The Frances R. Luther Charitable Trust makes a small number of sizable, local grants in the Cincinnati area, concentrating on pediatric health care, civic/economic development, cultural institutions, and a historic downtown church. Their giving favors established organizations and project or program support rather than many small awards, indicating a preference for impact through a few significant investments in community anchors.
Concentrated, large-dollar grants to a small number of local, established institutions—primarily project/program support—with repeat emphasis on pediatric health and civic/cultural anchors rather than broad, dispersed giving.
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust directs large grants to a small set of Cincinnati institutions, with pediatric care, arts and culture, and civic development appearing repeatedly in its recent awards. The single largest recent grant in the data is $500,000 to Children's Hospital Medical Center for project and program support, followed by $350,000 to Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Fdtn for project and program support. Those two awards show the trust working through established local organizations rather than many small grants. The pattern continues across other major recipients. Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts received $300,000 for its annual fund in 2025 and $200,000 for its annual fund in 2024, while Christ Church Cathedral received $250,000 for project and program support. The trust also funded Cincinnati Museum Center, Taft Museum of Art, The Children's Theatre, and Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra at six-figure levels, indicating sustained support for downtown cultural institutions and community anchors. Recent grants also include Artswave, Greater Cincinnati Educational Television, Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden, and Ronald Mcdonald House Charities, reinforcing a local portfolio centered on health, arts, education, and civic life.
Pediatric healthcare is the clearest funding lane in the recent record. The trust awarded $500,000 to Children's Hospital Medical Center for project and program support in 2025 and $250,000 to Cincinnati Children's Hospital for project and program support in 2023. It also gave $200,000 to Children's Hospital Medical Center in 2024, showing repeated support for children's health institutions. Arts and culture form another major thread. Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts received $300,000 for its annual fund in 2025 and $200,000 in 2024, while Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra received $200,000 as a challenge grant in 2023 and $150,000 for project and program support in 2025. The trust also backed Taft Museum of Art with $125,000 in 2025 and $100,000 in 2024. Civic and regional development appears through $350,000 to Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Fdtn in 2025 and $100,000 in 2023 for the same organization. Historic and religious community support is visible in the $250,000 award to Christ Church Cathedral.
$3.9M
$55.7M
$7.1M
$4.5M
Most grants fall between $25K and $100K, with a median of $50K.
25th Percentile
$25K
Median
$50K
75th Percentile
$100K
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Notable grantees: Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Children's Hospital, Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Foundation, Christ Church Cathedral
The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust gives at a relatively high dollar level for a local funder: the typical grant size is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list shows repeated awards to the same organizations across multiple years, including Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Taft Museum of Art, The Children's Theatre, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Fdtn, and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden. The trust appears to favor established institutions and a mix of project/program support, annual support, challenge grants, capital funds, and general operating support. It also funds individuals. The available data points to a pattern of concentrated, relationship-based grantmaking rather than a broad open application program.
Grantmaking is overwhelmingly local and centered in Cincinnati. The recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, and 95% of grants go to recipients in Ohio. Recent awards cluster in Cincinnati itself, including support for Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts, Christ Church Cathedral, and Cincinnati Museum Center. The trust's top giving state is Ohio, matching the geographic pattern in the recent grants list.
Recent grants point to a focus on pediatric healthcare, arts and culture, civic and economic development, and historic or religious community institutions. Examples in the record include children's hospitals, museum and arts organizations, a regional chamber foundation, and Christ Church Cathedral.
The grant-size distribution is $25,000 at the 25th percentile, $50,000 at the median, and $100,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent list also includes larger six-figure awards, including $500,000 and $350,000.
Yes. Several recipients appear in multiple years, including Children's Hospital Medical Center, Cincinnati Institute of Fine Arts, Cincinnati Museum Center, Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Taft Museum of Art, The Children's Theatre, Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber Fdtn, and Cincinnati Zoo & Botanical Garden.
It is highly local. The geographic scope is local, 95% of grants go to recipients in Ohio, and the recipient country distribution is entirely U.S.-based. The recent grants list is concentrated in Cincinnati.
The recent grants show project and program support most often, along with annual fund support, challenge grants, capital funds, and general operating support. That mix suggests the trust uses several forms of institutional support rather than a single grant type.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $500,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| TAFT MUSEUM OF ART | CINCINNATI, OH | $415,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI INSTITUTE OF FINE ARTS | CINCINNATI, OH | $350,000 | 2026 | ANNUAL FUND |
| CINCINNATI MUSEUM CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $325,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ART OPPORTUNITIES INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $175,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA | CINCINNATI, OH | $150,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI BALLET COMPANY | CINCINNATI, OH | $125,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI PUBLIC RADIO INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN LEGACY THEATRE | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FREESTORE FOODBANK | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT |
| CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL | CINCINNATI, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI OPERA ASSOCIATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $80,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| KENNEDY HEIGHTS ART CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $75,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GREEN UMBRELLA | CINCINNATI, OH | $65,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| KEEP CINCINNATI BEAUTIFUL | CINCINNATI, OH | $55,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| YMCA OF GREATER CINCINNATI INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ENSEMBLE THEATRE CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| WYOMING FINE ARTS CENTER | WYOMING, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HOLOCAUST AND HUMANITY CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| HOSPICE OF CINCINNATI INC | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI ARTS ASSOCIATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PYRAMID HILL SCULPTURE PARK | HAMILTON, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CINCINNATI LANDMARK PRODUCTIONS | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROGRAM/PROJECT SUPPORT |
| PUBLIC LIBRARY OF CINCINNATI & HAMILTON COUNTY FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| COUNCIL ON AGING | BLUE ASH, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| XAVIER UNIVERSITY | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | ENDOWMENT |
| CINCINNATI ASSOCIATION FOR THE BLIND AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED (CABVI) | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| EPISCOPAL RETIREMENT HOMES | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| GREATER CINCINNATI TELEVISION EDUCATIONAL FOUNDATION | CINCINNATI, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| PRICE HILL WILL | CINCINNATI, OH | $35,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| MUTUAL DANCE THEATRE | CINCINNATI, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CINCINNATI SHAKESPEARE COMPANY | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ELEMENTZ | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| BEHRINGER-CRAWFORD MUSEUM | COVINGTON, KY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| THE CARNEGIE | COVINGTON, KY | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| NATIONAL SOCIETY OF COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA IN THE STATE OF OHIO | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| HILLSIDE TRUST | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| SPRINGER SCHOOL AND CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| FOTOFOCUS CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CINCINNATI MEMORIAL HALL SOCIETY | CINCINNATI, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| NORTHERN KENTUCKY SYMPHONY INC | NEWPORT, KY | $20,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| THE ART ACADEMY OF CINCINNATI | CINCINNATI, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| ROMAC | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CINCINNATI PLAYHOUSE IN THE PARK | CINCINNATI, OH | $5,000 | 2026 | GENERAL OPERATING |
| CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL MEDICAL CENTER | CINCINNATI, OH | $500,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI USA REGIONAL CHAMBER FDTN | CINCINNATI, OH | $350,000 | 2025 | PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI INSTITUTE OF FINE ARTS | CINCINNATI, OH | $300,000 | 2025 | ANNUAL FUND |
PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
CINCINNATI BALLET COMPANY
$125,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
AMERICAN LEGACY THEATRE
$100,000GENERAL OPERATING
CHRIST CHURCH CATHEDRAL
$100,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
CINCINNATI OPERA ASSOCIATION
$80,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
WYOMING FINE ARTS CENTER
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
HOSPICE OF CINCINNATI INC
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
PYRAMID HILL SCULPTURE PARK
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
CINCINNATI ART MUSEUM
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
COUNCIL ON AGING
$50,000GENERAL OPERATING
PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
EPISCOPAL RETIREMENT HOMES
$50,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
MUTUAL DANCE THEATRE
$30,000GENERAL OPERATING
ELEMENTZ
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
BEHRINGER-CRAWFORD MUSEUM
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
NATIONAL SOCIETY OF COLONIAL DAMES OF AMERICA IN THE STATE OF OHIO
$25,000PROJECT/PROGRAM SUPPORT
FOTOFOCUS CINCINNATI
$25,000GENERAL OPERATING
ROMAC
$15,000GENERAL OPERATING