The Howe Family Foundation gives concentrated, place-based support primarily to higher education, local health care providers, and community foundations. Its largest awards are multi-hundred-thousand to multi-million dollar gifts to Ohio institutions (notably Miami University and regional hospitals) while also funding community and health organizations in Boca Grande, FL. The foundation appears to combine legacy endowments for universities with targeted community-health philanthropy and occasional support through donor-advised vehicles.
A defining feature of Howe Family Foundation C/o Roger L Howe Trustee’s recent giving is the scale of its support for Miami University and other Ohio institutions. In 2025, the foundation gave $2,000,000 to Miami University in Oxford and $1,000,000 to The Christ Hospital in Cincinnati, alongside a $1,000,500 grant to Ashland County Community Foundation. Those awards sit within a broader pattern of concentrated, place-based philanthropy that reaches higher education, regional health care, and local community infrastructure. The foundation’s recent grants also include support for Boca Grande, Florida, through Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation and Friends of Boca Grande, showing that its giving is not limited to a single Ohio metro area. Smaller gifts appear alongside the large awards, which suggests a mix of major institutional support and community-level grants. The named recipients point to a funder that backs endowments, hospital systems, community foundations, and civic groups rather than a narrow programmatic niche. Across the recent grant list, Ohio organizations account for much of the activity, with recurring support for institutions in Cincinnati, Oxford, and Ashland.
Higher education is a central part of the foundation’s recent grantmaking. In 2025, it gave $2,000,000 to Miami University in Oxford for general support, and in 2023 it added $75,000 to Miami University Foundation. Health care is another clear priority: The Christ Hospital received $1,000,000 in 2025, while The Christ Hospital Foundation received $10,000 in 2023. Community health in Boca Grande appears as a separate line of support, with $105,000 to Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation in 2025 and additional grants of $5,600 in 2024 and $5,500 in 2023. Local civic and conservation groups also receive funding, including $100,000 to Friends of Boca Grande and $5,000 to Gasparilla Island Conservation & Improvement Association in 2025.
Typical grants are small relative to the foundation’s largest awards: the distribution sits at $300 at the 25th percentile, $1,000 at the median, and $2,625 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also shows repeated support across years for several organizations, including United Way in Cincinnati, Artswave, Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation, Gasparilla Island Conservation & Improvement Association, and Mclaren Northern Michigan Foundation. That repeat pattern suggests ongoing relationships rather than one-time gifts in some areas. The foundation is a private family foundation, and it does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals. The recent grants are listed as general support.
$4.2M
$10.7M
$4.7M
$4.3M
Most grants fall between $300 and $3K, with a median of $1K.
25th Percentile
$300
Median
$1K
75th Percentile
$3K
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Highly concentrated portfolio: a small number of large, general-purpose grants (including repeat support to the same university), place-based focus on Ohio with supplementary giving in Boca Grande, FL; mix of institution-building gifts (endowments/major grants) and community foundation funding.
Notable grantees: Miami University / Miami University Foundation, The Christ Hospital (Cincinnati), Ashland County Community Foundation, Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation, Friends of Boca Grande
Ohio is the main recipient state, accounting for 54% of grants. The largest concentration is in Cincinnati and Oxford, with additional grants in Ashland, Toledo, Huron, and Birmingham, all in Ohio. Outside Ohio, the foundation’s grants reach Boca Grande, Florida, where several recipients appear multiple times, and smaller out-of-state gifts also go to Boston, Washington, DC, Greenville, Maine, and Petoskey, Michigan. All of the recent grants shown are to US recipients.
Recent grants go to higher-education institutions, hospitals and health-care providers, community foundations, and local civic groups. Examples include Miami University, The Christ Hospital, Ashland County Community Foundation, and Friends of Boca Grande. The named recipients show a mix of institution-building and place-based community support.
The grant-size distribution is relatively small at the center: the 25th percentile is $300, the median is $1,000, and the 75th percentile is $2,625. At the same time, the recent list includes much larger awards, including seven- and six-figure grants.
Yes. The recent grants list includes repeat support for United Way in Cincinnati across 2023, 2024, and 2025; Artswave in 2023, 2024, and 2025; Boca Grande Health Clinic Foundation in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and Gasparilla Island Conservation & Improvement Association in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
Ohio is the top state by grant count, with 54% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state. Recent Ohio recipients include organizations in Cincinnati, Oxford, Ashland, Toledo, Huron, and Birmingham, while Boca Grande, Florida, is the main non-Ohio cluster in the recent list.
No. The foundation’s profile shows that it does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. Its recent grants are all listed as general support to organizations.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| MIAMI UNIVERSITY | OXFORD, OH | $2,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ASHLAND COUNTY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | ASHLAND, OH | $1,000,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE CHRIST HOSPITAL | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,000,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC FOUNDATION | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $105,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $100,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| UNITED WAY | CINCINNATI, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ARTSWAVE | CINCINNATI, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| GASPARILLA ISLAND CONSERVATION & IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BIRMINGHAM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | BIRMINGHAM, OH | $4,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| MCLAREN NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOUNDATION | PETOSKEY, MI | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HEALTH NETWORK FOUNDATION | CHAGRIN FALLS, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| ARMSTRONG CHAPEL UMC | CINCINNATI, OH | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WALLOON LAKE ASSOCIATION | WALLOON LAKE, MI | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JUNIOR ACHIEVEMENT | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| JOHANN FUST LIBRARY | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| HERITAGE UNIVERSALIST UNITARIAN CHURCH | CINCINNATI, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOCA GRANDE DISASTER FUND | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| THE ISLAND SCHOOL | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CAMP STEPPING STONES | CINCINNATI, OH | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI WORKS | CINCINNATI, OH | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FOREST BLUFF SCHOOL | LAKE BLUFF, IL | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TRISTATE WARBIRD MUSEUM | BATAVIA, OH | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| TAFT MUSEUM OF ART | CINCINNATI, OH | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| PAN-MASS CHALLENGE | NEEDHAM, MA | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| LADD | CINCINNATI, OH | $500 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BREAKTHROUGH T1D | NEW YORK, NY | $300 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF ENGLEWOOD | ENGLEWOOD, FL | $300 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $300 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| BOCA GRANDE HISTORICAL SOCIETY | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $300 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FREE STORE FOOD BANK | CINCINNATI, OH | $300 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| SARASOTA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION | SARASOTA, FL | $200 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| WALLOON SAILORS | PETOSKEY, MI | $200 | 2025 | GENERAL |
| FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND | BOSTON, MA | $75,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| PORTMAN CNTR ENDOWMENT UC FD | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ACTA | WASHINGTON, DC | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| UNITED WAY | CINCINNATI, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BOCA GRANDE HEALTH CLINIC FOUNDATION | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $5,600 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| ARTSWAVE | CINCINNATI, OH | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| GASPARILLA ISLAND CONSERVATION & IMPROVEMENT ASSOCIATION | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| MCLAREN NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOUNDATION | PETOSKEY, MI | $2,500 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THE ISLAND SCHOOL | BOCA GRANDE, FL | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| BIRMINGHAM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH | BIRMINGHAM, OH | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| HEALTH NETWORK FOUNDATION | CHAGRIN FALLS, OH | $2,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| UNIVERSITY UNITARIAN CHURCH | LANSING, MI | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WAKEMAN COMMUNITY LIBRARY | WAKEMAN, OH | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| WALLOON LAKE ASSOCIATION | WALLOON LAKE, MI | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
| THOMAS G LABRECQUE FOUNDATION | ALEXANDRIA, VA | $1,000 | 2024 | GENERAL |
MIAMI UNIVERSITY
$2,000,000GENERAL
THE CHRIST HOSPITAL
$1,000,000GENERAL
FRIENDS OF BOCA GRANDE
$100,000GENERAL
UNITED WAY
$10,000GENERAL
ARTSWAVE
$5,000GENERAL
BIRMINGHAM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$4,000GENERAL
MCLAREN NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL
ARMSTRONG CHAPEL UMC
$2,000GENERAL
CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM
$1,500GENERAL
WALLOON LAKE ASSOCIATION
$1,000GENERAL
JOHANN FUST LIBRARY
$1,000GENERAL
HERITAGE UNIVERSALIST UNITARIAN CHURCH
$1,000GENERAL
BOCA GRANDE DISASTER FUND
$1,000GENERAL
CAMP STEPPING STONES
$500GENERAL
FOREST BLUFF SCHOOL
$500GENERAL
TRISTATE WARBIRD MUSEUM
$500GENERAL
PAN-MASS CHALLENGE
$500GENERAL
BOYS AND GIRLS CLUB OF ENGLEWOOD
$300GENERAL
BOCA GRANDE HISTORICAL SOCIETY
$300GENERAL
SARASOTA HEALTHCARE FOUNDATION
$200GENERAL
WALLOON SAILORS
$200GENERAL
FIDELITY CHARITABLE GIFT FUND
$75,000GENERAL
PORTMAN CNTR ENDOWMENT UC FD
$25,000GENERAL
UNITED WAY
$10,000GENERAL
ARTSWAVE
$5,000GENERAL
MCLAREN NORTHERN MICHIGAN FOUNDATION
$2,500GENERAL
BIRMINGHAM UNITED METHODIST CHURCH
$2,000GENERAL
UNIVERSITY UNITARIAN CHURCH
$1,000GENERAL
WAKEMAN COMMUNITY LIBRARY
$1,000GENERAL
WALLOON LAKE ASSOCIATION
$1,000GENERAL