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
LowHigh
Headquarters
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