The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc
The Cincinnati International Wine is a Cincinnati, Ohio public charity that raises funds through wine-themed events and distributes grants to local nonprofits. Its stated mission is to promote the wine industry and raise funds for local charities.
Key facts about The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc
In short: The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc gave $288K across 18 grants in 2025 (avg $16K), mostly in Ohio. 22% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990.
- EIN
- 31-1383678
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $288,050
- Grants made (2025)
- 18
- Average grant
- $16,003
- Median grant
- $13,600
- New grantees (estimate)
- 22% first-time grantees (4 of 18, 2025; small sample)
- Total assets
- $1,516,105
- Primary geography
- Ohio (89% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- Submit an application and an IRS 501(c)(3) status letter. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- The 2026 application was due March 13, 2026; this deadline has passed.
Data from IRS Form 990, 2025; updated September 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology). Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Financial Overview
From 2025 IRS Form 990 · View filing
Total Assets
$1.5M
+0.1% YoY
Annual Giving
$288K
+10.8% YoY
Grant Count
18
+0.0% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$16K
+10.8% YoY
Is The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc open to new grantees?
22%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 4 of 18 grantees (22%) were first-time recipients. With only 18 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 6 points. First grants averaged $8K; repeat grants $18K. How we count
Medians: $8K first-time, $15K repeat.
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990 filings (2021–2025). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Mission & Focus Areas
The organization states that its mission is “to promote the wine industry & raise funds for local charities.” Its website says it distributes grants to arts, education, and health and human services nonprofits in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky.
The organizations it supported in 2025 include arts, social-service, and health-related grantees. For example, Linton Incorporated says it provides chamber music experiences in Greater Cincinnati, while Cincinnati Works says it provides free training and coaching to help people living in poverty advance toward self-sufficiency through employment. Cancer Family Care describes its mission as supporting children, adults, and families coping with cancer. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the funder’s.
Grantmaking
The 2025 filing lists 18 grants totaling $288,050. Grants ranged from $6,000 to $42,300, with a median of $13,600. Among the largest were Cincinnati Public Radio ($42,300), Cancer Family Care ($32,400), Freestore Foodbank ($25,050), Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Foundation ($22,400), and Cincinnati Works ($21,000). The listed grant purposes were “to support the mission.”
Separately, the organization’s community report says that its 2025 festival proceeds supported 35 nonprofits with $345,000. The organization’s filing describes an application and board-review process: applicants must submit an application and an IRS 501(c)(3) status letter; the board makes the final determination. The filing also says the organization has historically supported a consistent group of core beneficiaries, with additional beneficiaries depending on available fundraising proceeds, applications, and board or staff recommendations.
The website says applications are open to 501(c)(3) organizations active in Greater Cincinnati, and that the board reviews applications after the March festival. The listed 2026 application deadline, March 13, 2026, is past. The website listed award notifications after Memorial Day and awards in June 2026; those dates are also past.
Review Cycle
The 2026 application was due March 13, 2026; this deadline has passed.
How to Apply
Submit an application and an IRS 501(c)(3) status letter. The board makes the final beneficiary selections.
Ready to take the next step with The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc?
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The website identifies Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky as the areas served. In the 2025 filing, 89% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 11% to recipients in Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 18 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2021 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $59K (2021) to $522K (2022). In 2025 it made 18 grants totaling $288K.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Cincinnati Public Radio ($42K). Together the top 10 received $219K.
Grant Size Distribution
90 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 89 grants of 90 (99%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Cincinnati Public Radio Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $42,300 |
| Cancer Family Care Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $32,400 |
| Freestorefoodbank Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $25,050 |
| Cincinnati State Technical and Community College Foundation Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $22,400 |
| Cincinnati Works Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $21,000 |
| Linton Incorporated Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $18,900 |
| Children's Home of Northern Kentucky Covington, KY | To Support the Mission | $15,200 |
| Ronald McDonald House Charities of Greater Cincinnati Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $15,000 |
| Fernside Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $14,000 |
| Catholic Inner-City Schools Education Cincinnati, OH | To Support the Mission | $13,200 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $1,516,105 | $858,188 | $1,014,753 | $288,050 |
| 2024 | $1,514,568 | $880,448 | $935,860 | $260,000 |
| 2023 | $1,268,607 | $903,083 | $931,844 | $195,300 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $1,516,105 | $1,514,568 | $1,268,607 |
| Revenue | $858,188 | $880,448 | $903,083 |
| Expenses | $1,014,753 | $935,860 | $931,844 |
| Net Investment Income | $65,393 | $62,488 | $117,028 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS February 20, 2022)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 9, 2023)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS May 5, 2025)
- Updated Form 990 for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS May 15, 2024)
- Added Form 990 for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2025 filing lists Mary Horn as president and Renee Muraca as treasurer. Trustees listed are John Mocker, Missy Duggan, Steven Tolbert, Mary Ann Bokenkotter, Jason Millburn, Carl D’Ambrose, Michael Miller, and Chuck Hong.
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc is led by Sarah Gagnon, Executive Director since 2024 (on filings since 2023); 1 of 13 officers listed in 2025 is compensated.
Officers on the 2025 filing
Sarah Gagnon
Executive Director
Executive Director - → Executive Director, 2024
On filings since 2023
45 hrs/week
$55K (2023) → $79K (2025)
Mary Horn
President
Vice President → Vp-, 2024
Vp- → President, 2025
On filings since 2020
10 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Jason Millburn
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Mocker
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Mary Ann Bokenkotter
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Michael Miller
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Missy Duggan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Carl D'ambrose
Trustee
On filings since 2022
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Chuck Hong
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Jayne Menke
Trustee
On filings since 2024
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Shane Coley
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Tolbert
Trustee
New on the 2025 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Renee Muraca
Treasurer
Treasurer - → Treasurer, 2024
On filings since 2023
2 hrs/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (10)
- Former: Constance Wiles (2020–2024) — President -
- Former: George Elliott (2020–2024) — Trustee -
- Former: Marj Valvano (2020–2024) — Lifetime Trustee
- Former: Stephen Tolbert (2023–2024) — Trustee
- Former: Barry T. Oppelt (2020–2023) — Treasurer -
- Former: Brad Huberman (2022–2023) — Executive Director -
- Former: Kelly Weissman (2020–2022) — Executive Director -
- Former: Daniel J. Temming (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Marilyn Harris (2020–2021) — Trustee
- Former: Deborah Dent (2020) — Executive Director
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.
Compensation Overview
From 2025 IRS filing
The highest reported compensation on the 2025 filing was $79K, to Sarah Gagnon (Executive Director).
Contact
Mailing address: 3716 Montgomery Road, Cincinnati, OH 45207
Phone: (513) 241-3434
Website: https://winefestival.com
Frequently asked questions about The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc
How much does The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc give each year?
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc gave $288K across 18 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. In 2024 it gave $260K across 18 grants.
What is The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's typical grant size?
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's median grant in 2025 was $13,600, and its average grant was $16,003, across 18 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc that year got $8K on average.
Where does The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc give grants?
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc gives mostly in Ohio: 89% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990 went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kentucky (11%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (14 grants) and Covington, KY (2 grants).
Does The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc give general operating support?
Not in 2025: none of the 18 grants with a stated purpose on The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's 2025 IRS Form 990 were described as general or operating support. Recurring purposes include "To Support the Mission" (18 grants).
Who are The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's largest grantees?
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's largest 2025 grantees include Cincinnati Public Radio ($42,300), Cancer Family Care ($32,400) and Freestorefoodbank ($25,050), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990. Together they received 35% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc?
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc reported $1.5M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990. Its revenue that year was $858K.
What does The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc fund?
The organization states that its mission is “to promote the wine industry & raise funds for local charities.” Its website says it distributes grants to arts, education, and health and human services nonprofits in Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc?
Submit an application and an IRS 501(c)(3) status letter. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's EIN?
The Cincinnati International Wine Festival Inc's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-1383678. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990 filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
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