The Ferry Family Foundation concentrates its philanthropy on higher education in Ohio, providing major gifts focused on capital projects and endowed student support. Nearly all funding has gone to two repeat recipients, with large, strategic grants aimed at institutional capacity and student enrichment rather than annual program operating support.
Highly concentrated giving: few, large grants to a small number of repeat higher-education institutions in Ohio, primarily for capital campaigns and endowed student support.
The Ferry Family Foundation’s largest recent grants have gone to Case Western Reserve Univ School of Law, with $390,000 awarded in both 2023 and 2024 for capital campaign support. That pattern sets the tone for the foundation’s giving: large, repeated commitments to Ohio institutions, especially when the goal is capital development or long-term capacity. Ohio Wesleyan University is another repeat beneficiary, receiving $70,000 in both 2023 and 2024 for an endowment for student enrichment. Those two relationships show a preference for sustained institutional support rather than one-time project funding alone. The foundation’s recent grant record also includes a $50,000 capital campaign gift to Judson Retirement Community in both years, alongside smaller awards to nonprofit and community-serving organizations. Grants are concentrated in Ohio, and the family foundation’s philanthropy reaches higher education, campus-based student support, and selected community needs within a local scope.
Higher education is the clearest theme in the recent record. The Ferry Family Foundation gave $390,000 to Case Western Reserve Univ School of Law for a capital campaign in 2024, and it made the same $390,000 commitment in 2023. It also gave $70,000 to Ohio Wesleyan University in both years for an endowment for student enrichment, pointing to support for academic life beyond immediate operating needs. Community-serving grants appear alongside those education gifts. In Cleveland, the foundation awarded $20,000 to City Mission of Cleveland for homeless projects for women and children in both 2023 and 2024, and $10,000 to Cleveland Foodbank Inc in both years for food for needy. Education at the local service level also shows up through a $15,000 grant to Cuyahoga County Public Library for homework centers and $10,000 to Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland for educational enhancement programs.
Typical grants fall in a middle range, with a p25 of $10,000, a median of $15,000, and a p75 of $50,000. The record also contains several much larger gifts, including repeated $390,000 and $70,000 awards. The pattern is clearly recurring: multiple grantees received the same amounts in 2023 and 2024, including higher education, homelessness, food security, and library support. The foundation does not fund individuals and does not make program-related investments. The recent grants suggest a family foundation that favors direct institutional support, often through capital campaign or endowment commitments rather than broad open application giving.
$6.3M
$0
$500K
$6.5M
Most grants fall between $10K and $50K, with a median of $15K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$15K
75th Percentile
$50K
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Notable grantees: Case Western Reserve University School of Law, Ohio Wesleyan University
Giving is highly concentrated in Ohio, with 90% of grants going to recipients in the foundation’s HQ state and the top state by grant count also being Ohio. Cleveland appears repeatedly in the recent grants list, as do Delaware and Parma. Ohio recipients include Case Western Reserve Univ School of Law, Ohio Wesleyan University, Judson Retirement Community, City Mission of Cleveland, Cuyahoga County Public Library, Salvation Army of Cleveland, Cleveland Foodbank Inc, Boys & Girls Club of Cleveland, and Cleveland Animal Protective League. Outside Ohio, the only named recipient city in the recent record is Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Its recent grants favor Ohio higher education, including capital campaign support and endowment building, along with selected community services such as homelessness assistance, food support, homework centers, and educational enrichment programs. The beneficiary list also includes students, women experiencing homelessness, children experiencing homelessness, and low-income or food-insecure individuals and families.
Yes. Several recipients appear in both 2023 and 2024 with the same amounts, including Case Western Reserve Univ School of Law at $390,000, Ohio Wesleyan University at $70,000, City Mission of Cleveland at $20,000, Cuyahoga County Public Library at $15,000, and Cleveland Foodbank Inc at $10,000.
The foundation’s grant-size distribution is centered on mid-sized gifts: p25 is $10,000, median is $15,000, and p75 is $50,000. The recent record also includes larger repeated awards of $70,000 and $390,000.
Ohio is the clear center of giving. Ninety percent of grants went to recipients in Ohio, and the top state by grant count is also Ohio. Recent Ohio recipients are concentrated in Cleveland, with additional grants in Delaware and Parma.
The strongest themes are higher education capital and endowment support, student enrichment, homelessness services for women and children, food assistance, homework centers, and educational enhancement programs. These themes are visible across named grants to Ohio institutions and community organizations.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $2,257,046 | 2026 | HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN |
| CLEVELAND FOODBANK INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $2,014,150 | 2026 | FOOD FOR NEEDY |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW | CLEVELAND, OH | $780,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| SALVATION ARMY OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $591,700 | 2026 | HOMELESS PROJECTS |
| BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $350,000 | 2026 | ANNUAL FUND |
| OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | DELAWARE, OH | $240,000 | 2026 | ENDOWMENT FOR STUDENT ENRICHMENT |
| JUDSON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY | CLEVELAND, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW | CLEVELAND, OH | $390,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | DELAWARE, OH | $70,000 | 2025 | ENDOWMENT FOR STUDENT ENRICHMENT |
| JUDSON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY | CLEVELAND, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $25,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN |
| CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY | PARMA, OH | $15,000 | 2025 | HOMEWORK CENTERS |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS |
| CLEVELAND FOODBANK INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | FOOD FOR NEEDY |
| SALVATION ARMY OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | HOMELESS PROJECTS |
| CLEVELAND ANIMAL PROTECTIVE LEAGUE | CLEVELAND, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW | CLEVELAND, OH | $390,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | DELAWARE, OH | $70,000 | 2024 | ENDOWMENT FOR STUDENT ENRICHMENT |
| JUDSON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY | CLEVELAND, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2024 | HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN |
| CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY | PARMA, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | HOMEWORK CENTERS |
| CLEVELAND FOODBANK INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | FOOD FOR NEEDY |
| BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $10,000 | 2024 | ANNUAL FUND |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS |
| CLEVELAND ANIMAL PROTECTIVE LEAGUE | CLEVELAND, OH | $1,000 | 2024 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW | CLEVELAND, OH | $390,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| OHIO WESLEYAN UNIVERSITY | DELAWARE, OH | $70,000 | 2023 | ENDOWMENT FOR STUDENT ENRICHMENT |
| JUDSON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY | CLEVELAND, OH | $50,000 | 2023 | CAPITAL CAMPAIGN |
| BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS | GRAND RAPIDS, MI | $25,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2023 | HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN |
| CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY | PARMA, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | HOMEWORK CENTERS |
| SALVATION ARMY OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2023 | HOMELESS PROJECTS |
| CLEVELAND FOODBANK INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2023 | FOOD FOR NEEDY |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2023 | EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS |
| CLEVELAND ANIMAL PROTECTIVE LEAGUE | CLEVELAND, OH | $1,000 | 2023 | ANNUAL FUND |
CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND
$2,257,046HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW
$780,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
SALVATION ARMY OF CLEVELAND
$591,700HOMELESS PROJECTS
BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS
$350,000ANNUAL FUND
ENDOWMENT FOR STUDENT ENRICHMENT
JUDSON RETIREMENT COMMUNITY
$100,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW
$390,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS
$25,000ANNUAL FUND
CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND
$20,000HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
$15,000HOMEWORK CENTERS
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CLEVELAND
$10,000EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS
SALVATION ARMY OF CLEVELAND
$10,000HOMELESS PROJECTS
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW
$390,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND
$20,000HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
$15,000HOMEWORK CENTERS
BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS
$10,000ANNUAL FUND
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CLEVELAND
$10,000EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS
CASE WESTERN RESERVE UNIV SCHOOL OF LAW
$390,000CAPITAL CAMPAIGN
BEER CITY DOG BISCUITS
$25,000ANNUAL FUND
CITY MISSION OF CLEVELAND
$20,000HOMELESS PROJECTS FOR WOMEN AND CHILDREN
CUYAHOGA COUNTY PUBLIC LIBRARY
$15,000HOMEWORK CENTERS
SALVATION ARMY OF CLEVELAND
$15,000HOMELESS PROJECTS
BOYS & GIRLS CLUB OF CLEVELAND
$10,000EDUCATIONAL ENHANCEMENT PROGRAMS