The Jesse and Caryl Philips Foundation makes very large, local grants in the Dayton, OH area focused on cultural institutions and animal welfare. With multi-six-figure to seven-figure awards to a small number of organizations, the foundation appears to back flagship community assets — science education, performing arts, and the regional humane society — often with repeat or multi-part grants to the same institutions. Their giving supports public-facing organizations that serve broad community audiences and enhance civic life in Dayton.
Highly concentrated, large-dollar gifts to a very small number of local flagship organizations; repeat support for select grantees rather than many small grants.
A pair of million-dollar general-support grants in 2024 stands out in The Jesse and Caryl Philips Foundation’s recent record: $1,020,500 to Boonshoft Museum of Discovery and $1,012,073 to Humane Society of Greater Dayton, both in Dayton. That pattern points to a funder that uses substantial, flexible awards to support major local institutions rather than short, project-only grants. Their giving centers on Dayton civic life, with science education, animal welfare, and performing arts appearing as recurring areas of support. The foundation has also backed Dayton Performing Arts Alliance across multiple years, including awards of $250,000 in 2023, $250,000 in 2024, and $500,000 in 2025. Other recent support reaches Dayton Theatre Guild, Dayton Society of Natural History, United Way of Greater Dayton, and Artemis Center. The recent grants list also shows support for organizations outside Dayton, but the overall pattern is still grounded in regional institutions and public-facing nonprofits. In the portfolio, general support is the prevailing form of funding, which gives recipient organizations room to cover core operating needs while sustaining services for local audiences.
In children’s science education and informal STEM learning, the foundation gave $1,020,500 to Boonshoft Museum of Discovery for general support. That award aligns with its support for Dayton institutions that serve broad community audiences. In animal welfare, it provided $1,012,073 to Humane Society of Greater Dayton for general support, alongside other grants to humane- and animal-related organizations such as Ellie's Rainy Day Fund and Therapeutic Riding Institute. Performing arts is another clear theme: Dayton Performing Arts Alliance received $500,000 in 2025 after prior awards of $250,000 in both 2023 and 2024, and Dayton Theatre Guild received $100,000 in 2024. The portfolio also includes cultural and arts support outside Dayton, including Cincinnati Opera and The Metropolitan Opera.
Grant sizes cluster around a small number of larger awards and a broader middle tier. The distribution shows a p25 of $1,375, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $21,250, but the recent record also includes several five- and six-figure general-support grants. Recipients recur across years: Dayton Performing Arts Alliance appears in 2023, 2024, and 2025; American Red Cross, National Geographic Society, Dayton Society of Natural History, and United Way of Greater Dayton also show repeated awards. The foundation funds nonprofit organizations and does not make program-related investments or grants to individuals. The grant record is entirely general support, indicating flexible operating funding rather than a narrow application to one project type.
$790K
$18.5M
$1.9M
$1.3M
Most grants fall between $1K and $21K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$1K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$21K
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Notable grantees: Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Humane Society of Greater Dayton, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance
Most grants land in Ohio, which accounts for 65% of grants to recipients in the foundation’s own state. Dayton is the main city in the portfolio, with additional recipients in Columbus and Cincinnati. Outside Ohio, recent grants reached Washington, DC; New York, NY; Philadelphia, PA; Westport, CT; Gladstone, NJ; Wellington, FL; and Fisher Island, FL. The recipient-country distribution is entirely U.S.-based, with 97 grants in the United States.
The recent record shows support for nonprofit organizations working in science education, animal welfare, performing arts, natural history, social services, and related civic institutions. Named recipients include Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Humane Society of Greater Dayton, Dayton Performing Arts Alliance, Dayton Society of Natural History, and United Way of Greater Dayton.
Yes. The recent grants list is almost entirely labeled general support, including major awards to Boonshoft Museum of Discovery, Humane Society of Greater Dayton, and Dayton Performing Arts Alliance. That suggests a strong preference for flexible operating funding rather than narrowly restricted project grants.
The grant-size distribution shows a p25 of $1,375, a median of $10,000, and a p75 of $21,250. Recent awards also include much larger grants, including seven-figure support for two Dayton institutions in 2024.
Yes. The geographic scope is regional, and 65% of grants go to recipients in Ohio. Dayton is the main recipient city, with additional Ohio grants in Columbus and Cincinnati, while the rest of the portfolio reaches a small set of U.S. cities outside the state.
Yes. Several organizations appear in multiple years, including Dayton Performing Arts Alliance in 2023, 2024, and 2025; American Red Cross in 2023, 2024, and 2025; National Geographic Society in 2023, 2024, and 2025; and United Way of Greater Dayton in 2023, 2024, and 2025.
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DAYTON PERFORMING ARTS ALLIANCE DAYTON PERFORMING ARTS ALLIANCE | DAYTON, OH | $500,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS AMERICAN RED CROSS | COLUMBUS, OH | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JUST WORLD INTERNATIONAL JUST WORL INTERNATIONAL | WELLINGTON, FL | $30,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY | DAYTON, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARTEMIS CENTER ARTEMIS CENTER | DAYTON, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER DAYTON UNITED WAY OF GREATER DAYTON | DAYTON, OH | $20,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| USET FOUNDATION USET FOUNDATION | GLADSTONE, NJ | $15,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON LIVE DAYTON LIVE | DAYTON, OH | $11,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE | DAYTON, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND | BEAVERCREEK, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSE MACHINE MUSE MACHINE | DAYTON, OH | $10,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER DAYTON HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER DAYTON | DAYTON, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CRAYONS TO CLASSROOMS CRAYONS TO CLASSROOMS | DAYTON, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BRIGID'S PATH BRIGID'S PATH | KETTERLING, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES | AKRON, OH | $5,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYBREAK DAYBREAK | DAYTON, OH | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CULTURE WORKS CULTURE WORKS | HOLLAND, MI | $2,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE | SAN ANGELO, TX | $2,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE DAYTON ART INSTITUTE THE DAYTON ART INSTITUTE | DAYTON, OH | $1,500 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY | DAYTON, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| COX ARBORETUM FOUNDATION COX ARBORETUM FOUNDATION | DAYTON, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON HISTORY DAYTON HISTORY | DAYTON, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CLOTHES THAT WORK CLOTHES THAT WORK | DAYTON, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE SALVATION ARMY THE SALVATION ARMY | DAYTON, OH | $1,000 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE HUNDRED CLUB OF DAYTON THE HUNDRED CLUB OF DAYTON | HOUSTON, TX | $400 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| FRIENDS OF AULLWOOD FRIENDS OF AULLWOOD | DAYTON, OH | $240 | 2025 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| BOONSHOFT MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY BOONSHOFT MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY | DAYTON, OH | $1,020,500 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER DAYTON HUMANE SOCIETY OF GREATER DAYTON | DAYTON, OH | $1,012,073 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON PERFORMING ARTS ALLIANCE DAYTON PERFORMING ARTS ALLIANCE | DAYTON, OH | $250,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON THEATRE GUILD DAYTON THEATRE GUILD | DAYTON, OH | $100,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS AMERICAN RED CROSS | COLUMBUS, OH | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY | WASHINGTON, DC | $50,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| USET FOUNDATION USET FOUNDATION | GLADSTONE, NJ | $30,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| TRUSTEES OF THE UNIV OF PENNSYLVANI TRUSTEES OF THE UNIV OF PENNSYLVANIA | PHILADELPHIA, PA | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE METROPOLITAN OPERA THE METROPOLITAN OPERA | NEW YORK, NY | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| JUST WORLD INTERNATIONAL JUST WORL INTERNATIONAL | WELLINGTON, FL | $25,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY | DAYTON, OH | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| UNITED WAY OF GREATER DAYTON UNITED WAY OF GREATER DAYTON | DAYTON, OH | $20,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| CINCINNATI OPERA CINCINNATI OPERA | CINCINNATI, OH | $15,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| DAYTON LIVE DAYTON LIVE | DAYTON, OH | $11,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| MUSE MACHINE MUSE MACHINE | DAYTON, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| EQUUS FOUNDATION EQUUS FOUNDATION | WESTPORT, CT | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND | BEAVERCREEK, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| ARTEMIS CENTER ARTEMIS CENTER | DAYTON, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE | DAYTON, OH | $10,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART THE MUSEUM OF MODERN ART | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
| THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART THE METROPOLITAN MUSEUM OF ART | NEW YORK, NY | $5,000 | 2024 | GENERAL SUPPORT |
GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN RED CROSS AMERICAN RED CROSS
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JUST WORLD INTERNATIONAL JUST WORL INTERNATIONAL
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
USET FOUNDATION USET FOUNDATION
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DAYTON LIVE DAYTON LIVE
$11,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES RONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES
$5,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CULTURE WORKS CULTURE WORKS
$2,500GENERAL SUPPORT
PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE PEACEFUL VALLEY DONKEY RESCUE
$2,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE DAYTON ART INSTITUTE THE DAYTON ART INSTITUTE
$1,500GENERAL SUPPORT
THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY THE HUMAN RACE THEATRE COMPANY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
COX ARBORETUM FOUNDATION COX ARBORETUM FOUNDATION
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CLOTHES THAT WORK CLOTHES THAT WORK
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE SALVATION ARMY THE SALVATION ARMY
$1,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THE HUNDRED CLUB OF DAYTON THE HUNDRED CLUB OF DAYTON
$400GENERAL SUPPORT
BOONSHOFT MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY BOONSHOFT MUSEUM OF DISCOVERY
$1,020,500GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
DAYTON THEATRE GUILD DAYTON THEATRE GUILD
$100,000GENERAL SUPPORT
AMERICAN RED CROSS AMERICAN RED CROSS
$50,000GENERAL SUPPORT
USET FOUNDATION USET FOUNDATION
$30,000GENERAL SUPPORT
GENERAL SUPPORT
THE METROPOLITAN OPERA THE METROPOLITAN OPERA
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
JUST WORLD INTERNATIONAL JUST WORL INTERNATIONAL
$25,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY DAYTON SOCIETY OF NATURAL HISTORY
$20,000GENERAL SUPPORT
CINCINNATI OPERA CINCINNATI OPERA
$15,000GENERAL SUPPORT
DAYTON LIVE DAYTON LIVE
$11,000GENERAL SUPPORT
EQUUS FOUNDATION EQUUS FOUNDATION
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND ELLIE'S RAINY DAY FUND
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT
THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE THERAPEUTIC RIDING INSTITUTE
$10,000GENERAL SUPPORT