings

Total Assets: $266.5 million (as of 2024)
Annual Income: $28.7 million
Asset Growth: Increased from $31.3 million in 2011 to $266.5 million in 2024
Annual Giving Trend: Grew from $10.6 million in 2020 to $22.8 million in 2022

The foundation ranks in the top 1% of U.S. foundations by asset size.

Revenue

Expenses

Qualifying Distributions

Net Investment Income

Metric	2024	2023	2022
Total Assets	$266,549,523	$237,444,476	$215,831,198
Revenue	$9,276,471	$5,944,556	$5,094,681
Expenses	$13,982,264	$14,456,222	$13,779,334
Qualifying Distributions	$12,994,621	$13,500,208	$13,003,635
Net Investment Income	$8,570,430	$5,376,963	$4,535,657
Distributable Amount	$12,499,267	$11,043,811	$11,382,138

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

239 grants across all recorded years

Open Grants

1 open opportunity from The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc

Foundation

Austin E. Knowlton Foundation Grant

THE AUSTIN E KNOWLTON FOUNDATION INC

Amount

Varies

Deadline

Rolling / Open

Giving History

Grant recipients and amounts by year

Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Ohio State University Foundation ($6,000,000), Denison University ($1,000,000), The College of Wooster ($1,000,000).

Recipient	Purpose	Amount
ALLIANCE FOR HIGHER EDUCATION IN PRISON DENVER, CO	PROGRAM SERVICES	$150,000
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE ROCK ISLAND, IL	APEP PROGRAM	$100,000
AUGUSTANA COLLEGE ROCK ISLAND, IL	SCHOLARSHIP FUND	$20,000
BIG BROTHERS BIG SISTERS OF GREATER CINCINNATI CINCINNATI, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$5,000
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF GREATER CINCINNATI CINCINNATI, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$20,000
CAMPING AND EDUCATION FOUNDATION CINCINNATI, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$150,000
CHILDHOOD FOOD SOLUTIONS CINCINNATI, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$25,000
CINCINNATI CHAMBER ORCHESTRA CINCINNATI, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$10,000
CINCINNATI MENNONITE FELLOWSHIP CINCINNATI, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$50,000
CINCINNATI NATURE CENTER MILFORD, OH	PROGRAM SERVICES	$10,000

Leadership & Key People

Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings

John C Lindberg – President (15 hours/week, $200,000 compensation)
Eric V Lindberg – Vice President and Chief Investment Officer (25 hours/week, $631,000 compensation)
Robert A Pitcairn Jr – Secretary (25 hours/week, $200,000 compensation)
Edward D Diller – Treasurer (12 hours/week, $200,000 compensation)
Sherri L Calk – Chief Administrative Officer (40 hours/week, $133,000 compensation)

Compensation Overview

From 2024 IRS filing

From 2024 filing

Name	Title	Hours	Compensation
JOHN C LINDBERG	PRESIDENT	15	$200,000
ERIC V LINDBERG	VICE PRESIDENT AND CIO	25	$631,297
ROBERT A PITCAIRN JR	SECRETARY	25	$200,000
EDWARD D DILLER	TREASURER	12	$200,000

Recent News & Activity

Recent developments and announcements

Recent grant announcements demonstrate continued focus on STEM education and student scholarships:

Bluffton University received $500,000 for Knowlton Scholarship grants

Bluffton University receives $500K Knowlton Scholarship grant | Bluffton

University of Findlay received funding for STEM student scholarships

STEM Students to Receive Half-Million of Scholarship Support - Findlay Newsroom

Augustana College received $500,000 for student scholarships and financial aid

Augustana College Receives $500,000 for Student Scholarships and Financial

The foundation maintains an active grantmaking program with recent grant activity reported in current tax filings.

Frequently Asked Questions

What does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc fund?

The foundation promotes the ideals of higher education, supports student success, and enables colleges and universities to create more rewarding and inspiring educational experiences. Primary funding areas include: • Higher education institutions • Student scholarships and financial aid • STEM education and student support • Educational experiences and student success initiatives

How do I apply for a grant from The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc?

**Grant Activity:** • 222 total grants reported across available records • Total grants distributed: $44.9 million • Median grant size: $25,000 • Grant range: $3,000 to $3,000,000 • Average award: $202,000 **Recent Grant Examples:** • $500,000 to Bluffton University for Knowlton Scholarship grants • $500,000 to Augustana College for student scholarships and financial aid • $500,000 to University of Findlay for STEM student scholarships **Application Status:** The foundation does not restrict gr…

Where does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc make grants?

What size grants does The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc award?

In 2024, The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc awarded 46 grants totaling $11.6M — an average of about $252K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.

How much is The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc required to give away each year?

Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Austin E Knowlton Foundation Inc reported a distributable amount of $12.5M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.

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.