Thomas R Schiff Foundation
Cincinnati, OH · EIN 20-5678503. Reported 246 grants totalling $4,316,444 to 85 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. Thomas R Schiff 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 $3,512. Half of everything it gave fell between $1,750 and $7,000; the smallest was $375 and the largest $559,844. 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fotofocus | Cincinnati, OH | $1,653,322 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Aperture Foundation | New York City, NY | $622,195 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Contemporary Arts Center | Cincinnati, OH | $323,125 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Art Academy of Cincinnati | Cincinnatioh, OH | $152,150 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center | Covington, KY | $129,039 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Westcott House Foundation | Springfield, OH | $116,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati Museum Association | Cincinnati, OH | $110,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati Preservation Association | Cincinnati, OH | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Creative Time | New York, NY | $100,000 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Wexner Center Foundation | Columbus, OH | $79,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Alice F & Harris K Weston Art Gallery | Cincinnati, OH | $58,100 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Taft Museum of Art | Cincinnati, OH | $46,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati Museum Center | Cincinnati, OH | $44,500 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| University of Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | $42,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Lloyd Library and Museum | Cincinnati, OH | $41,750 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Columbus Museum of Art | Columbus, OH | $41,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra | Cincinnati, OH | $35,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Wave Pool Gallery | Cincinnati, OH | $31,750 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Kennedy Heights Art Center | Cincinnati, OH | $31,100 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Art Opportunities Inc | Cincinnati, OH | $29,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Northern Kentucky University | Highland Heights, KY | $26,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | Columbus, OH | $25,000 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Manifest Creative Research Gallery | Cincinnati, OH | $22,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Dayton Art Institute | Dayton, OH | $22,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Wright State University | Dayton, OH | $21,075 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| National Underground Railroad Freedom Center | Cincinnati, OH | $18,708 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Miami University Art Museum | Oxford, OH | $16,700 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Seedling Foundation | Dayton, OH | $16,550 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park | Hamilton, OH | $16,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Professional Artistic Research | Cincinnati, OH | $15,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| Skirball Museum of Hebrew Union College | Cincinnati, OH | $15,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| Independent Living Options | Cincinnati, OH | $14,550 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Visionaries and Voices | Cincinnati, OH | $14,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Fitton Center Creative Arts | Hamilton, OH | $14,000 | 2 | 2 | 2023 |
| University of Dayton | Dayton, OH | $13,950 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Dayton Visual Arts Center | Dayton, OH | $13,500 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Iimagine Inc | Union, KY | $13,500 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| City of Kettering | Kettering, OH | $12,650 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Pyramid Hill Sculpture Park and Museum | Hamilton, OH | $12,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Annex Gallery | Cincinnati, OH | $12,300 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| Clifton Cultural Arts Center | Cincinnati, OH | $11,250 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Antioch College | Yellow Springs, OH | $10,000 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Cincinnati Arts Association | Cincinnati, OH | $10,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Basket Shop | Cincinnati, OH | $8,400 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Xavier University | Cincinnati, OH | $8,100 | 4 | 4 | 2024 |
| Ciff | Cincinnati, OH | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Dayton Visual Arts | Dayton, OH | $8,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Fitton Center for Creative Arts | Hamilton, OH | $7,800 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Mercantile Library | Cincinnati, OH | $7,700 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Behringer-Crawford Museum | Covington, KY | $7,500 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| Cincinnati Nature Center Association | Milford, OH | $7,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| The Welcome Project | Cincinnati, OH | $7,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| 3CDC | Cincinnati, OH | $6,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Mount St Joseph University | Cincinnati, OH | $6,000 | 4 | 4 | 2025 |
| The Contemporary Dayton | Dayton, OH | $6,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Over-the-Rhine Museum | Cincinnati, OH | $5,250 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Action Tank USA | Cincinnati, OH | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Living Arrangements for the Developmentally Disabled | Cincinnati, OH | $5,000 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Voyageur Media Group Inc | Cincinnati, OH | $5,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| A Mindful Moment | Cincinnati, OH | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2025 |
| Archive of Creative Culture | Woodstock, GA | $4,000 | 3 | 3 | 2024 |
| German Village Society | Columbus, OH | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2024 |
| Society for Photographic Education | Cleveland, OH | $4,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| A Picture's Worth Inc | Cincinnati, OH | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2024 |
| Public Library of Cincinnati & Hamilton County | Cincinnati, OH | $3,500 | 1 | 1 | 2023 |
| Sos Art Inc | Cincinnati, OH | $3,200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Dayton Society of Artists | Dayton, OH | $2,950 | 5 | 5 | 2025 |
| University of Cincinnati Clermont College | Batavia, OH | $2,250 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Thomas More College | Crestview Hills, KY | $2,050 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Black Art Speaks | Cincinnati, OH | $2,000 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| St John's Unitarian Universal | Cincinnati, OH | $2,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Villiage of Evendale | Cincinnati, OH | $2,000 | 3 | 3 | 2023 |
| Cincinnati Art Club | Cincinnati, OH | $1,800 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Miami University | Oxford, OH | $1,730 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Archive of Creative Culture | Cincinnati, OH | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2021 |
| Evendale Cultural Arts Center | Cincinnati, OH | $1,500 | 2 | 2 | 2025 |
| Pones Inc | Highland Heights, KY | $1,500 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Springfield Township Arts & Enrichment Council | Cincinnati, OH | $1,500 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Roy G Biv Gallery | Columbus, OH | $1,200 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Baker Hunt Art & Cultural Center | Covington, KY | $1,000 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Girls Rock Cincinnati | Cincinnati, OH | $800 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Clifton Town Meeting | Cincinnati, OH | $750 | 2 | 2 | 2022 |
| Columbus City Schools | Columbus, OH | $750 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Delhi Event Center | Cincinnati, OH | $750 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
| Oxford Community Arts Center | Oxford, OH | $450 | 1 | 1 | 2025 |
65 of 85 (76%) 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 76%, across 4 year-to-year transitions. The median foundation retains about 67%, so this one is unusually consistent. This measures how often it paid the same organizations again. It says nothing about whether it would consider a new one.
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.
- Fotofocus
SPONSORSHIP OF ORGANIZATION'S GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT - Aperture Foundation
SPONSORSHIP OF THE BOOK CLUB PROJECT AND THE SALLY MANN BOOK - Contemporary Arts Center
BLINK PROJECT A SPECIAL EXHIBITION SUPPORT - Westcott House Foundation
SPONSORSHIP OF SARAH LEWIS LECTURE, GENERAL OPERATIONS - Creative Time
SPECIAL EXHIBITION TO OCCUR IN 2023 - Carnegie Visual & Performing Arts Center
FOTOFOCUS EVENT GENERAL OPERATING SUPPORT
What kind of organizations it funds
By the activity category the IRS assigns each recipient, for the 158 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 | 53 | $402,275 | $3,000 |
| 2022 | 50 | $901,009 | $2,750 |
| 2023 | 50 | $1,043,752 | $5,000 |
| 2024 | 41 | $968,603 | $3,500 |
| 2025 | 52 | $1,000,805 | $5,625 |
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
79% 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 $3,512. 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.
Related guides
Where these numbers come from
Everything above is taken from Thomas R Schiff 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: 4 Grandin Terrace, Cincinnati, OH, 45208. 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 20-5678503 · See the original filings on ProPublica · How we build this
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