Promote and expand markets for Ohio corn through research, education, export development, water quality initiatives and ethanol advocacy.
The Ohio Corn Marketing Program uses corn checkoff dollars to fund research, education, export development, water quality work, and ethanol advocacy tied to Ohio corn markets. Its largest recent grants show that this is not a small, local scholarship fund but a programmatic grantmaker that moves money to both industry organizations and research partners. In 2024, National Corn Growers Association received multiple large awards, including $863,643 and $844,000, while the US Grains Council received $803,070 and $351,177 the same year. Those awards sit alongside support for Ohio-based organizations such as the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association and Ohio State University, indicating a mix of market promotion, producer education, and applied research. The foundation’s focus areas align closely with agriculture, trade, environmental stewardship, and energy, with recurring investments in outreach and membership-related work as well as research projects. The pattern is anchored in Ohio, but it also supports regional market-development and export activity beyond the state.
Research is one core lane of giving. Ohio State University received $194,146 in 2024 for research, and The Ohio State University Foundation received $64,814 in 2023 for research projects. The program also funded Geosyntec with $14,230 and $13,083 in 2024 for research, showing support for technical and applied work. Education is another recurring theme: Ohio FFA received $49,800 in 2023, then $48,000 and $45,600 in 2024 for education projects. The Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association also received education-linked support, including $376,418 in 2024 and $125,532 in 2023. On the market-development side, the US Meat Export Federation received $75,000 in 2023, $70,000 in 2024, and $50,000 in 2024 for marketing and promotion. Ohio Farm Bureau received $22,500 in 2024 for public relations.
Typical grants cluster around a median of $49,900, with a lower quartile of $12,625 and an upper quartile of $111,564. The recent-grants list shows repeated support to the same organizations across 2023 and 2024, including National Corn Growers Association, US Grains Council, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, Ohio State University, Ohio FFA, and others. That pattern points to ongoing program support rather than one-time awards. The organization operates as a marketing program, not an individual-giving funder, and the active programs list shows scholarship, research, education, promotion, and export-related funding streams. Some programs accept unsolicited requests, but the general research and education funding lines are marked as not accepting unsolicited applications.
$2.2M
$6.7M
$4.1M
$3.5M
Most grants fall between $13K and $112K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$13K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$112K
TADD D NICHOLSON
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Grantmaking is concentrated in Ohio: 52% of grants went to recipients in the headquarters state. Columbus appears often, including Ohio State University, Education Projects & Partnerships, Ohio FFA, Ohio Farm Bureau, and The Ohio State University Foundation. Delaware, Ohio, is another recurring recipient location through the Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association. Outside Ohio, Washington, DC, Chesterfield, Missouri, Denver, Colorado, Johnston, Iowa, and Kansas City, Missouri, appear among recipient locations, reflecting regional and national market-development work. All grants in the supplied recipient-country data went to US organizations.
Its stated program areas include research, education, export development, water quality initiatives, and ethanol advocacy tied to Ohio corn. The recent grants also show support for public relations, membership development, and promotional work in addition to technical research and student education projects.
The typical grant size centers on a median of $49,900. The middle half of grants falls between $12,625 at the 25th percentile and $111,564 at the 75th percentile, which suggests a mix of smaller project awards and larger program grants.
The recent-grants list shows repeat awards to the same organizations across 2023 and 2024, including National Corn Growers Association, US Grains Council, Ohio Corn and Wheat Growers Association, Ohio State University, Ohio FFA, and Geosyntec. That indicates ongoing relationships rather than isolated one-off gifts.
Some active programs do: the Ohio Corn & Wheat Scholarship Program is marked as accepting unsolicited requests. Other listed funding streams, including the Small Grains Marketing Program — Research & Education Funding and the Corn Marketing Program (OCMP) - Research & Education, are marked as not accepting unsolicited requests.
Ohio is the main recipient state, accounting for 52% of grants. Columbus is a frequent city in the recent-grants list, alongside Delaware, Ohio, while several larger awards also go to organizations in Washington, DC, Chesterfield, Missouri, and Denver, Colorado.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOC | CHESTERFIELD, MO | $867,380 | 2026 | MD&P |
| US GRAINS COUNCIL | WASHINGTON, DC | $343,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIO | COLUMBUS, OH | $284,546 | 2026 | RESEARCH PROJECTS |
| EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS | COLUMBUS, OH | $176,583 | 2026 | MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO |
| THE BIG TEN NETWORK | CHICAGO, IL | $75,000 | 2026 | — |
| US MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION | DENVER, CO | $75,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP | COCKEYSVILLE, MD | $50,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $49,042 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA | DELAWARE, OH | $47,411 | 2026 | MD&P. EDUCATION, |
| OHIO FFA | COLUMBUS, OH | $45,600 | 2026 | EDUCATION PROJECTS |
| OTPA | BLACKLICK, OH | $45,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| IOWA CORN OPPORTUNITIES LLC | JOHNSTON, IA | $39,136 | 2026 | RESEARCH |
| FARMGATE INSIGHTS LLC | DORSEY, IL | $37,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| OACI | REYNOLDSBURG, OH | $19,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION PROJECTS |
| OCMP | DELAWARE, OH | $18,421 | 2026 | MD&P |
| AG FUTURES OF AMERICA | KANSAS CITY, MO | $15,000 | 2026 | EDUCATION/MEMBERSHIP |
| NTPA | MARION, OH | $12,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| OHIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE | COLUMBUS, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | MD&P |
| PROEXPORTER | CHELSEA, MI | $8,000 | 2026 | RESEARCH PROJECTS |
| NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOC | CHESTERFIELD, MO | $863,643 | 2024 | MD&P |
| NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOC | CHESTERFIELD, MO | $844,000 | 2024 | MD&P |
| US GRAINS COUNCIL | WASHINGTON, DC | $803,070 | 2024 | MD&P |
| OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA | DELAWARE, OH | $376,418 | 2024 | MD&P. EDUCATION, |
| US GRAINS COUNCIL | WASHINGTON, DC | $351,177 | 2024 | MD&P |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $194,146 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS | COLUMBUS, OH | $124,678 | 2024 | MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO |
| OACI | REYNOLDSBURG, OH | $90,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION PROJECTS |
| US MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION | DENVER, CO | $70,000 | 2024 | MD&P |
| EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS | COLUMBUS, OH | $67,899 | 2024 | MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO |
| OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY | COLUMBUS, OH | $56,245 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA | DELAWARE, OH | $52,409 | 2024 | MD&P. EDUCATION, |
| IOWA CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION | JOHNSTON, IA | $50,965 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| US MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION | DENVER, CO | $50,000 | 2024 | MD&P |
| OHIO FFA | COLUMBUS, OH | $48,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION PROJECTS |
| OHIO FFA | COLUMBUS, OH | $45,600 | 2024 | EDUCATION PROJECTS |
| IOWA CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION | JOHNSTON, IA | $26,277 | 2024 | — |
| OHIO FARM BUREAU | COLUMBUS, OH | $22,500 | 2024 | PUBLIC RELATIONS |
| AG FUTURES OF AMERICA | KANSAS CITY, MO | $15,000 | 2024 | EDUCATION/MEMBERSHIP |
| GEOSYNTEC | WORTHINGTON, OH | $14,230 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| GEOSYNTEC | WORTHINGTON, OH | $13,083 | 2024 | RESEARCH |
| PROEXPORTER | CHELSEA, MI | $8,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH PROJECTS |
| PROEXPORTER | CHELSEA, MI | $8,000 | 2024 | RESEARCH PROJECTS |
| USA POULTRY & EGG EXPORT COUNCIL | STONE MOUNTAIN, GA | $7,000 | 2024 | MD&P |
| USA POULTRY & EGG EXPORT COUNCIL | STONE MOUNTAIN, GA | $7,000 | 2024 | MD&P |
| OHIO CATTLEMEN'S ASSOC | MARYSVILLE, OH | $6,000 | 2024 | MD&P |
| OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE | REYNOLDSBURG, OH | $5,849 | 2024 | MD&P |
| NATIONAL CORN GROWERS ASSOC | CHESTERFIELD, MO | $986,000 | 2023 | MD&P |
| US GRAINS COUNCIL | WASHINGTON, DC | $884,402 | 2023 | MD&P |
| OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA | DELAWARE, OH | $125,532 | 2023 | MD&P. EDUCATION, |
| EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS | COLUMBUS, OH | $107,192 | 2023 | MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO |
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATIO
$284,546RESEARCH PROJECTS
EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS
$176,583MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO
THE BIG TEN NETWORK
$75,000US MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION
$75,000MD&P
SINCLAIR BROADCAST GROUP
$50,000MD&P
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$49,042RESEARCH
OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA
$47,411MD&P. EDUCATION,
OHIO FFA
$45,600EDUCATION PROJECTS
OTPA
$45,000MD&P
IOWA CORN OPPORTUNITIES LLC
$39,136RESEARCH
FARMGATE INSIGHTS LLC
$37,000MD&P
OACI
$19,000EDUCATION PROJECTS
OCMP
$18,421MD&P
AG FUTURES OF AMERICA
$15,000EDUCATION/MEMBERSHIP
NTPA
$12,000MD&P
OHIO CHAMBER OF COMMERCE
$10,000MD&P
PROEXPORTER
$8,000RESEARCH PROJECTS
OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA
$376,418MD&P. EDUCATION,
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$194,146RESEARCH
EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS
$124,678MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO
OACI
$90,000EDUCATION PROJECTS
US MEAT EXPORT FEDERATION
$70,000MD&P
EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS
$67,899MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO
OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY
$56,245RESEARCH
OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA
$52,409MD&P. EDUCATION,
IOWA CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
$50,965RESEARCH
OHIO FFA
$48,000EDUCATION PROJECTS
OHIO FFA
$45,600EDUCATION PROJECTS
IOWA CORN GROWERS ASSOCIATION
$26,277OHIO FARM BUREAU
$22,500PUBLIC RELATIONS
AG FUTURES OF AMERICA
$15,000EDUCATION/MEMBERSHIP
GEOSYNTEC
$14,230RESEARCH
GEOSYNTEC
$13,083RESEARCH
PROEXPORTER
$8,000RESEARCH PROJECTS
PROEXPORTER
$8,000RESEARCH PROJECTS
OHIO CATTLEMEN'S ASSOC
$6,000MD&P
OHIO DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURE
$5,849MD&P
OHIO CORN AND WHEAT GROWERS ASSOCIA
$125,532MD&P. EDUCATION,
EDUCATION PROJECTS & PARTNERSHIPS
$107,192MEMBRSHP DEV & PROMO