To assist donors and others in strengthening and improving our community for the benefit of all its residents.
A defining feature of Columbus Foundation’s recent giving is its large flow of donor-advised and donor-established support to advancing philanthropy organizations, including a $55,209,000 grant to Greater Horizons in Kansas City and more than $21 million to The Huntington Foundation in Columbus. That pattern sits alongside sizable education and health awards, showing a foundation that moves between intermediary philanthropy, local institutions, and community services. The foundation operates as a public charity and a mixed community foundation, with a broad regional scope and a grant portfolio that includes operating support, capital funding, scholarships, and donor-defined field-of-interest funds. Its recent grants also show sustained support for Columbus-based institutions. Kipp Columbus Foundation received $22,000,000 in 2023 and $10,500,000 in 2024, while Columbus Museum of Art and Columbus Symphony Orchestra Inc each appear multiple times in the recent-grants list. The foundation also funds neighborhood work, conservation, and health-related organizations, reflecting a grantmaker that supports both place-based services and larger philanthropic infrastructure. Through supporting foundations and specialized programs, it channels money into education, critical human needs, youth services, and other donor-defined priorities.
Education is one of the clearest threads in Columbus Foundation’s recent grantmaking. Kipp Columbus Foundation received $22,000,000 in 2023 and $10,500,000 in 2024, and The Ohio State University Foundation received $14,104,872 in 2023 for education and $10,374,945 in 2024 for education, conservation, health, and urban affairs. The foundation also supported I Know I Can with $4,741,988 in 2025 and Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation with $4,144,339 in 2024. Arts and culture also receive repeated support. Columbus Museum of Art was awarded $7,324,252 in 2024 and $4,234,728 in 2025, while Columbus Symphony Orchestra Inc received $5,096,799 in 2023, $5,008,306 in 2024, and $4,008,815 in 2025. In health, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation received $9,737,094 in 2025 and $4,313,909 in 2024, and Alcohol Drug and Mental Health Board Of received $7,134,725 in 2024.
Typical grant size sits at a p25 of $10,000, a median of $22,000, and a p75 of $63,500, which points to a portfolio with many modest awards and some very large transfers. The recent list shows both one-time and repeated grants: several organizations appear across multiple years, including Kipp Columbus Foundation, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Symphony Orchestra Inc, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation. Columbus Foundation is a public charity and a mixed community foundation, and it also makes program-related investments. Active programs show a mix of unsolicited opportunities and donor-defined grants, including field-of-interest funds, capital improvements, and scholarships.
$242.7M
$2.8B
$411.6M
$272.7M
Most grants fall between $10K and $64K, with a median of $22K.
25th Percentile
$10K
Median
$22K
75th Percentile
$64K
DOUGLAS F KRIDLER
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Most grants land in the United States, and 55% of grants go to recipients in Ohio. Columbus appears repeatedly, including the Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Symphony Orchestra Inc, Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation, and the Columbus Downtown Development Corporation & Capitol South. Outside Ohio, recent recipients include Greater Horizons in Kansas City, Missouri; Santa Barbara Foundation in Santa Barbara, California; Food & Water Watch in Washington, DC; and Lesley University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The foundation’s broader recipient footprint is still overwhelmingly domestic, with 5,349 US grants in the data.
Its stated focus areas include arts and culture, education, health, housing, food and nutrition, social services, environment, employment and economic development, scholarships, and community research. Active programs also add field-of-interest funds, capital improvements, neighborhood grants, and supporting foundation grants tied to education and critical human needs.
The typical grant-size distribution is p25 $10,000, median $22,000, and p75 $63,500. That mix suggests many smaller awards, with a substantial number of mid-sized grants and some larger commitments.
Yes. The recent-grants list shows repeated support for several recipients across multiple years, including Kipp Columbus Foundation, Columbus Museum of Art, Columbus Symphony Orchestra Inc, and Nationwide Children’s Hospital Foundation. That pattern suggests ongoing relationships in some program areas.
Yes, several active programs accept unsolicited applications, including Focused Funds, Capital Improvements Grants, Core Support Grants, Neighborhood Grants, and the supporting foundation grant programs. The Summer Fellowship Program is different: nonprofits host fellows, but it does not accept unsolicited applications.
Ohio receives 55% of the grants in the data, and many recent awards go to Columbus-based organizations. The recipient country distribution is entirely US-based, with 5,349 grants in the United States.
PRESIDENT & CEO
2025
Source: IRS Form 990-PF, fiscal year 2025.
Current and upcoming funding from Columbus Foundation that your nonprofit may be able to apply for.
Who can apply: Eligibility varies by fund; generally for 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations serving Franklin County, Ohio.
Deadline: Annual deadlines listed as May 1 and October 2, 2026.
Who can apply: Eligible applicants and technology projects must meet the D.E.A.F. Fund guidelines.
Deadline: December 15, 2026
Who can apply: Eligibility varies by subprogram; the Foundation lists teacher mini-grants, traditional grants, and literacy technology mini-grants.
Deadline: March 15, May 15, October 15, and December 15, 2026
Who can apply: Nonprofits whose primary impact is in Columbus or Franklin County and that work on digital literacy, device access, or affordability.
Deadline: Ongoing (applications accepted any time / rolling).
Who can apply: Nonprofits serving or engaged with opportunity youth (ages 18–24) in defined focus areas within Columbus/Franklin County.
Deadline: Ongoing (rolling).
Who can apply: Nonprofits operating or preparing to launch a social enterprise that will substantially benefit Franklin County.
Deadline: Ongoing (rolling).
Who can apply: Projects based in Franklin County that explicitly serve three or more nonprofits; applicants must identify partner organizations.
Deadline: Ongoing (applications accepted any time / rolling).
Who can apply: 501(c)(3) nonprofits working in Columbus/Franklin County neighborhoods with comprehensive revitalization projects; government and universities are ineligible.
Deadline: Ongoing (rolling applications accepted).
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Create a free accountDeadlines and eligibility are summarized from public sources and may change — always confirm the details on the funder's official application page before applying.
Most recent grants reported to the IRS.
| Recipient | Location | Amount | Year | Purpose |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| THE HUNTINGTON FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $21,846,166 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION | CHICAGO, IL | $11,667,513 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $9,737,094 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION & CAPITOL SOUTH | COLUMBUS, OH | $8,420,523 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD |
| I KNOW I CAN | COLUMBUS, OH | $4,741,988 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| LESLEY UNIVERSITY | CAMBRIDGE, MA | $4,305,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| KIPP COLUMBUS FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $4,300,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| COLUMBUS MUSEUM OF ART | COLUMBUS, OH | $4,234,728 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| COLUMBUS SYMPHONY ORCHESTRA INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $4,008,815 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| THE NATURE CONSERVANCY IN OHIO | DUBLIN, OH | $3,811,425 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| UNITED WAY OF CENTRAL OHIO INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $3,084,390 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| ALCOHOL DRUG AND MENTAL HEALTH BOARD OF FRANKLIN COUNTY | COLUMBUS, OH | $3,000,000 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| THE PAST FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $2,872,100 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| COLUMBUS STATE COMMUNITY COLLEGE DEVELOPMENT FOUNDATION INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $2,866,284 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MID-OHIO FOODBANK DBA MID-OHIO FOOD COLLECTIVE | GROVE CITY, OH | $2,652,781 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| MYRIAD USA | NEW YORK, NY | $2,394,912 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| THE HUNTINGTON-AKRON FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $2,000,000 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| VISTA VILLAGE INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,826,000 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| RON CLARK ACADEMY INC | ATLANTA, GA | $1,793,284 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| SALVATION ARMY (CENTRAL OHIO) | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,663,065 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| THE METRO SCHOOLS | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,537,842 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| BATTELLE EDUCATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,466,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| FUND OF THE COLUMBUS FOUNDATION | — | $1,451,008 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE | DUBUQUE, IA | $1,382,543 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| MARIETTA COLLEGE | MARIETTA, OH | $1,263,519 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| JEWISH COLUMBUS | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,250,875 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| CENTER OF SCIENCE AND INDUSTRY (COSI) | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,199,122 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| COLUMBUS NEIGHBORHOOD HEALTH CENTER INC DBA PRIMARYONE HEALTH | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,162,691 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| NEW ALBANY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | NEW ALBANY, OH | $1,077,175 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| FRANKLIN PARK CONSERVATORY AND BOTANICAL GARDENS | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,073,743 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| COLUMBUS ASSOCIATION FOR THE PERFORMING ARTS (CAPA) | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,049,212 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| OHIOHEALTH FOUNDATION INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,024,003 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| HARMONY PROJECT PRODUCTIONS INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,021,216 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| COLUMBUS SCHOOL FOR GIRLS | COLUMBUS, OH | $1,018,205 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| THE MAHAIWE PERFORMING ARTS CENTER | GREAT BARRINGTON, MA | $1,000,000 | 2025 | ARTS AND HUMANITIES |
| DIVISION OF NATURAL AREAS AND PRESERVES OF THE OHIO DEPT OF NATURAL RESOUR | COLUMBUS, OH | $990,134 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| BEXLEY COMMUNITY FOUNDATION | BEXLEY, OH | $953,887 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| ARC OF APPALACHIA PRESERVE SYSTEM | BAINBRIDGE, OH | $942,684 | 2025 | CONSERVATION |
| SCHWAB CHARITABLE FUND DBA SCHWAB CHARITABLE | ORLANDO, FL | $924,656 | 2025 | ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY |
| COMMUNITY SHELTER BOARD | COLUMBUS, OH | $919,322 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| FOUNDATION OF THE CATHOLIC DIOCESE OF COLUMBUS DBA THE CATHOLIC FOUNDATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $909,000 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| GOVERNMENT ACCOUNTABILITY PROJECT INC | WASHINGTON, DC | $900,000 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD |
| THE JED FOUNDATION | BOSTON, MA | $883,000 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| SOLES4SOULS | OLD HICKORY, TN | $876,703 | 2025 | SOCIAL SERVICES |
| COLUMBUS COLLEGE OF ART & DESIGN | COLUMBUS, OH | $876,452 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| BROAD STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH | COLUMBUS, OH | $868,021 | 2025 | RELIGION |
| SID PUBLIC SERVICES ASSOCIATION | COLUMBUS, OH | $810,000 | 2025 | NEIGHBORHOOD |
| COLUMBUS ACADEMY | GAHANNA, OH | $791,598 | 2025 | EDUCATION |
| LIFECARE ALLIANCE | COLUMBUS, OH | $787,607 | 2025 | HEALTH |
| MARYHAVEN INC | COLUMBUS, OH | $779,888 | 2025 | HEALTH |
THE HUNTINGTON FOUNDATION
$21,846,166ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY FOUNDATION
$11,667,513EDUCATION
NATIONWIDE CHILDREN'S HOSPITAL FOUNDATION
$9,737,094HEALTH
COLUMBUS DOWNTOWN DEVELOPMENT CORPORATION & CAPITOL SOUTH
$8,420,523NEIGHBORHOOD
LESLEY UNIVERSITY
$4,305,000EDUCATION
KIPP COLUMBUS FOUNDATION
$4,300,000EDUCATION
ALCOHOL DRUG AND MENTAL HEALTH BOARD OF FRANKLIN COUNTY
$3,000,000HEALTH
THE HUNTINGTON-AKRON FOUNDATION
$2,000,000ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY
SALVATION ARMY (CENTRAL OHIO)
$1,663,065SOCIAL SERVICES
BATTELLE EDUCATION
$1,466,000EDUCATION
UNIVERSITY OF DUBUQUE
$1,382,543EDUCATION
MARIETTA COLLEGE
$1,263,519EDUCATION
OHIOHEALTH FOUNDATION INC
$1,024,003HEALTH
DIVISION OF NATURAL AREAS AND PRESERVES OF THE OHIO DEPT OF NATURAL RESOUR
$990,134CONSERVATION
RELIGION
BROAD STREET PRESBYTERIAN CHURCH
$868,021RELIGION
SID PUBLIC SERVICES ASSOCIATION
$810,000NEIGHBORHOOD
