The Butler Foundation
The Butler Foundation is a private family foundation based in Covington, Kentucky. Established in 1980, it operates as a 501(c)(3) tax-exempt organization dedicated to providing life-enhancing opportunities for individuals and families in need.
Key facts about The Butler Foundation
- EIN
- 31-0981683
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024
- Annual giving (2024)
- $972,507
- Grants made (2024)
- 57
- Average grant
- $17,062
- Median grant
- $5,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 32% first-time grantees (18 of 57, 2024)
- Total assets
- $13,471,508
- Primary geography
- Kentucky (91% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
Who The Butler Foundation funds
By grant dollars, the top recipient states for The Butler Foundation's 57 itemized 2024 grants were Kentucky (91%) and Ohio (6%). The most frequent recipient cities were Covington, KY (23 grants), Newport, KY (6 grants), Cincinnati, OH (6 grants) and Florence, KY (6 grants). 25% of grants with a stated purpose were for general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "Program Support" (34 grants) and "Scholarship Support" (5 grants).
Is The Butler Foundation open to new grantees?
32%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 18 of 57 grantees (32%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $12K; repeat grants $19K. How we count
Medians: $6K first-time, $4K repeat.
- 61% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2021 to 2024 (+16%). Method
- In 2024 it paid out 201% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized IRS Form 990-PF grant lists (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Next steps with The Butler Foundation
- How to evaluate The Butler Foundation as a funder
Our grant prospecting guide: read the 990-PF, check fit, and decide whether to apply.
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Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$13.5M
+6.6% YoY
Annual Giving
$973K
-18.0% YoY
Grant Count
57
-17.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$17K
-0.8% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Butler Foundation reported a distributable amount of $611K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The Foundation's mission centers on changing lives through life-enhancing opportunities for individuals and families. It gives primarily for the basic needs of the poor in northern Kentucky.
The Foundation's funding priorities reflect its historical commitment to supporting:
- Individuals with physical and mental disabilities
- Children and families at risk
- Victims of abuse and neglect
- Frail and elderly individuals
Grantmaking
The Foundation made 69 grants in the most recent reporting year. Grant types include:
Grant Types
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on northern Kentucky, with particular emphasis on the Covington area and surrounding region.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of all 57 itemized 2024 grant dollars.
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
As of 2025:
- Total Assets: $13,471,911
- Total Revenues: $230,450
- Total Expenses: $230,047
As of 2024:
- Total Assets: $13.5 million
- Total Revenues: $2.09 million
- Total Expenses: $1.25 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $13,471,508 | $12,641,378 | $13,633,201 |
| Revenue | $2,088,087 | $802,171 | $7,550,635 |
| Expenses | $1,250,797 | $1,507,544 | $1,201,312 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $1,226,286 | $1,439,982 | $1,186,096 |
| Net Investment Income | $2,230,541 | $362,484 | $1,991,395 |
| Distributable Amount | $611,095 | $592,805 | $653,034 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
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
268 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The Butler Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest recipients include Samaritan Car Care Clinic Inc ($104,500), Alliance for Catholic Urban Educat ($101,000), Northern KY University Foundation ($95,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| SAMARITAN CAR CARE CLINIC INC Covington, KY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $104,500 |
| ALLIANCE FOR CATHOLIC URBAN EDUCAT Covington, KY | TUITION ASSISTANCE | $101,000 |
| NORTHERN KY UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION Highland Heights, KY | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT | $95,000 |
| HOLY CROSS HIGH SCHOOL Covington, KY | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT | $60,000 |
| NEWPORT CENTRAL CATH HIGH SCHOOL Newport, KY | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT | $60,000 |
| COVINGTON CATHOLIC HIGH SCHOOL Covington, KY | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT/TUITION ASSISTAN | $50,000 |
| NOTRE DAME ACADEMY Covington, KY | SCHOLARSHIP SUPPORT | $50,000 |
| SOCIETY OF ST VINCENT DEPAUL-NKY Crescent Springs, KY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $44,977 |
| DCCH CENTER FOR CHILDREN Covington, KY | PROGRAM SUPPORT | $35,943 |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES Covington, KY | OPERATING & PROGRAM SUPPORT | $30,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
No officer or director reported compensation in the available filings.
From 2024 IRS filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Marty Butler | Chair | 2 | — |
| Bob Klare | Vice Chair | 1 | — |
| Christa Butler | Secretary | 1.5 | — |
| Tom Banta | Treasurer | 1 | — |
| Barbara Schaefer | Executive Di | 40 | — |
| William P Butler | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Kevin Butler | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Amanda Kolar | Trustee | 2 | — |
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The Butler Foundation fund?
The Foundation's mission centers on changing lives through life-enhancing opportunities for individuals and families. It gives primarily for the basic needs of the poor in northern Kentucky. The Foundation's funding priorities reflect its historical commitment to supporting: • Individuals with physical and mental disabilities • Children and families at risk • Victims of abuse and neglect • Frail and elderly individuals
How do I apply for a grant from The Butler Foundation?
The Foundation made 69 grants in the most recent reporting year. Grant types include: • Program support • Operating support • Scholarship support • Tuition assistance Recent grants include: • United Way of Greater Cincinnati: $50,000 (Program Support) • The Philanthropy Roundtable: $25,000 (Program Support) • Tattoo Removal Ink (TRI): $10,000 (Program Support) Notable grantees have included the Northern Kentucky University Foundation.
Where does The Butler Foundation make grants?
The Foundation focuses its grantmaking on northern Kentucky, with particular emphasis on the Covington area and surrounding region.
What size grants does The Butler Foundation award?
In 2024, The Butler Foundation awarded 57 grants totaling $973K — an average of about $17K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The Butler Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The Butler Foundation reported a distributable amount of $611K on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The Butler Foundation's EIN?
The Butler Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-0981683. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
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Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.