The George Gund Foundation
The George Gund Foundation is a nonprofit institution established in 1952 and headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio. The foundation contributes to human well-being and the progress of society through strategic philanthropic investments. The organization employs 9 people and maintains an annual revenue of $25.0M-$50.0M.
Financial Overview
From 2024 IRS Form 990-PF · View filing
Total Assets
$555.9M
+9.7% YoY
Annual Giving
$29.8M
+0.6% YoY
Grant Count
334
+2.1% YoY
Avg Grant Size
$89K
-1.5% YoY
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The George Gund Foundation reported a distributable amount of $28.0M for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation's sole purpose, as indicated in its formation documents, is contributing to human well-being and the progress of society. The foundation operates with a deep commitment to place-based philanthropy, centering its work in Cleveland while recognizing that the city's solutions can benefit communities far beyond its boundaries.
The foundation identifies three interrelated central challenges that propel its work:
- Climate change and environmental degradation
- Entrenched and accelerating inequality
- Threats to democracy
Primary funding areas include:
- Culture and Arts
- Climate Justice
- Public Education
- Social Justice
- Vibrant Neighborhoods
- Human Services — with emphasis on meeting basic needs, health care, and promoting child and family stability
- Reproductive Health Services — access to comprehensive reproductive health services and education
- Children's Behavioral Health Services — protecting and expanding these services
- Medicaid Defense
Grantmaking
The foundation prioritizes education projects with emphasis on new concepts. Recent grant activity demonstrates significant annual giving:
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Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The George Gund Foundation maintains a place-based focus centered on Cleveland, Ohio, a city of close to 400,000 residents and the heart of a metropolitan region of over 2 million people. The foundation's commitment to Cleveland derives from both its history and the belief that Cleveland can develop original responses to issues that benefit people everywhere.
The foundation views Cleveland as offering important leverage to affect issues beyond the city's boundaries, including its roles as a place for innovation, an example and leader in Ohio (a politically important state with outsized national and global influence), and as part of the urban emphasis of its work—stemming from the belief that thriving cities are one of the nation's best hopes for addressing essential problems.
Grant Distribution by State
States
Cities
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
The Geoffrey Gund Foundation (a related entity) reported the following financial data for fiscal year 2023:
- Revenue: $7.71 million
- Expenses: $8.47 million
- Total Assets: $17.1 million
- Total Liabilities: $0
| Metric | 2024 | 2023 | 2022 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Total Assets | $555,923,023 | $506,606,604 | $502,367,168 |
| Revenue | $89,790,877 | $51,521,913 | $21,210,048 |
| Expenses | $40,572,226 | $39,701,112 | $51,185,973 |
| Qualifying Distributions | $33,484,227 | $33,073,925 | $44,436,358 |
| Net Investment Income | $83,328,911 | $44,968,249 | $14,805,360 |
| Distributable Amount | $28,028,069 | $24,607,710 | $26,600,476 |
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
250 grants across all recorded years
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from The George Gund Foundation
Giving History
Grant recipients and amounts by year
Among its reported 2024 grants, the largest include Center on Budget and Policy Priorities ($270,000), Case Western Reserve University ($250,000), City Club of Cleveland ($250,000).
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| ACCELERATOR FOR AMERICA LOS ANGELES, CA | NATIONAL HOUSING CRISIS TASK FORCE. | $50,000 |
| ACCESS HEALTH COLUMBUS COLUMBUS, OH | OHIO ALLIANCE FOR SCHOOL-BASED HEALTH OPERATING SUPPORT. | $50,000 |
| ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS FOR CHILDREN HIGHLAND HILLS, OH | PUBLIC POLICY, ADVOCACY AND ENGAGEMENT. | $50,000 |
| ACTION FOR THE CLIMATE EMERGENCY INC CHARLESTOWN, MA | OPERATING SUPPORT. | $100,000 |
| ADOPTION NETWORK CLEVELAND CLEVELAND, OH | OPERATING SUPPORT. | $50,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR JUSTICE WASHINGTON, DC | BOLDER ADVOCACY INITIATIVE. | $75,000 |
| ALLIANCE FOR THE GREAT LAKES CHICAGO, IL | OPERATING SUPPORT. | $100,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF OHIO FOUNDATION INC CLEVELAND, OH | CAMPAIGN FOR SMART JUSTICE. | $70,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF OHIO FOUNDATION INC CLEVELAND, OH | CUYAHOGA COUNTY YOUTH JUSTICE ACTION PLAN. | $50,000 |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION OF OHIO FOUNDATION INC CLEVELAND, OH | REPRODUCTIVE JUSTICE-RELATED LITIGATION EXPENSES. | $50,000 |
Leadership & Key People
Officers and directors from IRS filings
Compensation Overview
From 2024 IRS filing
From 2024 filing
| Name | Title | Hours | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| ANTHONY RICHARDSON | PRESIDENT | 40 | $369,065 |
| ANN MULLIN | EXECUTIVE VICE PRESIDENT | 40 | $270,744 |
| NANCY MENDEZ | VICE CHAIR, TRUSTEE | 2 | $6,000 |
| MARGARET BERNSTEIN | TRUSTEE | 2 | $6,000 |
| MARVIN HAYES | TRUSTEE | 2 | $6,000 |
| ZACHARY GUND | TREASURER, TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| CATHERINE GUND | CHAIR, TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| ANNA TRAGGIO | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| LARA GUND | SECRETARY, TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| GEOFFREY GUND | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
| TYLER GUND | TRUSTEE | 2 | — |
Recent News & Activity
Recent developments and announcements
The foundation announced the Ohio Climate Justice Fund, reflecting its commitment to addressing climate change and environmental degradation as a central challenge.
Announcing The Ohio Climate Justice FundThe foundation has supported initiatives including the Cleveland Water Alliance, a network of leading corporations, regional universities and research institutions, public agencies, and utilities in Northeast Ohio focused on water innovation and freshwater preservation.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does The George Gund Foundation fund?
The foundation's sole purpose, as indicated in its formation documents, is contributing to human well-being and the progress of society. The foundation operates with a deep commitment to place-based philanthropy, centering its work in Cleveland while recognizing that the city's solutions can benefit communities far beyond its boundaries. The foundation identifies three interrelated central challenges that propel its work: • **Climate change and environmental degradation** • **Entrenched and acc…
How do I apply for a grant from The George Gund Foundation?
The foundation prioritizes education projects with emphasis on new concepts. Recent grant activity demonstrates significant annual giving: • February 2026: $7.1 million awarded • Summer meeting: $7,045,543 awarded • September meeting: $8.9 million awarded • Recent grant: $5.56 million awarded The foundation invites potential partners to address one or more of the three central challenges in their applications. Applicants are asked to discuss how their organization has thought about and responde…
Where does The George Gund Foundation make grants?
The George Gund Foundation maintains a place-based focus centered on Cleveland, Ohio, a city of close to 400,000 residents and the heart of a metropolitan region of over 2 million people. The foundation's commitment to Cleveland derives from both its history and the belief that Cleveland can develop original responses to issues that benefit people everywhere. The foundation views Cleveland as offering important leverage to affect issues beyond the city's boundaries, including its roles as a pla…
What size grants does The George Gund Foundation award?
In 2024, The George Gund Foundation awarded 334 grants totaling $29.8M — an average of about $89K per grant, based on its IRS Form 990 filings.
How much is The George Gund Foundation required to give away each year?
Private foundations must generally distribute about 5% of their assets annually. For 2024, The George Gund Foundation reported a distributable amount of $28.0M on its IRS Form 990-PF — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
What is The George Gund Foundation's EIN?
The George Gund Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 34-6519769. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The George Gund Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Data last updated June 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated April 2026.
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