Sauerland Foundation
Milford, OH · EIN 34-1787952. Reported 193 grants totalling $7,220,000 to 82 recipients across tax years 2021-2025. This foundation did not tell the IRS it funds only preselected organizations.
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. Sauerland 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.
How big are its grants?
The median grant is $25,000. Half of everything it gave fell between $10,000 and $40,000; the smallest was $2,500 and the largest $260,000. If you are asking for materially more than the top of that range, you are asking the wrong foundation.
Every organization it funded
This is the complete list from its filings, largest first. Recipients are grouped by name and state as they were written on the returns, so an organization entered under two different names appears twice. Years funded is the number of separate tax years in which that name received money.
| Organization | Location | Total received | Grants | Years funded | Last |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cleveland Museum of Art | Cleveland, OH | $850,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Friends of Breakthrough | Cleveland, OH | $840,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cleveland Foodbank | Cleveland, OH | $460,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Friends of Intergenerational School | Cleveland, OH | $435,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Greater Cleve Habitat for Humanity | Cleveland, OH | $275,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| The Homeless Charity | Fairlawn, OH | $167,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Shaker Schools Foundation | Shaker Heights, OH | $157,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cleveland Museum of Natural History Office of Philanthropy | Cleveland, OH | $155,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Cleveland Clinic Foundation H&v | Cleveland, OH | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| University Hospitals Hhi | Cleveland, OH | $150,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| The Haven Home LLC | Cleveland, OH | $130,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Community Life Collaborative | Chagrin Falls, OH | $125,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Corkscrew Swamp Sanctuary | Naples, FL | $115,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Western Reserve Land Conservancy | Moreland Hills, OH | $115,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| ACLU of Ohio Foundation | Cleveland, OH | $110,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Rid-All Foundation | Cleveland, OH | $105,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Cincinnati Works | Cincinnati, OH | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| People Working Cooperatively | Cincinnati, OH | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Trees for the Future | Silver Springs, MD | $100,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Cardinal Land Conservancy | Milford, OH | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Wikimedia Foundation Inc | Washington, DC | $95,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Jewish Federation of Cleveland Mandel Building | Beachwood, OH | $94,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Clermont Co Senior Services | Batavia, OH | $92,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Legal Aid Society of Greater Cin | Cincinnati, OH | $90,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Sonlight Power | Milford, OH | $90,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Edwins Foundation | Cleveland, OH | $85,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Open Doors Academy | Cleveland, OH | $85,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Leelanau Conservancy | Leland, MI | $83,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| American Humanist Association | Washington, DC | $80,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Grid Alternatives | Oakland, CA | $70,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Mountain Comprehensive Care Center | Prestonsburg, KY | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| One Tree Planted | Shelburn, VT | $70,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| First Step Home | Cincinnati, OH | $62,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Prospect House | Cincinnati, OH | $62,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| American Constitution Society | Washington, DC | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Baker Hunt Art Center | Covington, KY | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Common Cause Education Fund | Washington, DC | $60,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Freestore Foodbank | Cincinnati, OH | $60,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Fundamaya | San Diego, CA | $60,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Greater Milford Area Historical Society | Milford, OH | $60,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Southern Poverty Law Center | Montgomery, AL | $55,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Seeds of Literacy | Cleveland, OH | $50,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Women Helping Women | Cincinnati, OH | $50,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Grace House Inc | Akron, OH | $45,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Loss of Spouse Santuary | St Joseph, MO | $41,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Medwish | Cleveland, OH | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| New Bremen Historical Assoc | New Bremen, OH | $40,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Sanibel-Captiva Conservation Fund | Cape Coral, FL | $40,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Shelter House | Cincinnati, OH | $40,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cleveland Animal Protective League | Cleveland, OH | $35,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Action Alliance International | Euless, TX | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Lighthouse Youth Service | Cincinnati, OH | $30,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Plant With Purpose | San Diego, CA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Sustainable Villages Honduras | Washington, DC | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Weta Inc | Arlington, VA | $30,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Shelterhouse | Cincinnati, OH | $26,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Cise | Cincinnati, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Cuyahoga Habitat for Humanity | Cleveland, OH | $25,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Clermont County Community Svcs | Batavia, OH | $22,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| The Future Institute | Schaumburg, IL | $22,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| ACLU Foundation | New York, NY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Changing Gears | Cincinnati, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Ding Darling Wildlife Soc | Sanibel, FL | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Learning Grove | Covington, KY | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Lydia's House | Cincinnati, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Natun Guatemala | Laguna Beach, CA | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| US Swimming Foundation | Colorado Springs, CO | $20,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Zelie's Home | Garfield Heights, OH | $20,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Ding Darling Wildlife Society | Sanibel, FL | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Nature Center of Shaker Lakes | Shaker Heights, OH | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Peter Maurin Center | Hudson, OH | $15,000 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Cleveland Ronald Mcdonald House | Cleveland, OH | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Long Beach Rescue Mission | Long Beach, CA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mayan Families | Slatersville, RI | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Miami Milford Ministries | Milford, OH | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Union of Concerned Scientists | Cambridge, MA | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Uss Cleveland Legacy Found | Cleveland, OH | $10,000 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Valley View Nature Preserve | Milford, OH | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Sanibel Captive Audubon Society | Sanibel, FL | $5,500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Southside Elite Spartans C/O Malcolm Hills | Shaker Heights, OH | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2022 |
| Firstfruits Farm Slo | San Luis Obispo, CA | $4,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| League of Women Voters Ed Fund | Washington, DC | $2,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
56 of 82 (68%) 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 72%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is about typical. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 103 grants where we could match the recipient to a registered organization. The categories are the IRS's. The match, made from the name and address on the return, is ours.
Giving by year
| Tax year | Grants | Total | Median grant |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23 | $442,000 | $15,000 |
| 2022 | 29 | $660,000 | $10,000 |
| 2023 | 42 | $1,440,000 | $20,000 |
| 2024 | 51 | $2,260,000 | $30,000 |
| 2025 | 48 | $2,418,000 | $30,000 |
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
81% of its giving went to organizations in Ohio. If your organization is based elsewhere, look in the recipient list for grants to your area before writing.
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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 a sign of overlapping priorities and nothing more: they do not show that any of these funders would consider a new organization. Each page says what its filings show.
How to approach this foundation
- Check you are its size. The median grant is $25,000. A request many times that size asks for something it has rarely or never given.
- Check you are in its geography. Its giving is concentrated in Ohio.
- 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.
- 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.
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Sauerland Foundation's own Form 990-PF filings, which the IRS publishes in bulk. We used 5 returns (tax years 2021-2025). Grant figures are from its returns. Matching recipients to registered organizations, their IRS classifications, the retention rate and the funders that support the same organizations are our own calculations, described in how we build this.
Address of record on the latest return: Po Box 985, Milford, OH, 45150. 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 34-1787952 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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