The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. Its 2025 grants supported organizations in areas including health, arts and culture, education, hunger relief, and religious life, primarily in Ohio.
Key facts about The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust
In short: The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust gave $3.9M across 47 grants in 2025 (avg $83K), mostly in Ohio. 36% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- EIN
- 31-6646985
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025
- Annual giving (2025)
- $3,915,000
- Grants made (2025)
- 47
- Average grant
- $83,298
- Median grant
- $50,000
- New grantees (estimate)
- 36% first-time grantees (17 of 47, 2025)
- Total assets
- $55,729,057
- Primary geography
- Ohio (98% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- How to apply
- The filing states that the trust does not restrict giving to preselected organizations. Full details ↓
- Deadline
- None.
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 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-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$55.7M
+5.0% YoY
Annual Giving
$3.9M
+28.4% YoY
Grant Count
47
+42.4% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$83K
-9.9% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $2.9M for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Is The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
36%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 17 of 47 grantees (36%) were first-time recipients. First grants averaged $39K; repeat grants $109K. How we count
Medians: $35K first-time, $50K repeat.
- 36% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving grew 34% from 2022 to 2025. Method
- In 2025 it paid out 140% 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.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a children’s hospital, arts organizations, museums, a food bank, and a church. The grantees describe their own work in varied terms: Taft Museum of Art says it connects people with great art; Cincinnati Museum Center says it inspires learning about science and regional history; and Freestore Foodbank says it works to eliminate hunger in partnership with its community.
Grantmaking
In 2025, the trust made 47 grants totaling $3,915,000. Grants ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with a median of $50,000. Its largest grants included $500,000 to Children’s Hospital Medical Center for project/program support; $415,000 to Taft Museum of Art for project/program support; $350,000 to Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts for its annual fund; and $325,000 to Cincinnati Museum Center for project/program support. Other grants included $175,000 to Art Opportunities Inc, $150,000 to Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, and $125,000 to Cincinnati Ballet.
Review Cycle
None.
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
In 2025, 98% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 2% to recipients in Kentucky. The listed 2025 grants show support concentrated in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 47 itemized grants.
Cities
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $2.4M (2023) to $3.9M (2025). In 2025 it made 47 grants totaling $3.9M.
Grant Insights
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Children's Hospital Medical Center ($500K). Together the top 10 received $2.3M.
Grant Size Distribution
205 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 76 grants of 205 (37%).
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Children's Hospital Medical Center Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $500,000 |
| Taft Museum of Art Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $415,000 |
| Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $350,000 |
| Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $325,000 |
| Art Opportunities Inc Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $175,000 |
| Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $150,000 |
| Cincinnati Ballet Company Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $125,000 |
| American Legacy Theatre Cincinnati, OH | General Operating | $100,000 |
| Freestore Foodbank Cincinnati, OH | General Operating Support | $100,000 |
| Christ Church Cathedral Cincinnati, OH | Project/Program Support | $100,000 |
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Grant total | Number of grants |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,915,000 | 47 |
| 2024 | $3,050,000 | 33 |
| 2023 | $2,365,000 | 39 |
| Metric | 2025 | 2024 | 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $55,729,057 | $53,081,479 | $52,040,463 |
| Revenue | $7,113,547 | $4,685,301 | $17,500,984 |
| Expenses | $4,479,486 | $3,640,565 | $3,063,420 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $3,995,696 | $3,133,543 | $2,491,306 |
| Net Investment Income | $6,643,217 | $4,172,688 | $17,180,755 |
| Distributable Amount | $2,854,878 | $2,793,283 | $2,392,339 |
Data update history
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2020 (received by the IRS September 13, 2021)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2021 (received by the IRS October 12, 2022)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2022 (received by the IRS May 5, 2023)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2023 (received by the IRS April 29, 2024)
- Updated Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2024 (received by the IRS April 25, 2025)
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 6, 2026)
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Fifth Third Bank N.A. is listed as co-trustee on the 2025 filing.
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's only listed officer is Fifth Third Bank N A, Co-Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fifth Third Bank N A
Co-Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$300K (2020) → $527K (2025)
Former officers (1)
- Former: Narley L. Haley (2020–2022) — Co-Trustee · Filing note: Until feb 2022
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 $527K, to Fifth Third Bank N a (Co-Trustee).
Contact
Application contact: Fifth Third Bank N A
Mailing address: 38 Fountain Sq Plz Md1090Vd, Cincinnati, OH 45202
Phone: (513) 534-7001
Frequently asked questions about The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust
How much does The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust give each year?
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust gave $3.9M across 47 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $3.0M across 33 grants.
What is The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $50,000, and its average grant was $83,298, across 47 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust that year got $39K on average.
Where does The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust give grants?
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust gives mostly in Ohio: 98% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (41 grants) and Covington, KY (2 grants).
Does The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 40% of The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (19 of 47) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Recurring purposes include "Project/Program Support" (26 grants).
Who are The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Children's Hospital Medical Center ($500,000), Taft Museum of Art ($415,000) and Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts ($350,000), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 32% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust?
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust reported $55.7M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $4.0M in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $2.9M (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grants included support for a children’s hospital, arts organizations, museums, a food bank, and a church. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust?
The filing states that the trust 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 Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 31-6646985. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Data last updated September 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Here's the math on researching The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust by hand.
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