The Weatherhead Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- The foundation states that it accepts no unsolicited requests and contributes only to organisations it has preselected, so a charity should approach it only if invited, not with a cold application.
- Most of its recorded grants go to university-based organisations, so a small charity outside that field should expect little fit.
- About 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $7,500 and $5,050,000, and half of its grants are about $1,100,000 or less, so any request should be sized with that pattern in mind.
- All of its grant dollars to organisations in the latest filing went to groups it had also funded in an earlier filing, which suggests a relationship-led funder rather than an open competition.
- The filing shows grants mainly in Louisiana, Ohio and Texas, but no geographic focus is stated, so that pattern is not a rule about who may apply.
Overview
The Weatherhead Foundation is a US private foundation based in Mayfield Heights, OH.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and web pages about the foundation (case.edu), with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The foundation's recorded grants support university-based work, including educational opportunities at a school of management, a scholars initiative and institute, and a PET centre. The listed recipients are universities or university-based organisations, with the filings repeatedly showing awards to that kind of institution rather than to a varied range of recipient types. A university report also describes a gift launching a leadership institute at a university; that is an example of a specific institutional commitment, not evidence of a separate foundation-wide programme. Its application information says it contributes only to preselected charitable organisations and does not accept unsolicited requests.
Themes
From its grants, not stated by the foundation:
- University recipients
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Louisiana, Ohio and Texas.
How to apply
The foundation states that it does not accept unsolicited requests.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 100% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 11 grants to organisations were about $1,100,000 or less.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
- The largest single recipient received 63% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 100% of grant dollars went to organisations The Weatherhead Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Tulane University · To support the weatherhead scholars century grant and cowen institute.$5,013,5842024 tax year
- Case Western Reserve University · To support the educational opportunities of the case western reserve university school of management.$2,215,4322024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Barbara Snyder — Vice President
- Melani Cammett — Vice President
- Scott Cowen — Vice President
- Carol Gluck — Vice President
- David F Edwards — Vice President / Secretary / Treasurer
- Celia Weatherhead — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $6,798,947 | $6,641,725 | $2,822,846 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $6,961,426 | $6,800,200 | $4,478,145 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $7,558,051 | $7,229,016 | $5,254,365 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
Figures from the foundation’s IRS Form 990-PF filings. Assets are at fair market value at year end. The document icon links to each year’s filing on ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer.
Sources
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At a glance
Applying to The Weatherhead Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
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Contact
- Mayfield Heights, OH
Applying to The Weatherhead Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- Mayfield Heights, OH