The Rosenthal Family Foundation is a Cincinnati-focused funder that concentrates heavy, unrestricted support on a small group of local institutions across arts, legal services, housing, food security, and higher education. The foundation gives substantial multi‑grant commitments to flagship nonprofits — particularly cultural institutions and organizations addressing justice, basic needs, and affordable housing — signaling long‑term, flexible support rather than project‑restricted funding.
Among its recent grants, the largest single award was $471,550 to Freestore Food Bank for unrestricted support, a signal of how the Rosenthal Family Foundation uses flexible funding to back core operations. The foundation’s giving centers on Cincinnati institutions and repeatedly supports organizations working in food security, civil legal aid, post-conviction advocacy, housing equity, arts, and higher education. Rather than spreading small amounts across many places, it concentrates substantial contributions on a relatively small set of local grantees. That pattern appears across multiple years. Ohio Innocence Project received $400,000 in 2023 and again in 2024, while Playhouse in the Park was awarded $310,000 in 2023 and $210,000 in both 2024 and 2025. Contemporary Arts Center, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cinti, and Freestore Food Bank also reappear in the recent grants list, usually with unrestricted contributions. The foundation’s record shows sustained support for organizations serving Cincinnati residents through direct services, advocacy, and cultural institutions.
The Rosenthal Family Foundation supports a mix of arts, justice, housing, and basic-needs organizations in Cincinnati. In the arts, it gave $310,000 to Playhouse in the Park in 2023 and $200,000 to Contemporary Arts Center in 2025, both as unrestricted contributions. In justice-related work, the foundation awarded $400,000 to Ohio Innocence Project in 2024 for unrestricted support, following a $400,000 grant in 2023. For legal services and housing access, it gave $200,000 to Legal Aid Society of Greater Cinti in 2025 and $200,000 to Housing Opportunities Made Equal in both 2024 and 2025. Basic-needs support also appears in the record: Freestore Food Bank received $148,577 in 2024 and $130,000 in 2025, both unrestricted. The foundation also backed First Step Home and Planned Parenthood Sw Ohio with $100,000 grants in 2025.
Typical grant size falls around $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list shows a strong pattern of repeat awards to the same organizations across 2023 through 2025, which points to ongoing rather than one-time support. All listed grants are unrestricted contributions. The foundation does not fund individuals and is not making program-related investments, which is consistent with a grantmaking approach centered on direct operating support.
$2.2M
$27.7M
$2.7M
$2.3M
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
Sign up for a free Kindora account to access AI-generated insights into this funder's giving patterns, decision-makers, and fit signals.
Get Started FreeFree Kindora accounts unlock side-by-side comparisons with foundations that share this funder's focus areas and giving profile.
Get Started FreeSign up free to see how well your nonprofit fits this funder, get an AI-generated pitch, and unlock similar foundations.
Concentrated, large-dollar gifts focused on a limited set of repeat, local grantees; predominantly unrestricted contributions that enable core operations. The foundation appears to favor multi-grant relationships and capacity/stability support over many small or geographically broad grants.
Notable grantees: Ohio Innocence Project, Playhouse in the Park, Contemporary Arts Center, Freestore Foodbank, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cincinnati
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local: 88% of grants go to recipients in Ohio, and all listed recipient countries are in the United States. Cincinnati dominates the recipient map, with multiple grants to organizations such as the University of Cincinnati Foundation, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cinti, and Women Helping Women. Outside Cincinnati, the list includes Cleveland-based American Civil Liberties Union awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025. The country distribution shows 63 grants to U.S. recipients and no non-U.S. grants.
The recent grants list shows support for performing and contemporary visual arts, criminal justice reform and post-conviction advocacy, civil legal aid, emergency food distribution, fair housing and tenant advocacy, and local higher education. Named recipients include Playhouse in the Park, Ohio Innocence Project, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cinti, Freestore Food Bank, Housing Opportunities Made Equal, and University of Cincinnati Foundation.
The listed awards are consistently unrestricted contributions. Examples include $471,550 to Freestore Food Bank in 2023, $400,000 to Ohio Innocence Project in 2024, and $200,000 to Contemporary Arts Center in 2025.
Yes. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including Ohio Innocence Project with $400,000 in 2023 and 2024, Playhouse in the Park with awards in 2023, 2024, and 2025, and Housing Opportunities Made Equal with $200,000 in 2024 and 2025.
The distribution provided shows a 25th percentile of $25,000, a median of $50,000, and a 75th percentile of $100,000. Recent awards also include larger unrestricted grants, such as $400,000 to University of Cincinnati Foundation in 2025.
Its grantmaking is heavily concentrated in Ohio, with 88% of grants going to recipients in the state. Cincinnati organizations make up much of the recent list, including Freestore Food Bank, Legal Aid Society of Greater Cinti, and Working in Neighborhoods.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $400,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK | CINCINNATI, OH | $210,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF GREATER CINTI | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FREESTORE FOOD BANK | CINCINNATI, OH | $130,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FIRST STEP HOME | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| PLANNED PARENTHOOD SW OHIO | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION | CLEVELAND, OH | $100,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| HER CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WOMEN HELPING WOMEN | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| OTR COMMUNITY HOUSING | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ARTSWAVE | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| UNITED WAY | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $40,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CINCINNATI RECYCLING & REUSE HUB | CINCINNATI, OH | $35,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| A MINDFUL MOMENT | BELLEVUE, KY | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BYOC CAMPS AND CLUBS | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BRICK GARDENS | CINCINNATI, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| OHIO INNOCENCE PROJECT | CINCINNATI, OH | $400,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK | CINCINNATI, OH | $210,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF GREATER CINTI | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FREESTORE FOOD BANK | CINCINNATI, OH | $148,577 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION | CLEVELAND, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WOMEN HELPING WOMEN | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| OTR COMMUNITY HOUSING | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ARTSWAVE | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| ABORTION FUND OF OHIO | COLUMBUS, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $40,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CINCINNATI RECYCLING & REUSE HUB | CINCINNATI, OH | $35,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CORNERSTONE RENTER EQUITY | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| A MINDFUL MOMENT | BELLEVUE, KY | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| TEACH FOR AMERICA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BYOC CAMPS AND CLUBS | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $16,250 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| BRICK GARDENS | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FREESTORE FOOD BANK | CINCINNATI, OH | $471,550 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| OHIO INNOCENCE PROJECT | CINCINNATI, OH | $400,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK | CINCINNATI, OH | $310,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $200,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| FIRST STEP HOME | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION | CLEVELAND, OH | $100,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| HOME OWNERSHIP CENTER OF GREATER CI | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| WOMEN HELPING WOMEN | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
| CORNERSTONE RENTER EQUITY | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2023 | UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION |
UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI FOUNDATION
$400,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK
$210,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF GREATER CINTI
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FREESTORE FOOD BANK
$130,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FIRST STEP HOME
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
PLANNED PARENTHOOD SW OHIO
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
HER CINCINNATI
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
OTR COMMUNITY HOUSING
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
ARTSWAVE
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
UNITED WAY
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI
$40,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CINCINNATI RECYCLING & REUSE HUB
$35,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
TEACH FOR AMERICA
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
A MINDFUL MOMENT
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BYOC CAMPS AND CLUBS
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BRICK GARDENS
$10,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
OHIO INNOCENCE PROJECT
$400,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK
$210,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
LEGAL AID SOCIETY OF GREATER CINTI
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
HOUSING OPPORTUNITIES MADE EQUAL
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FREESTORE FOOD BANK
$148,577UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WORKING IN NEIGHBORHOODS
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
OTR COMMUNITY HOUSING
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
ARTSWAVE
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
ABORTION FUND OF OHIO
$50,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
JEWISH FEDERATION OF CINCINNATI
$40,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CINCINNATI RECYCLING & REUSE HUB
$35,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CORNERSTONE RENTER EQUITY
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
A MINDFUL MOMENT
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
TEACH FOR AMERICA
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BYOC CAMPS AND CLUBS
$25,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
GREATER CINCINNATI FOUNDATION
$16,250UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
BRICK GARDENS
$15,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FREESTORE FOOD BANK
$471,550UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
OHIO INNOCENCE PROJECT
$400,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK
$310,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CONTEMPORARY ARTS CENTER
$200,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
FIRST STEP HOME
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
AMERICAN CIVIL LIBERTIES UNION
$100,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
HOME OWNERSHIP CENTER OF GREATER CI
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
WOMEN HELPING WOMEN
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION
CORNERSTONE RENTER EQUITY
$75,000UNRESTRICTED CONTRIBUTION