Funding search · EIN 316044264 · Columbus, OH

Columbus Foundation

Name: Columbus Foundation grants, 2022–2024
Creator: PaperOrbit
License: https://www.irs.gov/charities-non-profits/exempt-organization-public-disclosure-and-availability-requirements

A grantmaking public charity (files IRS Form 990, Schedule I). Charities like this often run real grant programs with application cycles.

5,344
grants reported: $841.8M
total given: 2022–2024
filing years: $21,892
median grant

Based on grants this organization reported to the IRS for tax years 2022–2024. This is what they filed, not a complete record of their giving, and recent years may be incomplete because filings lag.

What they fund

services social education religion health affairs urban arts

Funder website ↗Full IRS filings ↗How this is built Report an error

Funding pattern

What this funder pays for, at what size, and how to position adjacent work. Read from their filings, with every number checked against the record.

Where the money goes

K-12 and higher education in Franklin County and central Ohio
Health systems, children's hospital, behavioral health and addiction services
Arts and humanities institutions in Columbus (museum, symphony, CAPA, COSI)
Social services: food access, shelter, youth mentoring, United Way
Land and natural area conservation, mostly Ohio preserves
Grants to other foundations and donor-advised vehicles under 'advancing philanthropy'

Typical grant

Median grant is about $21,900, with the middle half between $10,000 and $64,000. The seven and eight figure checks go to a short list of anchor institutions (Huntington Foundation, Ohio State University Foundation, Nationwide Children's, Columbus Downtown Development Corporation), while the thousands of small grants reflect donor-advised and fund distributions to local nonprofits. Recipients repeat heavily year over year, with 5,344 grants spread across 3,335 organizations.

Their words

Phrases from their own grant descriptions, worth speaking back to them.

“ADVANCING PHILANTHROPY”
“EDUCATION”
“HEALTH”
“NEIGHBORHOOD”
“ARTS AND HUMANITIES”
“CONSERVATION”

Positioning adjacent work

Anchor the work in Franklin County or central Ohio; 2,995 of the grants went to Ohio recipients.
Ask in the $10,000 to $64,000 band unless you are an anchor institution with a capital project.
Tie research to their EDUCATION or HEALTH categories, the two largest by dollars, using their own category words.
Partner with an existing grantee (Ohio State, Nationwide Children's, Columbus State) rather than approaching cold.

Worth knowing: This is a community foundation, so most of the volume is donor-advised distributions rather than open competitive review; the out-of-state grants to New York, California, Florida and Massachusetts almost certainly follow individual donors, not a national strategy. A small set of Columbus anchors absorb a very large share of the dollars, and the largest single line, $21.8 million to The Huntington Foundation, is fund administration rather than programmatic giving.

3 grants matching “kaleidoscope” · $386,181

$146,080
Kaleidoscope Youth Center · Columbus, OH · 2024
Social services
$147,160
Kaleidoscope Youth Center · Columbus, OH · 2023
Social services
$92,941
Kaleidoscope Youth Center · Columbus, OH · 2022
Social services

Top recipients

Repeat recipients are the strongest signal of whether a funder has an open door or quietly re-funds the same organizations.

Greater Horizons2 grants · $55.7M
Huntington Foundation2 grants · $39.7M
Kipp Columbus Foundation3 grants · $36.8M
Ohio State University Foundation5 grants · $24.6M
The Huntington Foundation1 grant · $21.8M
Santa Barbara Foundation1 grant · $20.6M
Columbus Symphony Orchestra3 grants · $14.1M
Nationwide Children'S Hospital Foundation2 grants · $14.1M
Columbus Museum of Art3 grants · $13.6M
Food & Water Watch2 grants · $12.2M

Giving over time

$278.8M

2022

$320.4M

2023

$242.6M

2024

Grant history

The 100 largest of 5,344 grants.

$55.2M
Greater Horizons · Kansas City, MO · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$22.0M
Kipp Columbus Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$21.8M
The Huntington Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2024
Advancing philanthropy
$21.8M
Huntington Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$20.6M
Santa Barbara Foundation · Santa Barbara, CA · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$17.9M
Huntington Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$14.1M
Ohio State University Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$11.7M
The Ohio State University Foundation · Chicago, IL · 2024
Education
$10.5M
Kipp Columbus Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education
$10.4M
Ohio State University Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education, conservation, health, & urban affairs
$9.7M
Nationwide Children'S Hospital Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2024
Health
$8.4M
Columbus Downtown Development Corporation & Capitol South · Columbus, OH · 2024
Neighborhood
$7.3M
Columbus Museum of Art · Columbus, OH · 2023
Arts and humanities
$7.1M
Alcohol Drug and Mental Health Board of · Columbus, OH · 2023
Health
$6.1M
Food & Water Watch · Washington, DC · 2023
Social services
$6.1M
Food & Water Watch · Washington, DC · 2022
Social services
$6.0M
Monmouth University · W Long Beach, NJ · 2023
Education
$5.6M
Pelotonia · Columbus, OH · 2022
Health
$5.1M
Columbus Symphony Orchestra · Columbus, OH · 2022
Arts and humanities
$5.0M
Columbus Symphony Orchestra · Columbus, OH · 2023
Arts and humanities
$4.7M
I Know I Can · Columbus, OH · 2024
Education
$4.3M
Nationwide Children'S Hospital Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Health and urban affairs
$4.3M
Lesley University · Cambridge, MA · 2024
Education
$4.3M
Kipp Columbus Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2024
Education
$4.3M
Myriad USA · New York, NY · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$4.2M
Columbus Museum of Art · Columbus, OH · 2024
Arts and humanities
$4.1M
Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education
$4.0M
Columbus Symphony Orchestra · Columbus, OH · 2024
Arts and humanities
$3.8M
The Nature Conservancy in Ohio · Dublin, OH · 2024
Conservation
$3.6M
Nationwide Children'S Hospital · Columbus, OH · 2022
Health
$3.5M
Gigis Shelter for Dogs · Columbus, OH · 2022
Conservation
$3.5M
Columbus Zoological Park Association Dba · Powell, OH · 2023
Conservation
$3.5M
Pelotonia · Columbus, OH · 2023
Health
$3.5M
Foundation of the Catholic Diocese of · Columbus, OH · 2023
Religion
$3.4M
Past Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education & urban affairs
$3.3M
Metro Early College High School Dba the · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$3.1M
United Way of Central Ohio · Columbus, OH · 2024
Social services
$3.0M
Alcohol Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County · Columbus, OH · 2024
Health
$2.9M
Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$2.9M
I Know I Can · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$2.9M
The Past Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2024
Education
$2.9M
Columbus State Community College Development Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2024
Education
$2.8M
University of Dubuque · Dubuque, IA · 2022
Education
$2.7M
King Baudouin Foundation United States · New York, NY · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$2.7M
Mid-Ohio Foodbank Dba Mid-Ohio Food Collective · Grove City, OH · 2024
Social services
$2.6M
Mid-Ohio Foodbank Dba Mid-Ohio Food · Grove City, OH · 2022
Social services & advancing philanthropy
$2.6M
United Way of Central Ohio · Cleveland, OH · 2023
Social services & urban affairs
$2.6M
Lifecare Alliance · Columbus, OH · 2023
Health & social services
$2.6M
Metro Early College High School Dba the · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education
$2.5M
New Albany Community Foundation · New Albany, OH · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$2.5M
Adirondack Land Trust · Keene, NY · 2022
Conservation
$2.5M
Earlham College · Richmond, IN · 2022
Education
$2.4M
Myriad USA · New York, NY · 2024
Advancing philanthropy
$2.4M
Columbus State Community College · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education
$2.3M
Nature Conservancy in Ohio · Dublin, OH · 2022
Conservation
$2.3M
Salvation Army (Central Ohio) · Columbus, OH · 2022
Social services
$2.2M
Upper Arlington Community Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$2.2M
Pilot Dogs · Columbus, OH · 2022
Social services
$2.1M
Columbus Museum of Art · Columbus, OH · 2022
Arts and humanities
$2.1M
Franklin County Historical Society Dba · Columbus, OH · 2023
Arts and humanities, conservation, & education
$2.0M
Franklin County Historical Society Dba · Columbus, OH · 2022
Arts and humanities
$2.0M
The Huntington-Akron Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2024
Advancing philanthropy
$2.0M
Children'S Specialized Hospital Foundati · Mountainside, NJ · 2023
Health
$2.0M
Huntington-Akron Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$2.0M
Huntington-Akron Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$1.9M
United Way of Central Ohio · Cleveland, OH · 2022
Social services
$1.9M
Pef Israel Endowment Funds · New York, NY · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$1.8M
Salvation Army (Central Ohio) · Columbus, OH · 2023
Social services
$1.8M
Vista Village · Columbus, OH · 2024
Social services
$1.8M
Community Shelter Board · Columbus, OH · 2023
Social services
$1.8M
Girl Scouts of Ohio'S Heartland Council · Columbus, OH · 2022
Social services
$1.8M
Ron Clark Academy · Atlanta, GA · 2024
Education
$1.7M
Earlham College · Richmond, IN · 2023
Education
$1.7M
Columbus Downtown Development · Columbus, OH · 2023
Urban affairs
$1.7M
I Know I Can · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education
$1.7M
Salvation Army (Central Ohio) · Columbus, OH · 2024
Social services
$1.6M
Ymca of Central Ohio · Columbus, OH · 2022
Social services
$1.6M
New Albany Community Foundation · New Albany, OH · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$1.5M
Columbus Humane · Hilliard, OH · 2022
Conservation
$1.5M
The Metro Schools · Columbus, OH · 2024
Education
$1.5M
Aldea Advancing Local Development · New York, NY · 2023
Health
$1.5M
Vita Nova Maternity Community · Omaha, NE · 2023
Social services
$1.5M
Lesley University · Cambridge, MA · 2022
Education
$1.5M
Battelle Education · Columbus, OH · 2024
Education
$1.5M
Fund of the Columbus Foundation · 2024
Advancing philanthropy
$1.4M
Mid-Ohio Foodbank Dba Mid-Ohio Food · Grove City, OH · 2023
Social services
$1.4M
University of Dubuque · Dubuque, IA · 2024
Education
$1.4M
Sonoma County Community Foundation · Santa Rosa, CA · 2022
Advancing philanthropy
$1.4M
Ohio Progressive Collaborative Education · Columbus, OH · 2023
Advancing philanthropy
$1.3M
St Charles Preparatory School · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$1.3M
American Heart Association · Columbus, OH · 2023
Health
$1.3M
National Veterans Memorial and Museum · Columbus, OH · 2023
Arts and humanities
$1.3M
Marietta College · Marietta, OH · 2024
Education
$1.3M
Columbus Zoological Park Association Dba · Powell, OH · 2022
Conservation
$1.3M
Jewish Columbus · Columbus, OH · 2024
Social services
$1.3M
Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai · New York, NY · 2022
Education
$1.2M
Franklin University · Columbus, OH · 2022
Education
$1.2M
Columbus Academy · Gahanna, OH · 2022
Education
$1.2M
Center of Science and Industry (Cosi) · Columbus, OH · 2024
Arts and humanities
$1.2M
Past Foundation · Columbus, OH · 2023
Education and urban affairs

View all 5,344 grants →

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Source: IRS Form 990, Schedule I, as filed by this organization. These are grants already paid. Grants paid directly to individuals are reported to the IRS only as totals, so they do not appear as named lines here.