About Dayton Foundation
The Dayton Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on Greater Dayton institutions, privileging general operating support for local education, health & human services, and cultural organizations. Its largest gifts go to place-based anchors (e.g., Ronald McDonald House, Oakwood City Schools, University of Dayton), while a steady stream of grants supports K–12 and faith-based schools, arts organizations, and community service providers. The foundation favors sustaining core nonprofits that serve Dayton-area residents across education, health, arts, and social services.
Focus Areas
Local K–12 education and college-readiness (public districts and charter/early college programs in Dayton)Support for Dayton-area hospitals and family health services (Ronald McDonald House, children's hospital, hospice-related funding)Civic and cultural institutions in Dayton (museums, performing arts, history organizations, community arts education)Faith-based and parochial secondary schools and Catholic social services in the Miami ValleyCommunity-facing human services and safety-net organizations (United Way, YMCA, aging services, homeless services)
Who They Fund
About Dayton Foundation
The Dayton Foundation’s largest recent gift was $15.1 million to Ronald McDonald House Charities Dayton for general support and various projects, a signal that the foundation backs major place-based institutions with substantial, flexible funding. Across its recent grants, the foundation repeatedly supports Dayton-area schools, health and human services providers, and cultural organizations, with grants appearing in both seven-figure and mid-six-figure ranges. University and school recipients such as Oakwood City School District and the University of Dayton sit alongside community anchors like Dayton History and the YMCA of Greater Dayton. The foundation’s pattern is strongest around Dayton institutions that serve residents across education, health, arts, and social services. It also shows continuity: some recipients appear in multiple years, including Dayton Early College Academy, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, Friends of Aullwood Inc, Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton Foundation, and United Way of the Greater Dayton Area. In addition to broad operating support, some awards are tied to specific projects or needs, such as deficit coverage and scholarships. The result is a grantmaking profile centered on sustaining established local nonprofits rather than one-off issue campaigns.
What Dayton Foundation Funds
In education, The Dayton Foundation backs K–12 and postsecondary pathways with large grants to school and workforce organizations. It gave $7.2 million to Oakwood City School District for various projects and $3.8 million to Learn to Earn Dayton for general support and various projects, showing support for both public education and college-and-career readiness. Health and human services are another clear priority. The foundation awarded $573,948 to YMCA of Greater Dayton for general support and various projects, while Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton Foundation received $537,601 for general support and various projects in 2023. The arts and heritage appear as well. Dayton Performing Arts Alliance received $1,132,878 in 2024 and $862,849 in 2023, and Dayton History received $2,591,511 in 2024 for general support and various projects.
How Dayton Foundation Gives
Typical grants cluster in the mid five-figure range, with p25 at $8,500, a median of $15,424, and p75 at $40,000. The recent-grants list also includes much larger awards, indicating a layered approach that combines routine support with major institutional gifts. Some organizations appear in multiple years, including Learn to Earn Dayton, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, Friends of Aullwood Inc, Ohio’s Hospice of Dayton Foundation, Oakwood City School District, United Way of the Greater Dayton Area, and others. The foundation is not an individual-giving funder, and it does not make program-related investments. Several active programs, including Greenlight Grants and Scholarship Opportunities, accept unsolicited requests, while other programs such as Discretionary Grants and Nonprofit Capacity-Building Partnership are not open to unsolicited applications.
Financial Snapshot
Annual Giving
$32.6M
Total Assets
$771.2M
Total Revenue
$131.2M
Total Expenses
$51.5M
Typical Grant Size
Most grants fall between $9K and $40K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$9K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$40K
Geographic Reach
Regional35 states funded
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Headquarters
Leadership
STEPHEN D DARNELL
Funding intensity
LowHigh
Where Dayton Foundation Funds
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Dayton Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 2,009 | $145.4M | 100.0% |
| 2 | Israel | 1 |
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