The Fairfax Foundation concentrates much of its giving in Greater Cleveland-area education and youth development, providing large, multi-year gifts to independent K–12 schools and neighborhood-focused programs while also supporting social services, faith-based ministries, and select environmental and global health/human rights causes. Their portfolio mixes a few very large education commitments with a broader set of smaller grants that span local community nonprofits, international relief/advocacy groups, and faith organizations, indicating both place-based priorities and some interest in global impact.
Fairfax Foundation’s recent giving is dominated by four $750,000 grants in 2025, each directed to a Greater Cleveland education or youth program: Hathaway Brown School, University School, Urban Squash Cleveland, and Urban Community School. That combination points to a funder that commits at a flagship level to independent schools and neighborhood-based youth enrichment, rather than scattering support across many small education awards. Beyond those large commitments, the foundation also makes six-figure gifts to social-service organizations such as Our Family Services and Emerge, and it adds smaller grants to health, arts, faith, and advocacy groups. The result is a portfolio that pairs concentrated institutional support with broader discretionary giving. Fairfax Foundation also reaches beyond Northeast Ohio in selected areas. Its recent grants include environmental work with Trees Water & People and Pachamama Alliance, humanitarian funding for Doctors Without Borders and Givewell, and human-rights support for Human Rights Watch. The pattern suggests a grantmaker that prioritizes local education and youth development while maintaining a visible interest in social services and a smaller set of national and international causes.
Education is the clearest center of gravity in Fairfax Foundation’s grantmaking. In 2025, the foundation gave $750,000 to Hathaway Brown School and another $750,000 to University School, showing sustained support for private independent K–12 education in Greater Cleveland. Youth enrichment is another active area: Urban Squash Cleveland received $750,000, and Urban Community School received $750,000, linking school support with programs that serve students outside a traditional classroom setting. The foundation also backs family and behavioral health services. Our Family Services received $250,000, and Emerge received $200,000, placing social-service and client-support organizations among its larger recent awards. Outside Ohio, Fairfax Foundation has funded environmental and sustainability work through Trees Water & People at $215,000 and Pachamama Alliance at $50,000, indicating selective support for projects beyond its core local portfolio.
Fairfax Foundation’s typical grant size is tightly clustered: the 25th percentile, median, and 75th percentile are $5,000, $5,000, and $10,000. That sits alongside a few much larger strategic awards, including multiple $750,000 gifts in 2025. The giving pattern mixes flagship commitments with smaller discretionary grants across health, arts, faith, and advocacy groups. The foundation is not a fund for individuals and does not make program-related investments. Recent grants show repeated support for some organizations across the portfolio style, especially in Cleveland-area education and youth development, suggesting a multi-year, relationship-based approach rather than one-off project funding.
$4.6M
$2.6M
$2.2M
$4.7M
Most grants fall between $5K and $10K, with a median of $5K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$5K
75th Percentile
$10K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Fairfax Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 88 | $4.8M | 97.8% |
| 2 | Canada | 2 |
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Concentrated funding style with a few very large, repeat grants to flagship local schools and youth programs, plus numerous smaller discretionary gifts to local social-service, faith-based, environmental, and international organizations. Combination of repeat multi-year commitments and one-off smaller awards across both local and global causes.
Notable grantees: Hathaway Brown School, Urban Squash Cleveland, Urban Community School, Trees, Water & People, Our Family Services
Fairfax Foundation gives nationally, but the recipient map is heavily weighted toward Ohio: 53% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Cleveland appears repeatedly as a recipient city, including Urban Squash Cleveland, Urban Community School, the ACLU of Ohio, Lake View Cemetery Foundation, Cleveland Museum of Art, University Hospitals, and Jewish Family Service Association of Cleveland. The foundation also sends grants to Tucson, Fort Collins, and Denver, and its non-U.S. activity is limited but present, with two grants recorded in Canada.
The foundation’s strongest pattern is support for private independent K–12 schools and urban youth development in Greater Cleveland, alongside family and behavioral health services in Northeast Ohio. It also funds environmental sustainability projects, faith-based ministries, and selected global health and human-rights groups.
Typical grants are small and consistent: the 25th percentile is $5,000, the median is $5,000, and the 75th percentile is $10,000. The distribution sits alongside a few much larger awards, including $750,000 grants in 2025.
No. Ohio receives the largest share of grants, with 53% going to recipients in the HQ state, but the foundation also funds organizations in Arizona, Colorado, California, Florida, New York, and Canada. Its recent portfolio includes national and international causes as well as local Ohio grantees.
Yes. Education is a major part of the portfolio, especially in Greater Cleveland. Recent grants include $750,000 to Hathaway Brown School and $750,000 to University School, plus major support for Urban Squash Cleveland and Urban Community School.
Recent grants also support social services, environmental work, faith-based organizations, health, arts, and advocacy. Examples include funding for Our Family Services, Trees Water & People, Doctors Without Borders, Human Rights Watch, and the Cleveland Museum of Art.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
| $60K |
2.2% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL | CLEVELAND, OH | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY SCHOOL | HUNTING VALLEY, OH | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL | SHAKER HEIGHTS, OH | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| URBAN SQUASH CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $750,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OUR FAMILY SERVICES | TUSCON, AZ | $250,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TREES WATER & PEOPLE | FORT COLLINS, CO | $215,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| EMERGE | TUSCON, AZ | $200,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SEPTEMBER SCHOOL | BOULDER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PACHAMAMA ALLIANCE | SAN FRANCISCO, CA | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE KIVA CENTER | BOULDER, CO | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GOD'S VAST RESOURCES | TUSCON, AZ | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE SOCIETY OF AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION | MIAMI, FL | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GOSPEL RESCUE MISSION INC | TUSCON, AZ | $47,447 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LAKE VIEW CEMETERY FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER OHIO | AKRON, OH | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO INC | — | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC | NEW YORK, NY | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ACLU OF OHIO | CLEVELAND, OH | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ST AUGUSTINE CATHEDRAL | TUSCON, AZ | $40,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GIVEWELL | LAKELAND, FL | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CHURCH OF GOD INTERNATIONAL OFFICE | CHARLESTON, TN | $25,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART | CLEVELAND, OH | $22,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HABITAT FOR HUMANITY | FORT COLLINS, CO | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SHAW FESTIVAL | — | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF CLEVELAND | BEACHWOOD, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| REDLINE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CSU FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR | FORT COLLINS, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| VIVE WELLNESS | DENVER, CO | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SUSTAINABLE LIVING ASSOCIATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES | DENVER, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CENTER FOR DOCUMENTARY AND ETHNOGRAPHIC MEDIA | BOULDER, CO | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SAINT IGNATIUS HIGH SCHOOL | CLEVELAND, OH | $7,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LYCEUM | SOUTH EUCLID, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOWARD HANNA CHILDREN'S | PITTSBURGH, PA | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GRASP | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STUBENVILLE | STUBENVILLE, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ZELIE'S HOME | GARFIELD HEIGHTS, OH | $3,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS | KIRTLAND, OH | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA | CLEVELAND, OH | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE PRIESTLY FRATERNITY OF ST PETER | SOUTH ABINGTON TOWNSHI, PA | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | CLEVELAND, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CATO INSTITUTE | WASHINGTON, DC | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF MARIAPOCH | BURTON, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BIRTHRIGHT GEAUGA | NEWBURY TOWNSHIP, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| OUR LADY OF LOURDES NATIONAL SHRINE | EUCLID, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
URBAN COMMUNITY SCHOOL
$750,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY SCHOOL
$750,000GENERAL
HATHAWAY BROWN SCHOOL
$750,000GENERAL
URBAN SQUASH CLEVELAND
$750,000GENERAL
OUR FAMILY SERVICES
$250,000GENERAL
TREES WATER & PEOPLE
$215,000GENERAL
EMERGE
GENERAL
SEPTEMBER SCHOOL
$50,000GENERAL
DOCTORS WITHOUT BORDERS
$50,000GENERAL
PACHAMAMA ALLIANCE
$50,000GENERAL
THE KIVA CENTER
$50,000GENERAL
GOD'S VAST RESOURCES
$50,000GENERAL
HUNTINGTON'S DISEASE SOCIETY OF AMERICA
$50,000GENERAL
PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL
GOSPEL RESCUE MISSION INC
$47,447GENERAL
LAKE VIEW CEMETERY FOUNDATION
$40,000GENERAL
PLANNED PARENTHOOD OF GREATER OHIO
$40,000GENERAL
AMERICAN FRIENDS OF THE ART GALLERY OF ONTARIO INC
$40,000GENERAL
HUMAN RIGHTS WATCH INC
$40,000GENERAL
ACLU OF OHIO
$40,000GENERAL
ST AUGUSTINE CATHEDRAL
$40,000GENERAL
GIVEWELL
$30,000GENERAL
CHURCH OF GOD INTERNATIONAL OFFICE
$25,000GENERAL
CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF ART
$22,500GENERAL
HABITAT FOR HUMANITY
$20,000GENERAL
SHAW FESTIVAL
$20,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS
$20,000GENERAL
JEWISH FAMILY SERVICE ASSOCIATION OF CLEVELAND
$20,000GENERAL
REDLINE CONTEMPORARY ART CENTER
$15,000GENERAL
CSU FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL
NEIGHBOR TO NEIGHBOR
$15,000GENERAL
VIVE WELLNESS
$15,000GENERAL
SUSTAINABLE LIVING ASSOCIATION
$10,000GENERAL
WORLD CENTRAL KITCHEN
$10,000GENERAL
LUTHERAN FAMILY SERVICES
$10,000GENERAL
CENTER FOR DOCUMENTARY AND ETHNOGRAPHIC MEDIA
$10,000GENERAL
SAINT IGNATIUS HIGH SCHOOL
$7,500GENERAL
LYCEUM
$5,000GENERAL
HOWARD HANNA CHILDREN'S
$5,000GENERAL
GRASP
$5,000GENERAL
FRANCISCAN UNIVERSITY OF STUBENVILLE
$5,000GENERAL
ZELIE'S HOME
$3,000GENERAL
HOLDEN FORESTS & GARDENS
$2,500GENERAL
CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA
$2,500GENERAL
THE PRIESTLY FRATERNITY OF ST PETER
$2,000GENERAL
CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$2,000GENERAL
CATO INSTITUTE
$2,000GENERAL
SHRINE OF OUR LADY OF MARIAPOCH
$2,000GENERAL
BIRTHRIGHT GEAUGA
$2,000GENERAL
OUR LADY OF LOURDES NATIONAL SHRINE
$2,000GENERAL