The Ross Charitable Trust
The Ross Charitable Trust is a private foundation based in Cincinnati, Ohio. It supports preselected charitable organizations; its 2025 filing reports grants to organizations in Ohio and Kentucky.
The Ross Charitable Trust at a glance
In short: The Ross Charitable Trust gave $154K across 14 grants in 2025 (avg $11K), mostly in Ohio. 0% of 2025 grantees were new. Source: 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2025)
- $153,999
- +14.1% vs 2024
- Grants made (2025)
- 14
- +0.0% vs 2024
- Average grant
- $11,000
- +14.1% vs 2024
- Median grant
- $12,119
- Total assets
- $3,090,586
- +5.2% vs 2024
- New grantees (estimate)
- 0% first-time grantees (0 of 14, 2025; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (61% of itemized 2025 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2025 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2025; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to The Ross Charitable Trust
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- No
- How to Apply
-
The trust does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations.
- Contact
Mailing address: PO Box 630858, Cincinnati, OH 45263-0858
Phone: (513) 534-5310
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Who The Ross Charitable Trust funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2025
The largest 2025 recipient was Freestore Foodbank Inc ($34K). Together the top 10 received $146K.
Grant Size Distribution
70 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 70 grants of 70 (100%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The 2025 filing reports that 61% of grant dollars went to recipients in Ohio and 39% to recipients in Kentucky.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2025 grant dollars across all 14 itemized grants.
Cities
Is The Ross Charitable Trust open to new grantees?
0%
first-time grantees, 2025
In 2025, 0 of 14 grantees (0%) were first-time recipients. With only 14 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 7 points. How we count
- 100% of 2025 grantees were also funded in 2024. Method
- Giving held roughly steady from 2022 to 2025 (−1%). Method
- In 2025 it paid out 99% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Foundations have until the end of the next year to meet it. 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.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2025, annual grant giving ranged from $135K (2024) to $156K (2022). In 2025 it made 14 grants totaling $154K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Freestore Foodbank Inc Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $33,586 |
| St Andrews Episcopal Church Fort Thomas, KY | Annual Fund | $25,276 |
| Alice Lloyd College Pippa Passes, KY | Annual Fund | $15,581 |
| Taft Museum of Art Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $13,504 |
| Cincinnati Art Museum Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $13,504 |
| City Gospel Mission Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $12,811 |
| Fairhaven Rescue Mission Covington, KY | Annual Fund | $12,811 |
| Cincinnati Museum Center Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $11,426 |
| Church of the Nativity Maysville, KY | Annual Fund | $5,000 |
| Mary Magdalene Foundation Cincinnati, OH | Annual Fund | $2,500 |
Ready to take the next step with The Ross Charitable Trust?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | $3,090,586 | $333,540 | $180,697 | $153,999 | 14 | $159,136 | $306,149 | $159,957 |
| 2024 | $2,937,850 | $199,703 | $177,938 | $135,000 | 14 | $139,213 | $178,036 | $152,150 |
| 2023 | $2,913,937 | $781,870 | $163,686 | $135,001 | 14 | $138,848 | $762,306 | $126,656 |
| 2022 | $2,297,283 | $303,052 | $183,347 | $155,500 | 14 | $159,390 | $283,650 | $139,576 |
| 2021 | $2,178,493 | $206,532 | $164,216 | $139,002 | 14 | $139,590 | $182,442 | $154,660 |
| 2020 | $2,136,193 | $38,030 | $157,591 | $137,500 | 14 | — | $36,915 | $125,102 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, The Ross Charitable Trust reported a distributable amount of $160K for 2025 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations working in areas such as hunger relief, education, social services, art, museums, and music. For example, Freestore Foodbank says its mission is to improve lives by eliminating hunger in partnership with its community; Alice Lloyd College describes its mission as educating mountain people for leadership; and the Taft Museum of Art says it connects people with great art through experiences in a historic setting and in the community. These are the grantees’ stated missions, not the trust’s.
Grantmaking
In filing year 2025, the trust reported 14 grants totaling $153,999. Grants ranged from $2,000 to $33,586, with a median grant of $12,118. The largest grants included $33,586 to Freestore Foodbank, $25,276 to St Andrews Episcopal Church, $15,581 to Alice Lloyd College, and $13,504 each to the Taft Museum of Art and Cincinnati Art Museum. All listed 2025 grants were designated for “annual fund.”
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
Fifth Third Bank N A is listed as trustee on the 2025 filing.
The Ross Charitable Trust's only listed officer is Fifth Third Bank N A, Trustee on every filing since 2020 (compensated).
Officers on the 2025 filing
Fifth Third Bank N A
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
$18K (2020) → $24K (2025)
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 $24K, to Fifth Third Bank N a (Trustee).
Frequently asked questions about The Ross Charitable Trust
How much does The Ross Charitable Trust give each year?
The Ross Charitable Trust gave $154K across 14 grants in 2025, according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2024 it gave $135K across 14 grants.
What is The Ross Charitable Trust's typical grant size?
The Ross Charitable Trust's median grant in 2025 was $12,119, and its average grant was $11,000, across 14 grants on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Where does The Ross Charitable Trust give grants?
The Ross Charitable Trust gives mostly in Ohio: 61% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The next largest state was Kentucky (39%). The most frequent recipient cities were Cincinnati, OH (9 grants).
Does The Ross Charitable Trust give general operating support?
Yes: 100% of The Ross Charitable Trust's 2025 grants with a stated purpose (14 of 14) were for general or operating support, per its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF.
Who are The Ross Charitable Trust's largest grantees?
The Ross Charitable Trust's largest 2025 grantees include Freestore Foodbank Inc ($33,586), St Andrews Episcopal Church ($25,276) and Alice Lloyd College ($15,581), according to its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 48% of its itemized 2025 grant dollars.
How large is The Ross Charitable Trust?
The Ross Charitable Trust reported $3.1M in total assets on its 2025 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $159K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $160K (roughly 5% of its investment assets). Falling short in one year is not a violation: foundations have until the end of the next year to meet the minimum.
What does The Ross Charitable Trust fund?
No mission statement for the trust is provided. Its 2025 grantees include organizations working in areas such as hunger relief, education, social services, art, museums, and music. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from The Ross Charitable Trust?
The trust does not accept unsolicited requests for funds and states that it makes contributions only to preselected charitable organizations. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is The Ross Charitable Trust's EIN?
The Ross Charitable Trust's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 61-6600794. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2025.
Does The Ross Charitable Trust accept unsolicited proposals?
No, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(2)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- Added Form 990-PF for fiscal year 2025 (received by the IRS May 4, 2026)
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in The Ross Charitable Trust's focus areas in our free grants database
Similar Funders
Funders that support many of the same organizations
The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation CO
Cincinnati, OH
The Wohlgemuth Herschede Foundation supported a range of charitable organizations, including arts and culture, education, housing, hunger relief, and animal welfare, primarily in the greater Cincinnati area. In 2022, it made 126 grants totaling about $1.03 million, typically $5,000 (with awards from $1,000 to $40,000). Its 2022 filing said it accepted letters and did not limit grants to preselected organizations; this is historical information, and no later filing is reported.
Assets
$11.7M
Grants
126
Total Given
$1.0M
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation funds nonprofits working on education, housing, community and cultural vibrancy, and related regional needs, with responsive grants focused on its eight-county Greater Cincinnati service area. Its 2024 median grant was $20,000, though amounts vary widely; specific opportunities include awards of up to $35,000 for Resilient Communities and up to $450,000 through the Neighborhood Development Fund. It lists RFP and letter-of-intent opportunities but does not state whether it accepts unsolicited requests.
Assets
$1.0B
Grants
1,408
Total Given
$184.4M
Farmer Family Foundation
Cincinnati, OH
The Farmer Family Foundation supports arts, education, child advocacy, healthcare, research, and other charitable work, with most 2024 grant dollars going to Ohio organizations. Its 2024 grants ranged from $500 to $15 million, with a median of $15,000; the filing describes submitting a letter with the request purpose and amount plus general organizational information, and states no deadline or award restrictions.
Assets
$242.2M
Grants
181
Total Given
$49.6M
L & L Nippert Charitable Foundation Inc
Blue Ash, OH
The L & L Nippert Charitable Foundation supports 501(c)(3) public charities serving the Greater Cincinnati Tri-State Area of Ohio, Indiana, and Kentucky, with grants for cultural arts, education, the environment, and health. In 2025, grants ranged from $7,500 to $300,000, with a median of $50,000. It accepts applications through an online portal during its annual June 1–August 1 application period.
Assets
$62.7M
Grants
81
Total Given
$5.3M
Carol Ann and Ralph V Haile Jr
Cincinnati, OH
The foundation funds arts and culture, civic and community initiatives, education, and human services in Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky, with a typical grant around $25,000 (2024 grants ranged from $5,000 to $1 million). It says it funds preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Assets
$283.2M
Grants
167
Total Given
$11.8M
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust
Cincinnati, OH
The trust supports health, arts and culture, education, hunger relief, and religious organizations, primarily in Ohio, with some funding in Kentucky. Its 2025 grants ranged from $5,000 to $500,000, with a median of $50,000. It accepts requests by letter through Fifth Third Bank N.A.; no deadline is listed.
Assets
$55.7M
Grants
47
Total Given
$3.9M
More similar funders
More Funders in Ohio
Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). The Ross Charitable Trust funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 11, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/the-ross-charitable-trust-morg_0eadf045ecb9434987b8ef9500bfaa17
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_616600794_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{The Ross Charitable Trust funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/the-ross-charitable-trust-morg_0eadf045ecb9434987b8ef9500bfaa17},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-11. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from The Ross Charitable Trust's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
The Ross Charitable Trust down — hundreds of funders to go?