The Sam J Frankino Foundation focuses on a small number of sizable, locally concentrated gifts in Greater Cleveland that support major cultural, health, emergency relief, and private education institutions. Grants skew toward operating and capital/endowment support rather than many small awards, and the foundation repeatedly funds several flagship organizations. Their giving emphasizes institutional sustainability (museum operating, hospital cancer care, school endowment/building) and community wellbeing through health and emergency-response partners.
The Sam J Frankino Foundation’s recent giving is anchored by large, repeated operating grants to Cleveland institutions and by multi-year support for health and education partners. Its largest recent gifts include $500,000 to the Cleveland Museum of Art in both 2024 and 2025, and $460,700 and $400,000 to University Hospitals of Cleveland for Siedman Cancer. Those awards sit within a pattern of local, institutional support rather than a broad scatter of small grants. The foundation also backs community health and civic response work, with significant funding to the American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland and the American Heart Association Ne Ohio. Alongside those priorities, it supports Catholic and independent education through Gilmour Academy and the Catholic Community Foundation. The recent record shows a funder that uses operating support, sponsorships, endowment support, research funding, and capital-related awards to sustain organizations that serve Greater Cleveland.
In arts and culture, The Sam J Frankino Foundation gave $500,000 in 2025 to the Cleveland Museum of Art for operating support, matching a $500,000 operating grant the prior year. In health, it gave $305,230 in 2025 to American Heart Association Ne Ohio for the Go Red for Women Fund, and $162,043 in 2024 for the same fund. Medical giving also includes $200,000 in 2023 to University Hospitals of Cleveland for research. In education, it gave $253,950 in 2025 to Gilmour Academy for endowment, building fund, and the SJF Scholarship Fund. The foundation also supported Catholic Community Foundation with $130,000 for scholarship and $143,612 for operating support.
Typical grant size clusters around $10,000 at the median, with the 25th percentile at $5,000 and the 75th percentile at $25,000. The recent record also includes much larger institutional gifts, showing that the foundation uses a small number of sizable awards alongside many smaller ones. Several recipients appear across multiple years, including the Cleveland Museum of Art, University Hospitals of Cleveland, American Heart Association Ne Ohio, Gilmour Academy, and American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland. The foundation’s active programs include both unsolicited and competitive channels, with two application cycles each year in the general grantmaking program.
$3.5M
$50.1M
$4.2M
$4.8M
Most grants fall between $5K and $25K, with a median of $10K.
25th Percentile
$5K
Median
$10K
75th Percentile
$25K
Top 2 recipient countries by grant volume for Sam J Frankino Foundation.
| Rank | Country | Grants | Total | Share |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | United StatesDomestic | 262 | $8.3M | 99.2% |
| 2 | Other Countries |
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Concentrated, high-dollar giving with a small number of grants per year; repeat funding to flagship local institutions across operating, capital, and program-specific purposes rather than broad distributed microgrants.
Notable grantees: Cleveland Museum of Art, University Hospitals of Cleveland (Siedman Cancer Center), American Red Cross of Greater Cleveland, American Heart Association — Northeast Ohio, Gilmour Academy
The giving is heavily concentrated in Ohio, which accounts for 87% of grants and is the top state by grant count. Cleveland is the main recipient city, with additional gifts in Gates Mills and Mantua. Outside Ohio, the recent grants list includes Springfield, Massachusetts, and the recipient-country distribution shows 2 grants in Oceania outside the United States. The overall pattern is local, with the foundation’s grants landing overwhelmingly in the state where it gives most often.
Its active programs cover education and youth development, medical and health and human services, arts, culture and heritage, community development and social services, environmental sustainability, and international and global initiatives. Recent grants show support for museums, hospitals, disaster relief, schools, and community health groups.
Yes. The program list includes medical, health and human services, and recent grants include $460,700 and $400,000 to University Hospitals of Cleveland for Siedman Cancer, plus $305,230 to American Heart Association Ne Ohio for the Go Red for Women Fund.
Very concentrated. Ohio is the top state by grant count, and 87% of grants go to recipients in the HQ state. Cleveland is the most common recipient city in the recent grants list.
Yes for several listed programs. The community development and social services, medical, health and human services, arts, culture and heritage, international and global initiatives, education and youth development, environmental sustainability, and general grant program all accept unsolicited applications.
The grant-size distribution centers on $5,000 at the 25th percentile, $10,000 at the median, and $25,000 at the 75th percentile. The recent grants list also shows larger awards for operating, research, sponsorship, endowment, and capital-related support.
2026
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2026.
| 2 |
| $93K |
0.8% |
Recipient country reflects the grantee's headquarters per IRS 990-PF and Schedule F filings, not the program's implementation country.
Current and upcoming funding from Sam J Frankino Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Nonprofit organizations may request event support. Program support is prioritized over general fundraising events. Requests should not be submitted through the regular grant application process.
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Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $1,260,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| GILMOUR ACADEMY | GATES MILLS, OH | $269,677 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| PATRONS OF THE ARTS IN THE VATICAN MUSEUMS OF OHIO INC | CLEVELAND, OH | $260,346 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NE OHIO | CLEVELAND, OH | $236,049 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION |
| CLEVELAND, OH |
| $171,679 |
| 2026 |
| OPERATING |
| CLEVELAND CLINIC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL | CLEVELAND, OH | $100,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION | SOLON, OH | $60,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| HATTIE LARLHAM FOUNDATION | MANTUA, OH | $60,000 | 2026 | SPONSORSHIP |
| AMERICAN RED CROSS OF GREATER CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $50,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| HANDS TOGETHER | SPRINGFIELD, MA | $50,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| THE GREAT LAKES MUSEUM SCIENCE CENTER | CLEVELAND, OH | $40,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| CHILDREN OF FALLEN PATRIOTS FOUNDATION | RESTON, VA | $35,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| CLEVELAND ORCHESTRA | CLEVELAND, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| PARKINSON'S FOUNDATION INC | NEW YORK, NY | $30,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY | CLEVELAND, OH | $30,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| HOSPICE OF THE WESTERN RESERVE | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| SHOES & CLOTHES FOR KIDS | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| JOSEPH'S HOME | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY | INDEPENDENCE, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NE OHIO | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| THE TRI-C FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ST JUDE CHILDREN'S RESEARCH HOSPITAL | MEMPHIS, TN | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| NOTRE DAME-CATHEDRAL LATIN SCHOOL | CHARDON, OH | $25,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| FRIENDS OF THE VATICAN | CHIGACO, IL | $20,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| LOVE IN NEGLECTED COMMUNITIES | STOW, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA | BRECKSVILLE, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| MAY DUGAN CENTER | CLEVELAND, OH | $20,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| MALACHI HOUSE | CLEVELAND, OH | $17,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| I AM BOUNDLESS | INDEPENDENCE, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ST MALACHI CENTER | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| PLAYHOUSE SQUARE FOUNDATION | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| CORNERSTONE OF HOPE | INDEPENDENCE, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ECUMENICAL SHELTER NETWORK OF LAKE COUNTY | PAINESVILLE, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| THE CITY MISSION | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ADOPTION NETWORK CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $15,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| HOPE MEADOWS FOUNDATION | INDEPENDENCE, OH | $13,350 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| HUNGER NETWORK OF GREATER CLEVELAND | CLEVELAND, OH | $12,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| STAN HYWET HALL & GARDENS | AKRON, OH | $11,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| TRANSFORMATIONS BY AUSTIN ANGELS | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| WOMENSAFE INC | CHARDON, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| A KID AGAIN NORTHERN OHIO | TWINSBURG, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH | GATES MILLS, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| CLEVELAND ZOOLOGICAL SOCIETY | CLEVELAND, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| ACHIEVEMENT CENTERS FOR CHILDREN | HIGHLAND HILLS, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| HIRE HEROES USA | ALPHARETTA, GA | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| WESTERN RESERVE LAND CONSERVANCY | MORELAND HILLS, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| WHEELCHAIRS 4 KIDS | TARPON SPRINGS, FL | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| BEST BUDDIES | WESTLAKE, OH | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
| PARTNERSHIP SCHOOLS FOR INNER-CITY EDUCATION | NEW YORK, NY | $10,000 | 2026 | OPERATING |
UNIVERSITY HOSPITALS OF CLEVELAND
$1,260,000OPERATING
GILMOUR ACADEMY
$269,677OPERATING
PATRONS OF THE ARTS IN THE VATICAN MUSEUMS OF OHIO INC
$260,346OPERATING
AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION NE OHIO
$236,049OPERATING
CATHOLIC COMMUNITY FOUNDATION
$171,679OPERATING
CLEVELAND CLINIC CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL
$100,000OPERATING
ARTHRITIS FOUNDATION
$60,000OPERATING
AMERICAN RED CROSS OF GREATER CLEVELAND
$50,000OPERATING
AMERICAN CANCER SOCIETY
$30,000OPERATING
LEUKEMIA & LYMPHOMA SOCIETY
$25,000OPERATING
BOYS & GIRLS CLUBS OF NE OHIO
$25,000OPERATING
THE TRI-C FOUNDATION
$25,000OPERATING
NOTRE DAME-CATHEDRAL LATIN SCHOOL
$25,000OPERATING
FRIENDS OF THE VATICAN
$20,000OPERATING
LOVE IN NEGLECTED COMMUNITIES
$20,000OPERATING
LUPUS FOUNDATION OF AMERICA
$20,000OPERATING
MAY DUGAN CENTER
$20,000OPERATING
ST MALACHI CENTER
$15,000OPERATING
THE CITY MISSION
$15,000OPERATING
CLEVELAND MUSEUM OF NATURAL HISTORY
$15,000OPERATING
ADOPTION NETWORK CLEVELAND
$15,000OPERATING
HOPE MEADOWS FOUNDATION
$13,350OPERATING
TRANSFORMATIONS BY AUSTIN ANGELS
$10,000OPERATING
ST FRANCIS OF ASSISI PARISH
$10,000OPERATING
HIRE HEROES USA
$10,000OPERATING
BEST BUDDIES
$10,000OPERATING
