Ohio Historical Society
Columbus, OH · EIN 31-4389673. Reported 135 grants totalling $2,206,751 to 109 organizations across tax years 2020-2023, on Form 990 Schedule I.
Does this grantmaker accept applications?
Its tax return does not say, and we will not guess. Private foundations file Form 990-PF, which asks outright whether they fund only organizations they select themselves -- 78% say yes, and that one answer is what lets the rest of this site tell you which foundations are worth approaching. Grantmaking charities like this one file a regular Form 990 instead, and the IRS never puts the question to them. Anyone claiming to know the answer from the filing is inventing it.
Three things in the filing do bear on it:
- What kind of organization it is. For Ohio Historical Society, the IRS classifies it under arts & culture rather than as a grantmaker (NTEE A800) -- it is an operating charity that also makes grants.
- How spread out its giving is. 109 distinct organizations, with 8% of the dollars going to the largest single recipient. That is genuinely spread out -- the mark of a funder making many independent decisions rather than underwriting one institution.
- How much its list changes. 18% of one year's grantees are funded again the next, across 3 year-to-year transitions. That is below the 57% median for grantmaking charities, and well below the 67% private foundations manage. A list that turns over this much is one a newcomer can realistically join.
How big are its grants?
The median reported grant is $12,000. Half of what it reported fell between $7,699 and $22,000; the smallest was $5,000 and the largest $71,152. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong organization.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by the EIN the filer reported, not by name, so an organization that was typed differently in two years appears once rather than twice.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ohio History Connection Foundation | Columbus, OH | $171,349 | 4 | 4 | 2023 |
| Cleveland Restoration Society Inc | Cleveland, OH | $142,950 | 6 | 3 | 2023 |
| Cambridge Performing Arts Center | Cambridge, OH | $71,152 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Green Lawn Abbey Preservation Association | Columbus, OH | $70,760 | 3 | 2 | 2023 |
| City of Sandusky | Sandusky, OH | $58,000 | 2 | 1 | 2023 |
| City of Shaker Heights | Shaker Heights, OH | $43,549 | 2 | 1 | 2021 |
| Art Opportunities Inc | Cincinnati, OH | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Midstory | Toledo, OH | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jewish Education Center of Cleveland | Cleveland Hts, OH | $39,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| National First Ladies Library | Canton, OH | $37,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Norwood Together | Cincinnati, OH | $37,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Leadership Ohio | Blacklick, OH | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Marion Voices Folklife and Oral History | Caldonia, OH | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Taft Museum of Art | Cincinnati, OH | $35,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Maltz Museum of Jewish Heritage | Beachwood, OH | $33,635 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| City of Cleveland | Cleveland, OH | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Ohio Biological Survey Inc | Columbus, OH | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Green Umbrella | Cincinnati, OH | $28,409 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| City of Barberton | Barberton, OH | $27,500 | 2 | 1 | 2021 |
| Caesars Ford Theatre Inc | Xenia, OH | $27,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| City of Cleveland Heights | Cleveland Heights, OH | $25,060 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Burten Bell Carr Development Inc | Cleveland, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cincinnati Museum Association | Cincinnati, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fort Recovery Historical Society | Fort Recovery, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ideastream | Cleveland, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The First Church in Oberlin Ucc | Oberlin, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| The Ohio State University | Columbus, OH | $24,592 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Capitol Square Renovation Foundation Inc | Worthington, OH | $23,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lakewoodalive | Lakewood, OH | $22,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Ohio History Connection | Columbus, OH | $21,391 | 2 | 1 | 2022 |
| City of Loveland | Loveland, OH | $21,375 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| City of Athens | Athens, OH | $21,100 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| City of Green | Green, OH | $20,374 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| City of Hudson | Hudson, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Great Circle Alliance | Columbus, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jazz Arts Group of Columbus | Columbus, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Mac-a-Cheek Foundation for the Humanities | West Liberty, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Middletown Fine Arts Center | Middletown, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| The Arts Castle | Delaware, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| City of Lorain | Lorain, OH | $18,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| International Womens Air and Space Museum Inc | Cleveland, OH | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Summit County Fiscal Office | Akron, OH | $17,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ohio Local History Alliance | Columbus, OH | $16,456 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Over-the-Rhine Museum | Cincinnati, OH | $16,286 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Aviation Hall of Fame | Dayton, OH | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Bowling Green State University | Bowling Green, OH | $16,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Diverse Media Zone Incorporated | Columbus, OH | $15,398 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Corporation for Findlay Market of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ohiodance | Columbus, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Jewish Community Board of Akron Inc | Akron, OH | $14,700 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus | Columbus, OH | $14,700 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Youngstown Area Jewish Foundation | Youngstown, OH | $14,200 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Kent State University | Kent, OH | $13,646 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Conestoga Endowment Payout Contribution | Columbus, OH | $12,701 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Kol Israel Foundation Inc | Pepper Pike, OH | $12,655 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Miami University | Oxford, OH | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Hathaway Brown School | Shaker Hts, OH | $12,053 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Trumbull County Historical Society | Niles, OH | $12,046 | 2 | 2 | 2021 |
| Carlisle-Allen LLC | Chardon, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| City of Mansfield | Mansfield, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Downtown Marion Inc | Marion, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Downtown Toledo Development Corporation | Toledo, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Downtown Wadsworth Inc | Wadsworth, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Fairfield Homes Inc | Lancaster, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Forever Franklin Inc | Franklin, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Friends of the Paulding Chamber Inc | Paulding, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Grow Greater Greenfield | Greenfield, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Harry M and Violet Turner Charitable Trust | Springfield, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Lorain Historical Society | Lorain, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ludowici Roof Tile | New Lexington, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Playhouse Square Foundation | Cleveland, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Price Hill Will | Cincinnati, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Richfield Joint Recreation District | Richfield, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Sellman Enterprises | Urbana, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Village of Caledonia | Caledonia, OH | $12,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| City of Cuyahoga Falls | Cuyahoga Falls, OH | $11,462 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Cuyahoga County Soldiers and Sailors Monument | Cleveland, OH | $10,450 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Dunham Tavern Museum | Cleveland, OH | $10,200 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| City of Salem | Salem, OH | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Preble County Historical Society Inc | Eaton, OH | $9,700 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lake Local Schools | Uniontown, OH | $9,600 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Heritage Ohio Inc | Columbus, OH | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Southern Lorain County Historical Society | Wellington, OH | $9,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Marion County Historical Society | Marion, OH | $8,750 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Ed Jaeger | Croton, OH | $8,700 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Cincinnati Ballet Company Inc | Cincinnati, OH | $8,645 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Capital University | Columbus, OH | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cincinnati Playhouse in the Park | Cincinnati, OH | $8,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Main Street Van Wert Inc | Van Wert, OH | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Friends of Crowell Hilaka | Bedford, OH | $7,625 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cincinnati Preservation Association | Cincinnati, OH | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Ohio National Road Association Inc | Zanesville, OH | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| St Marys Community Foundation | St Marys, OH | $7,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Museum of Ceramics Foundation | E Liverpool, OH | $7,470 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
| Augusta Chiwy Foundation | Westerville, OH | $7,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Center for Holocaust and Humanityeducation | Cincinnati, OH | $7,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Magnificat High School | Rocky River, OH | $7,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Muskingum University | New Concord, OH | $7,200 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Ravenna School District | Ravenna, OH | $7,199 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Good Shepherd Wesleyan Church | Jackson, OH | $7,090 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Antioch College Corporation | Yellow Spgs, OH | $6,120 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Miami Valley Public Media Inc | Yellow Spgs, OH | $6,120 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Congregation Beth Tikvah | Worthington, OH | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Evac Project Inc | Luckey, OH | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lakeside Heritage Society Inc | Lakeside, OH | $5,879 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Loveland Middle School | Loveland, OH | $5,665 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Federation of Womens Clubs Inc Marion County | Marion, OH | $5,625 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| 122 West Auglaize Associates LLC | Wapokoneta, OH | $5,614 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cincinnati Museum Center | Cincinnati, OH | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2020 |
15 of 109 (14%) received money in more than one year over the 4 years we hold. Remember the $5,000 floor: an organization funded every year at $3,000 shows up here as never funded at all.
What the money was for
Taken verbatim from the purpose column of its filings, largest first. This is the closest thing to a statement of what it funds, in its own words.
- Ohio Historical Society Foundation
CONESTOGA'S GIFT TO POINDEXTER VILLAGE - Artworks
AMERICA 250-OHIO COMMISSION GRANT - Jewish Education Center of Cleveland
HOLOCAUST COMMISSION GRANT - Green Lawn Abbey Preservation Assocation
2019 CLG GRANT GREEN LAWN ABBEY ROOF - City of Cleveland
2019 CLG GRANT - CLEVELAND MIDTOWN HD - Cleveland Restoration Society
UNDERREPSENTED COMMUNITIES GRANT
What kind of organizations it funds
By each recipient's own IRS classification, for the 59 of 109 recipients we could match to a registered organization. These are assigned categories, not our guesses -- Schedule I reports the recipient's EIN, so this is a lookup rather than a name match.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants reported | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 25 | $363,927 | $12,000 |
| 2021 | 20 | $326,644 | $13,750 |
| 2022 | 28 | $316,360 | $7,449 |
| 2023 | 62 | $1,199,820 | $15,145 |
Tax years, not calendar years, and the most recent year is usually incomplete -- Form 990 arrives about a year after the year it covers, so a low final year means late paperwork rather than a grantmaker winding down.
Where its money goes
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Funders that support the same organizations
These grantmakers and private foundations gave to organizations this one also funded. Shared grantees are the strongest signal available 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.
How to approach this grantmaker
- Look for a published programme first. Unlike most private foundations, organizations of this kind often do run open, deadlined grant cycles with written guidelines. Its own website is the authority on that; this page is the authority on who it has actually paid.
- Check you are its size. The median reported grant is $12,000 -- and because grants under $5,000 need not be reported, it very likely writes smaller cheques than this page can see.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving concentrates in Ohio.
- Read the recipient list for organizations like yours. If nothing on it resembles your work, that is a real answer and a cheap one to get.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Ohio Historical Society's own Form 990 Schedule I filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 4 returns (tax years 2020-2023). Nothing here is scraped, inferred or estimated.
On its most recent return it told the IRS it made grants to 10 section 501(c)(3) organizations and 0 other organizations. That is the filer's own count for one year; the totals above cover every year we hold.
Address of record on the latest return: 800 East 17TH Ave, Columbus, OH, 43211.
EIN 31-4389673 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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