FundersKentucky

The Butler Foundation

Covington, KY · EIN 31-0981683. Reported 229 grants totalling $4,059,727 to 112 organizations across tax years 2020-2024. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.

Yesaccepts unsolicited requests
$10,000median grant
$4,059,727granted, 2020-2024
112organizations funded
54%of grantees funded again the next year
$13.4Massets, latest filing

Does this foundation accept applications?

Yes -- on its own tax return. Form 990-PF asks every private foundation whether it makes grants only to organizations it selects itself. Of the 91,758 foundations in our data that made a grant and answered, 78% said yes -- and applying to those is wasted effort. The Butler Foundation did not check that box on its most recent filing, which puts it in the minority that is at least open to being approached.

This is the foundation's own statement to the IRS, not our judgement, and it says nothing about whether they have a form, a deadline, or an appetite for new grantees. Treat it as the reason this foundation is worth your research time, not as an invitation. Many small foundations of this kind have no website and no application process -- a letter of inquiry is the normal first step.

How big are its grants?

The median grant is $10,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $2,500 and $24,500; the smallest was $174 and the largest $150,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.

Under $1,000
14 grants
$1,000 - $5,000
65 grants
$5,000 - $10,000
35 grants
$10,000 - $25,000
59 grants
$25,000 - $50,000
35 grants
$50,000 - $100,000
14 grants
$100,000 and Up
7 grants

Every organization it funded

This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which the organization received money -- more than one means a real relationship rather than a one-off.

OrganizationLocationTotal receivedGrantsYears fundedLast
Northern Ky University FoundationHighland Heights, KY$370,000442023
Samaritan Car Care Clinic IncCovington, KY$360,335442023
Society of St Vincent Depaul-NkyCrescent Springs, KY$282,774442023
Alliance for Catholic Urban EducatCovington, KY$251,000442023
Holy Cross High SchoolCovington, KY$195,000442023
Covington Catholic High SchoolCovington, KY$179,609442023
Notre Dame AcademyCovington, KY$155,000442023
Newport Central Catholic High SchooNewport, KY$131,250332022
Life Learning CenterCovington, KY$100,553442023
United Way of Greater CincinnatiCincinnati, OH$100,000222024
Dcch Center for ChildrenCovington, KY$99,683552024
Philanthropy RoundtableWashington, DC$90,000442024
Associacion Sol Y LunaCusco Peru, KY$86,000332022
Thomas More UniversityCrestview Hills, KY$65,625332023
Chris Collinsworth Proscan FundCincinnati, OH$60,000332022
Newport Central Cath High SchoolNewport, KY$60,000112023
Catholic CharitiesCovington, KY$50,000332023
Good Samaritan Hospital FoundationCincinnati, OH$50,000222021
Horizon Community FundsCovington, KY$50,000112020
St Elizabeth PhysiciansCovington, KY$47,578552024
Brighton CenterNewport, KY$46,461552024
Gateway Community & Technical College FoundationFlorence, KY$45,387332023
Kentucky Refugee MinistriesLouisville, KY$45,000222022
Henry Hosea HouseNewport, KY$44,818552024
Northern Ky Area Develop DistFlorence, KY$38,593442023
Be ConcernedCovington, KY$37,390332023
Chnk Behavioral HealthCovington, KY$36,612442024
Rose Garden Home MissionCovington, KY$35,000442023
Welcome HouseCovington, KY$33,963442024
Covington Independent SchoolsCovington, KY$33,393332023
People Working CooperativelyCincinnati, OH$31,240552024
Last Mile Food Rescue IncCincinnati, OH$30,000222023
CASA of the Northern Bluegrass RegCovington, KY$26,300112023
Gateway Community & Tech CollegeFlorence, KY$25,650112023
Emergency Shelter of Northern KyCovington, KY$25,000112022
Faith Community PharmacyFlorence, KY$25,000222022
Holland Foundation for Sight RestorationErlanger, KY$25,000112022
Northern Kentucky Community Action CommissionCovington, KY$25,000112020
UpspringCincinnati, OH$25,000112022
Gateway Comm & Tech CollegeFlorence, KY$24,500112022
Adopt a ClassCincinnati, OH$20,000112023
Boys & Girls Clubs of Gr CincinnatiCincinnati, OH$20,000112022
CASA for Kids of Kenton & Campbell CountyCovington, KY$20,000112020
Congregation of Divine ProvidenceMelbourne, KY$20,000222023
Go Pantry CorporationFlorence, KY$20,000222023
Master ProvisionsFlorence, KY$20,000112022
Mentoring PlusNewport, KY$20,000112023
Action MinistriesCovington, KY$18,000222022
Team Kenton FoundationFt Wright, KY$17,573552024
Depaul Cristo Rey High SchoolCincinnati, OH$17,000112020
St Augustine Parish OutreachCovington, KY$16,439222021
Dayton Independent SchoolsDayton, KY$15,898222024
Band in a BusCincinnati, OH$15,000112022
Kentucky Senior Citizens ApartmentsCovington, KY$15,000112022
Madison Avenue Christian ChurchCovington, KY$15,000442023
St Philip Elementary SchoolMelbourne, KY$15,000112022
Pregnancy Center EastCincinnati, OH$13,500112020
Refugee ConnectCincinnati, OH$13,000332023
Thomas More CollegeCrestview Hills, KY$12,500112020
Cincinnati Eye Institute FoundationCincinnati, OH$12,000112023
Sam Hubbard FoundationCincinnati, OH$12,000112023
Tattoo Removal InkCovington, KY$12,000222024
Northkey Community CareFt Thomas, KY$11,838552024
Florence Christian ChurchFlorence, KY$11,500112022
The Ion CenterCovington, KY$10,272332023
Anthony Munoz FoundationCincinnati, OH$10,000112022
Cincinnati Eye InstituteCincinnati, OH$10,000112022
Covington PartnersCovington, KY$10,000112021
RedwoodFt Mitchell, KY$10,000112021
Rose Garden Center for Hope & HealingCovington, KY$10,000112022
The CarnegieCovington, KY$10,000112022
Northern Kentucky HarvestCold Springs, KY$9,000332023
Parish KitchenCovington, KY$9,000112022
Nky Health DeptFlorence, KY$7,523332023
Legal Aid of the BluegrassCovington, KY$7,280332023
Little Patriots Preschool and Child Development CenterBellevue, KY$7,000112022
Uk College of Medicine Nky Nku Albright Health CenterHighland Heights, KY$7,000112023
Bellevue Independent SchoolsBellevue, KY$6,969332024
Care Net Pregnancy Services of N KyFlorence, KY$6,500222023
Erlangerelsmere SchoolsErlanger, KY$6,088332023
Society of St Vincent De Paul - NkyCovington, KY$5,568112024
Cinderella's Closet NkyLakeside Park, KY$5,000112023
Covington Latin SchoolCovington, KY$5,000112020
Fiesta NkyFlorence, KY$5,000112023
Holly Hill Child & Family SolutionsCalifornia, KY$5,000112020
Notre Dame Urban Education CenterCovington, KY$5,000112022
Pones IncHighland Heights, KY$5,000112022
Villa Madonna AcademyVilla Hills, KY$5,000112022
Newport Independent SchoolsNewport, KY$4,680222023
Ida Spence United Methodist MissionCovington, KY$4,000112021
Gateway Community & Tech FoundationFlorence, KY$3,500112022
New Port Independent SchoolsNewport, KY$3,455112024
Madonna House of NkyFt Mitchell, KY$3,181222023
Center for Independent LivingCincinnati, OH$2,971112022
Holy Cross ChurchColumbus, OH$2,500112024
Holy Spirit ParishNewport, KY$2,500222024
Housing Opportunities of North KyCovington, KY$2,500112022
Mary Rose MissionFlorence, KY$2,500112022
Mother of God ParishCovington, KY$2,500222024
New PerceptionsEdgewood, KY$2,500112023
St Benedict ParishCovington, KY$2,500222024
St Bernard ChurchDayton, KY$2,500112022
St Bernard Food PantryDayton, KY$2,500112022
St Elizabeth FoundationEdgewood, KY$2,000112020
Mental Health America of Nky & SwohCovington, KY$1,859112022
Cathedral Basilica of the AssumptioCovington, KY$1,250112023
Cathedral Basilica of the AssumptionCovington, KY$1,250112024
Chruch of Our Savior ParishCovington, KY$1,250112024
Church of Our Savior ParishCovington, KY$1,250112023
Friends of Vinh Son OrphanageAubury, CA$1,000112023
Campbell County SchoolsNewport, KY$750112020
Northern Ky Community Action CommisCovington, KY$669112021

53 of 112 (47%) received money in more than one year over the 5 years we hold.

Measured the way we measure every foundation -- what share of one year's grantees are funded again the next -- this one retains 54%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is less consistent than most. A high number means its list is close to settled and a newcomer has to displace someone; a low one means it is still moving money around, which is where an opening is.

What the money was for

Taken verbatim from the purpose field of its filings. This is the closest thing to a statement of what this foundation cares about, in its own words.

What kind of organizations it funds

By the recipient's own IRS classification, for the 78 grants where we could identify the organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses.

Human Services
22 grants
Education
15 grants
Religion
8 grants
Health Care
7 grants
Housing & Shelter
6 grants
Philanthropy & Grantmaking
6 grants
Youth Development
3 grants
Food & Nutrition
3 grants

Giving by year

Tax yearGrantsTotalMedian grant
202043$841,731$13,500
202138$923,943$14,900
202269$1,186,305$10,000
202357$972,507$5,000
202422$135,241$2,499

Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- filings arrive about a year late, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a foundation winding down.

Where its money goes

Foundations concentrate geographically far more than their mission statements suggest. 87% of this one's giving went to organizations in Kentucky. If you are outside its footprint, that matters more than how well your programme fits.

Kentucky
$3.5M
Ohio
$444K
District of Columbia
$90K
California
$1K

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Funders that support the same organizations

These funders gave to organizations this one also funded -- some private foundations, some community foundations and other grantmaking charities. Shared grantees are the strongest available signal that two funders have overlapping priorities, and a funder already backing your peers is a far warmer prospect than one that merely lists your cause.

The Greater Cincinnati Foundation36 shared recipientsFidelity Investments Charitable Gift Fund36 shared recipientsHorizon Community Funds of Northern34 shared recipientsThe R C Durr Foundation Inc32 shared recipientsJohnson Charitable Gift Fund31 shared recipientsDonor Advised Charitable Giving Inc29 shared recipients

How to approach this foundation

  1. Check you are its size. The median grant is $10,000. Asking for ten times that is the most common way small organizations waste a submission.
  2. Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Kentucky.
  3. Read the recipient list above for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer, and a cheap one to get.
  4. Look up the current filing before writing. The 990-PF names the foundation's officers and, where one exists, its application procedure. We link it below.

Related guides

Foundations funding education in OhioEvery funder in this group, ranked

Where these numbers come from

Everything above is taken from The Butler Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2020-2024). Nothing here is scraped, inferred, or estimated.

Address of record on the latest return: 100 E Rivercenter Suite 1100, Covington, KY, 41011. This is the address the foundation gave the IRS; many small foundations file through an accountant or a bank trust department, so it may not be where post to a programme officer should go.

EIN 31-0981683 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this

This is history, not an open call. Foundation returns are published about a year after the tax year ends. Nothing on this page is a deadline. It is a record of who this foundation has actually funded, which is the best available predictor of who it will fund next -- and a much better basis for deciding whether to write to them than a mission statement.

Is something here wrong about your foundation? Email hello@funderscope.com and we will correct it.