The Louise Taft Semple Foundation makes a small number of sizable, unrestricted grants focused on Greater Cincinnati organizations that serve children and young people, especially through performing arts and youth development. Their giving emphasizes core/general support rather than project-specific funding, signaling trust in grantee operations. The foundation appears to prioritize local cultural institutions and youth services that provide developmental and enrichment opportunities for Cincinnati children.
Highly concentrated: few (three) large general‑operating grants exclusively to local Greater Cincinnati organizations. Grants are unrestricted/general support rather than program‑restricted, indicating preference for sustaining core operations. Funding is focused rather than distributed across many causes.
A $300,000 general grant to Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati is the clearest sign of the Louise Taft Semple Foundation’s style: it backs Cincinnati institutions that serve children and young people, and it often does so with large, unrestricted awards. The foundation’s recent giving shows a strong preference for cultural and youth-serving organizations that can shape development outside the classroom, including performing arts groups, youth-development providers, and local schools. Its portfolio is concentrated in Greater Cincinnati and leans toward core support rather than tightly scoped project funding. General grants to Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati, Artworks, and The Seven Hills School show how the foundation supports organizations across different parts of the youth-serving ecosystem, from after-school programs to arts and education. The pattern is consistent with trust-based funding: the foundation appears to favor established local nonprofits that work directly with Cincinnati children and young people. The result is a grantmaking profile defined less by many small awards than by a smaller number of meaningful commitments to organizations rooted in the city’s cultural and developmental life.
Children’s performing arts are a major thread in the foundation’s grantmaking. In 2024, it gave $300,000 to Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati for general support, and in 2023 it provided $200,000 to Cincinnati Theatre of Cincinnati for general support. Those awards sit alongside support for other arts institutions that reach young audiences. Youth development is another clear area of support. The foundation gave $260,000 in 2025 to Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati for general support, reflecting its interest in out-of-school settings for children and teens. The portfolio also includes education-linked and community-based cultural support. General grants to Cincinnati Country Day School, Springer School and Center, and Prokids show attention to organizations that serve young people through learning, enrichment, or development. Artswave and the Contemporary Arts Center extend that pattern into the broader arts ecosystem serving Cincinnati families.
Typical grants cluster in the sizable range: the 25th percentile is $10,000, the median is $15,000, and the 75th percentile is $30,000. The recent grants list, however, shows a highly concentrated upper tier of general operating awards, with multiple six-figure gifts. This is a recurring grantmaker rather than a one-off funder. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Cincinnati Country Day School, The Seven Hills School, Artworks, Artswave, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Mercantile Library, Springer School and Center, and Ladd - Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled. The pattern suggests ongoing relationships and repeated support. The foundation is not a DAF or program-related investor; it operates as a private foundation with a local giving profile.
$2.2M
$27.4M
$4.7M
$2.6M
Most grants fall between $10K and $30K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$30K
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Notable grantees: Children's Theatre of Cincinnati, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati, Cincinnati Theatre (Cincinnati Playhouse/performing arts organization)
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local and centered on Cincinnati. The foundation’s top giving state is Ohio, and 92% of grants go to recipients in the headquarters state. Recent recipients are concentrated in Cincinnati neighborhoods and institutions, including the Children’s Theatre of Cincinnati, Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati, Artworks, and Cincinnati Public Radio Inc. The country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 187 grants in the United States.
It supports Cincinnati organizations serving children and young people, especially performing arts groups, youth development and out-of-school programs, and local cultural institutions. Recent grants also include schools and community-serving nonprofits that work with young audiences.
Yes. The recent grants list is dominated by GENERAL awards, including six-figure grants to organizations such as Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati, Artworks, and The Seven Hills School. That points to core support rather than project-restricted funding.
The typical grant-size distribution is $10,000 at the 25th percentile, $15,000 at the median, and $30,000 at the 75th percentile. Recent giving also includes much larger awards, including several in the $65,000 to $300,000 range.
The grantmaking shown here is local and U.S.-based. Ohio is the top state by grant count, 92% of grants go to recipients in Ohio, and the country distribution shows 187 grants in the United States.
Yes. Several organizations appear across multiple years, including Cincinnati Country Day School, The Seven Hills School, Artworks, Artswave, United Way of Greater Cincinnati, Mercantile Library, Springer School and Center, and Ladd - Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF GREATER CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $260,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MANIFEST CREATIVE RESEARCH GALLERY & DRAWING CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| THE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LADD - LIVING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED | CINCINNATI, OH | $105,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI BALLET COMPANY | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - DAN BEARD COUNCIL | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI INSTITUTE OF FINE ARTS | CINCINNATI, OH | $70,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $65,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI OPERA ASCCOCIATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| YWCA OF CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| AMERICA RIVER ROOTS EXPERIENCE | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CHILDRENS HOME OF CINCINNATI OHIO INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | CINCINNATI, OH | $35,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CLOVERNOOK CENTER FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED | CINCINNATI, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI PARKS FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| JOY OUTDOOR EDUCATION CENTER FOUNDATION | CLARKSVILLE, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GREATER CINCINNATI TELEVISION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GREAT PARKS FOREVER | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| TAFT MUSEUM OF ART | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| GREATER CINCINNATI ARTS & EDUCATION CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ART OPPORUTNITIES INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE COMPANY | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MERCY MCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CLIFTON CULTURAL ARTS CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| MOUNT ST JOSEPH UNIVERSITY | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| TALBERT HOUSE | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LITERACY LAB | WASHINGTON, DC | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PRICE HILL WILL | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BETHANY HOUSE SERVICES INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| KNOW THEATRE TRIBE INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| SAM HUBBARD FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| BREAKTHROUGH CINCINNATI INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| WESLEY COMMUNITY SERVICES ORGANIZATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $17,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| FAMILY NURTURING CENTER OF KENTUCKY | FLORENCE, KY | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI CHAMBER ORCHESTRA | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| DRAGONFLY FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LEVEL UP CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LA SOUPE | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CAMPING & EDUCATION FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PREVENTION FIRST | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| CINCINNATI ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND | CINCINNATI, OH | $12,500 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| LINTON INCORPORATED | CINCINNATI, OH | $12,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| PEASLEE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| TANDANA FOUNDATION FUND | SPRING VALLEY, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
| ARTS & HUMANITIES RESOUCE CENTER FOR THE ELDERLY | CINCINNATI, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | GENERAL |
THE SEVEN HILLS SCHOOL
$200,000GENERAL
LADD - LIVING ARRANGEMENTS FOR THE DEVELOPMENTALLY DISABLED
$105,000GENERAL
CINCINNATI BALLET COMPANY
$75,000GENERAL
BOY SCOUTS OF AMERICA - DAN BEARD COUNCIL
GENERAL
CINCINNATI OPERA ASCCOCIATION
$50,000GENERAL
AMERICA RIVER ROOTS EXPERIENCE
$50,000GENERAL
OHIO HISTORICAL SOCIETY FOUNDATION
$50,000GENERAL
GREATER CINCINNATI ARTS & EDUCATION CENTER
$25,000GENERAL
ART OPPORUTNITIES INC
$25,000GENERAL
MERCY MCAULEY HIGH SCHOOL
$25,000GENERAL
PREVENTION FIRST
$15,000GENERAL
LINTON INCORPORATED
$12,000GENERAL
PEASLEE NEIGHBORHOOD CENTER INC
$10,000GENERAL
TANDANA FOUNDATION FUND
$10,000GENERAL
ARTS & HUMANITIES RESOUCE CENTER FOR THE ELDERLY
$10,000GENERAL