The Ford S. & Ada Fund Foundation concentrates philanthropic support in its local Ohio community, prioritizing healthcare access and direct medical assistance for low-income residents, with a strong relationship to Catholic-affiliated social services. It also funds regional healthcare institutions and workforce/education infrastructure, favoring operational support that sustains service delivery. The foundation's giving is characterized by a few sizable grants rather than many small awards, and it repeatedly supports a primary charitable partner for client-facing assistance.
Ford S N & Ada Fund Pfdn’s recent giving is anchored by repeated large support for medical assistance to needy patients through Catholic Charities, with three annual grants of $390,424 in 2025, $379,000 in 2024, and $331,000 in 2023. That pattern sits alongside a broader local portfolio that mixes health care access, education, and community support. The foundation’s larger awards are mostly general operating grants, including support for Ohiohealth Foundation, Akron Childrens Hospital Foundation, North Central Statecollege Foundation, and Third Street Clinic. It also backs organizations that deliver direct services to low-income residents, such as Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Ser and Friendly House. Smaller project grants appear as well, including support for the Sterkel Park project through Richland Community Development Group. Across the grants listed, the foundation favors organizations that provide ongoing services rather than one-time activities, and it appears to maintain multi-year relationships with several recipients. Its giving is concentrated in a few significant awards rather than many small ones.
Healthcare access is the clearest theme in the foundation’s grantmaking. Beyond the Catholic Charities medical-assistance grants, it gave $100,000 in 2024 to Ohiohealth Foundation for general operating support and $42,500 in 2024 to Third Street Family Health Services for general operating support. It also supported Third Street Clinic in Grand Forks, North Dakota with $82,500 in 2023. Education and workforce infrastructure is another area: North Central Statecollege Foundation received $87,723 in 2024 and $45,431 in 2025, while The Ohio State University at Mansfield received $32,032 in 2024. Community and family services show up in smaller awards, including $25,000 in 2023 and $10,000 in 2024 to Friendly House for campership assistance, plus $5,000 in 2023 to Hospice of North Central Ohio for bereavement camperships.
The listed grants cluster around mid-five-figure awards, with a p25 of $32,032, a median of $54,574, and a p75 of $87,723. The foundation also makes some larger four- and six-figure grants, including recurring support to the same organizations across multiple years. Catholic Charities appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for the same medical-assistance purpose, and Madison Local Board of Education, Richland County Foundation, Akron Childrens Hospital Foundation, and North Central Statecollege Foundation each receive repeat grants. The foundation is a private foundation and does not fund individuals or make program-related investments. The grants shown are awarded through direct grants rather than an application-based public program.
$649K
$15M
$549K
$748K
Most grants fall between $32K and $88K, with a median of $55K.
25th Percentile
$32K
Median
$55K
75th Percentile
$88K
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Concentrated, large-dollar grants with repeat funding to a primary grantee (Catholic Charities) and a small number of substantial grants to regional health and education institutions.
Notable grantees: Catholic Charities, OhioHealth Foundation, Akron Children's Hospital Foundation, Third Street Clinic, North Central State College Foundation
Grantmaking is highly concentrated in Ohio, with 82% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s headquarters state. Mansfield, OH appears frequently, including grants to Madison Local Board of Education, Richland County Foundation, Family Life Counseling & Psychiatric Ser, North Central Statecollege Foundation, and The Ohio State University at Mansfield. Columbus, Akron, Ashland, and Grand Forks also appear among recipient cities. Outside Ohio, the only recipient location in the recent grants list is New York, NY, through Catholic Charities. The top state by grant count is North Dakota, driven by Third Street Clinic in Grand Forks.
The foundation most often supports organizations that provide direct health and social services. Recent grants include medical assistance for needy patients, general operating support for clinics and hospitals, campership assistance, and education-related support for local institutions such as school and college foundations.
Yes. Catholic Charities received grants in 2023, 2024, and 2025 for medical assistance. Several other recipients also reappear across years, including Madison Local Board of Education, Richland County Foundation, Akron Childrens Hospital Foundation, and North Central Statecollege Foundation.
The grant-size distribution centers in the mid-five figures. The p25 is $32,032, the median is $54,574, and the p75 is $87,723. The list also includes larger awards above $300,000 and smaller project grants under $25,000.
Most grants go to Ohio recipients, which account for 82% of the grants in the list. Mansfield, OH is a frequent recipient city, alongside Columbus, Akron, and Ashland. The top state by grant count is North Dakota, with Third Street Clinic in Grand Forks.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | NEW YORK, NY | $346,905 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| TAKING ROOT FARMS | MANSFIELD, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MADISON LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $72,000 | 2026 | SCHOLARSHIP FUND |
| RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $60,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER INC | MANSFIELD, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| M1 CHURCH AND KIDS ACADEMY | MANSFIELD, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | NEW YORK, NY | $390,424 | 2025 | MEDICAL ASSTANCE FOR NEEDY |
| MADISON LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $76,900 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $60,000 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTH CENTRAL STATECOLLEGE FOUNDATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $45,431 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RICHLAND COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GROUP | MANSFIELD, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | STERKEL PARK PROJECT |
| RUBIES WOMEN'S GROUP | MANSFIELD, OH | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | NEW YORK, NY | $379,000 | 2024 | MEDICAL ASSTANCE FOR NEEDY |
| OHIOHEALTH FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NORTH CENTRAL STATECOLLEGE FOUNDATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $87,723 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $58,483 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| AKRON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | AKRON, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THIRD STREET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES | MANSFIELD, OH | $42,500 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AT MANSFIELD | MANSFIELD, OH | $32,032 | 2024 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRIENDLY HOUSE | MANSFIELD, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | CAMPERSHIP ASSISTANCE |
| CATHOLIC CHARITIES | NEW YORK, NY | $331,000 | 2023 | MEDICAL ASSTANCE FOR NEEDY |
| AKRON CHILDRENS HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | AKRON, OH | $100,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THIRD STREET CLINIC | GRAND FORKS, ND | $82,500 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MADISON LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $60,600 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FAMILY LIFE COUNSELING & PSYCHIATRIC SER | MANSFIELD, OH | $54,574 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION | MANSFIELD, OH | $50,000 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FRIENDLY HOUSE | MANSFIELD, OH | $25,000 | 2023 | CAMPERSHIP ASSISTANCE |
| HOSPICE OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO | ASHLAND, OH | $5,000 | 2023 | BEREAVEMENT CAMPERSHIPS |
| SPIRE | ASHLAND, OH | $605 | 2023 | GENERAL OPERATING |
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$346,905GENERAL OPERATING
MADISON LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION
$72,000SCHOLARSHIP FUND
RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION
$60,000GENERAL OPERATING
THE DOMESTIC VIOLENCE SHELTER INC
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
M1 CHURCH AND KIDS ACADEMY
$20,000GENERAL OPERATING
CATHOLIC CHARITIES
$390,424MEDICAL ASSTANCE FOR NEEDY
MADISON LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION
$76,900GENERAL OPERATING
RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION
$60,000GENERAL OPERATING
NORTH CENTRAL STATECOLLEGE FOUNDATION
$45,431GENERAL OPERATING
RUBIES WOMEN'S GROUP
$2,500GENERAL OPERATING
OHIOHEALTH FOUNDATION
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
NORTH CENTRAL STATECOLLEGE FOUNDATION
$87,723GENERAL OPERATING
RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION
$58,483GENERAL OPERATING
THIRD STREET FAMILY HEALTH SERVICES
$42,500GENERAL OPERATING
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY AT MANSFIELD
$32,032GENERAL OPERATING
THIRD STREET CLINIC
$82,500GENERAL OPERATING
MADISON LOCAL BOARD OF EDUCATION
$60,600GENERAL OPERATING
FAMILY LIFE COUNSELING & PSYCHIATRIC SER
$54,574GENERAL OPERATING
RICHLAND COUNTY FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
HOSPICE OF NORTH CENTRAL OHIO
$5,000BEREAVEMENT CAMPERSHIPS
SPIRE
$605GENERAL OPERATING