What kinds of education work does the foundation fund most often?

Its active programs center on Ohio PK-12 education, with emphasis on advancing teachers and the teaching profession, student learning, classroom and school projects, and system-level improvement. Recent grants also point to middle school instruction, creativity in learning, social-emotional learning, literacy, whole-child wellness, and career pathways.

Does the foundation accept unsolicited applications?

Yes. Several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including Open Grants, Grants-to-Educators, and the Jennings-Fund for Teachers partnership. Open Grants are described as one-year awards for public school districts, non-religious private schools, and nonprofit organizations working with public schools in Ohio.

What is a typical grant size?

The grant-size distribution centers on a median of $14,490, with the 25th percentile at $3,000 and the 75th percentile at $20,262. Program descriptions also show smaller educator grants capped at $3,000 and larger open grants ranging from $4,000 to $55,000.

How recurring is the foundation’s support?

Repeated support is common in the recent grant list. Akron Public Schools, Columbus Museum of Art, Fund for Teachers, and Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio each appear across multiple years, and several awards are explicitly labeled as Year 4 or Year 5 projects.

Who are some of the recent grantees?

Recent grantees include Akron Public Schools, Columbus Museum of Art, Fund for Teachers, Jennings Elevate Community of Practice, Youth Yoga Project, Jennings Summer Educators Retreat, Young Mens Christian Assn Lake County, Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland, and Building Bridges to Careers Inc.

Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

Name: Martha Holden Jennings Foundation — grants, 990 financials & funding data
Creator: Kindora

ActiveEducationFunds Individuals

CLEVELAND, OHWebsite2165895700

About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

Our mission is to foster the development of young people to the maximum possible extent in Ohio’s PK-12 schools and to provide a greater means for accomplishment on the part of Ohio’s teachers by encouraging creativity in teaching and bringing greater recognition to the teaching profession.

Focus Areas

PK-12 public educationTeacher professional development and leadershipClassroom and school projectsDeep learning and 21st-century competenciesSystem-level improvement and equity

Who They Fund

K-12 students (with emphasis on middle school)teachers and early-career educatorsschool leaders / educational leadersCleveland Metropolitan School District (CMSD) students and staffOhio statewide teachers and students

About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

A defining thread in Martha Holden Jennings Foundation grantmaking is sustained support for Ohio educators over multiple years. One of the largest recent awards went to Akron Public Schools for a middle school instructional framework, followed by multiyear support for Columbus Museum of Art’s work on cultivating creative and civic capacities. That combination shows a funder that backs both school-based improvement and learning experiences that connect creativity, civic development, and classroom practice. The foundation also invests in teacher growth as a route to student learning. Recent awards include support for Fund for Teachers’ professional development fellowships, the Jennings Summer Educators Retreat, and the Jennings Educators Summit, all of which point to an emphasis on educator learning communities and leadership development. In addition, grants to organizations such as the Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland and Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio indicate interest in literacy, whole-child supports, and educator-facing professional excellence. Its recent grants are largely one-year awards, but the presence of year-labeled projects suggests repeated support for selected initiatives across consecutive cycles.

What Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Funds

In middle school instructional improvement, the foundation gave $104,109 to Akron Public Schools for “D-20-22 Middle School Instructional Framework Year 4,” and $91,670 in the next year for “D-20-23 Middle School Instructional Framework - Year 5.” Those awards show extended attention to instructional design for adolescent learners. Creativity is another recurring theme. Columbus Museum of Art received $100,000 for “D-21-23 Cultivating Creative & Civic Capacities - Year 5,” building on a $75,000 grant for the earlier “D-21-22 Cultivating Creative & Civic Capacities.” The foundation also supports social-emotional learning and mindfulness. Youth Yoga Project was awarded $58,850 for “A-91-22 SEL + Mindfulness Institute for CCS,” connecting educator development with student wellness. For career readiness, Building Bridges to Careers Inc received $47,000 for “D-52-23 Student Agency for Pathway Success.”

How Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Gives

Typical grant size falls around a median of $14,490, with a lower quartile of $3,000 and an upper quartile of $20,262. The recent grant list includes both modest educator awards and larger multiyear program awards, which suggests a mix of small project support and sustained institutional funding. Several recipients appear in consecutive years, including Akron Public Schools, Columbus Museum of Art, Fund for Teachers, and Children’s Defense Fund-Ohio, showing repeat support rather than one-off gifts. The foundation is a regular funder, not a donor-advised fund, and it accepts unsolicited applications through several active programs. The structure of its giving includes open grants, educator awards, classroom project grants, and partnerships such as Fund for Teachers and the Teaching for Creativity Institute.

Financial Snapshot

Annual Giving

$3.5M

Total Assets

$79.3M

Total Revenue

$5.9M

Total Expenses

$4.7M

Typical Grant Size

Most grants fall between $3K and $20K, with a median of $14K.

25th Percentile

$3K

Median

$14K

75th Percentile

$20K

Geographic Reach

Local8 states funded

Funding intensity

Low

High

Headquarters

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Recipient	Location	Amount	Year	Purpose
FUND FOR TEACHERS	HOUSTON, TX	$81,565	2025	2024 TEACHER PROFESSIONAL DEVELOPMENT AWARDS
YOUNG MENS CHRISTIAN ASSN LAKE COUNTY	PAINESVILLE, OH	$55,000	2025	A-97-24 ARTHUR HOLDEN LEADERSHIP INSTITUTE
RISE UP - NORTHEAST OHIO	CLEVELAND, OH	$50,700	2025	D-12-24 IMMERSIVE SCIENTIFIC LEARNING
SAY YES CLEVELAND SCHOLARSHIP INC	CLEVELAND, OH

Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

What Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Funds

How Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

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Where Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

What kinds of education work does the foundation fund most often?

Does the foundation accept unsolicited applications?

What is a typical grant size?

How recurring is the foundation’s support?

Who are some of the recent grantees?

Open Grant Opportunities

Open Grants

Recent Grants

Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

Focus Areas

Who They Fund

About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

What Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Funds

How Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Gives

Financial Snapshot

Typical Grant Size

Geographic Reach

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The Grant Brief

Funding Style

Topics

Where Martha Holden Jennings Foundation Makes Grants

Frequently Asked Questions About Martha Holden Jennings Foundation

What kinds of education work does the foundation fund most often?

Does the foundation accept unsolicited applications?

What is a typical grant size?

How recurring is the foundation’s support?

Who are some of the recent grantees?

Open Grant Opportunities

Open Grants

Recent Grants