Charles H. Dater Foundation Grants

Charles H. Dater Foundation Grants

Status: ACTIVE
Funder: Charles H. Dater Foundation
Amount: Approximately US $14,000
Last Updated: November 21, 2025

Summary

The Charles H. Dater Foundation Grants support programs benefiting children in Greater Cincinnati. Established in 1985, the Foundation focuses on arts, education, healthcare, social services, and community needs. Grant applications require a pre-application summary for feedback. Funds are typically awarded within two weeks, following a thorough evaluation process. The Foundation encourages leveraging grants for additional funding and values effective use of volunteer resources, ensuring ongoing support for community enrichment.

Overview

NOTE: Lest a grant applicant spend undue time filling out the complete online form for a grant application request that is not likely to be funded, the Foundation will accept a one-page "pre-application summary proposal" and provide feedback to an organization.The Grant Request/Application process requires a minimum of 30-60 days from the time an application is received until a grant request is approved or declined. Note that the Grant Request/Application form asks the date by which a funding decision is requested or needed. Directors/officers meet monthly to evaluate grant applications. Once an application is approved, funds are dispersed to the grant recipient organization in about two weeks. Background The Foundation was established in 1985 by fourth-generation Cincinnati businessman and philanthropist Charles H. Dater (1912-1993) to ensure that funding for worthwhile community programs that enrich the lives of children would continue after his death as well as to preserve the memory of the Dater family name. Charles Dater was the great-grandson of Adam Dater and the grandson of Gilbert Dater. His father Charles Henry Dater died when Charles was only 17 years old, and he was thrust into helping his mother with management of the family's holdings at an early age. He graduated from the University of Cincinnati and earned his M.B.A. at Harvard University. When his mother died, his full-time focus became the family's investments and residential land development in Western Hills. He lived modestly throughout his lifetime and wanted no recognition for his philanthropy. Grantmaking Focus The Foundation makes grants for programs that benefit children in the region in the areas of: arts/culture,education,healthcare,social services, and other community needs. Grants are usually made for one year and subsequent grants for an extended or ongoing program are based on an evaluation of annual results. Multiple grants to an organization in the Foundation's same fiscal year (September through August) are possible, but rare. The Foundation's directors/officers regularly evaluate the grantmaking focus and priorities based on an assessment of current community needs and available resources.

Eligibility

You can learn more about this opportunity by visiting the funder's website. The Foundation serves Greater Cincinnati, which is defined as the eight-county area made up of Hamilton, Butler, Warren and Clermont in Ohio; Boone, Kenton and Campbell in Northern Kentucky; and Dearborn in Indiana.

Ineligibility

The Foundation does not make grants to individuals, for scholarships for individuals, for debt reduction, and, with rare exception, for capital fund projects.