AEP Foundation
At a glance
This funder does not accept unsolicited applications. The foundation chooses the organisations it funds itself.
Key takeaways
- Applications are by invitation only, so start by securing an invitation from the local AEP operating company foundation, then apply online; requests are accepted throughout the year.
- Its focus areas are STEM education, hunger and housing, environment, healthcare and safety, and arts and cultural heritage, and it considers 501(c)(3) public charities and certain government and educational bodies that are within AEP operating-company service territories or are national or regional in scope.
- Most of its grants are modest: about 8 in 10 fall between $1,500 and $75,000, and half are $10,000 or less, so a request near that size fits its usual pattern, although its largest grant was about $1,450,000.
- The filing shows that 76% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had funded before, so the process is relationship-led and a grant writer should build contact with the local operating company foundation first.
- Do not apply if you are seeking grants for individuals for travel, study, healthcare or other purposes, if your programme is solely athletic, if your organisation discriminates on the grounds the foundation lists, or if you are a fraternal or veterans organisation; religious organisations may be considered only for non-sectarian social services open to the broad community.
Overview
AEP Foundation is a US private foundation based in Wilmington, DE.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The AEP Foundation, including its operating company foundations, focuses on improving lives through education from early childhood through higher education in science, technology, engineering and mathematics, with an emphasis on STEM, and on basic needs such as emergency shelter, affordable housing and eliminating hunger. Other support may be offered to protect the environment, promote healthcare and safety, and enrich life through art, music and cultural heritage. It considers grants to 501(c)(3) public charities, states and political subdivisions, government-owned or operated colleges and universities, and exempt operating foundations. Organisations must be located within AEP operating-company service territories, or be national or regional in scope, and have a purpose beneficial to the general public, the broad environment or AEP customers. Education and basic human services focused on hunger and housing are identified as eligible focus areas.
Themes
- STEM education
- Hunger and housing
- Environment
- Healthcare and safety
- Arts and cultural heritage
Geographic Focus
No geographic focus is stated; the filings show grants mainly in Ohio, Texas, Indiana and Virginia.
What They Don't Fund
- Grants directly to any individuals for travel, study, healthcare or any other purpose
- Religious organizations. The Foundation may consider grants requested by such an organization if it is an eligible organization and the grant would support non-sectarian social service activities that are available to the broad community
- Fraternal and veterans organizations
- Programs that are solely athletic in nature and not connected to broader community or developmental goals
- Organizations that, either through constitution or written policy, discriminate against others on the basis of political affiliation, religious belief, age, disability, ethnicity, gender, gender identity, national origin, race or sexual orientation
- Certain supporting organizations
How to apply
Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organisations must first secure an invitation from their local AEP operating company foundation. Organisations accepted for application are directed to apply online; requests are accepted throughout the year.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 76% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 2,297 grants to organisations were $10,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation identifies education from early childhood through higher education, with an emphasis on STEM, as an eligible focus area.
- The Foundation identifies basic human services in hunger and housing as an eligible focus area.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 10%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 3% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 76% of grant dollars went to organisations AEP Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 8% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 753 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $10,000 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Safety Blitz Foundation · National Child Identification Program$1,428,5702025 tax year
- Ohio State University Foundation · for Pelotonia Operational support$500,0002025 tax year
- Columbus Partnership · Smart Columbus Sustainability fund$500,0002025 tax year
- Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation · Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation Comprehensive campaign$500,0002025 tax year
- National Veterans Memorial and Museum Operating Company · for Ensuring Enhanced, Accessible and complementary exhibitions, programming, and museum experiences$400,0002025 tax year
- United Way of Central Ohio · 2024 Entire AEP United Way Campaign - General Operating support for United Way locations$360,6842025 tax year
- Furniture Bank of Central Ohio · Master Plan to Furnish our community$333,3342025 tax year
- Champions of the Community · Champions of Community for Nationwide Children's Hospital$273,4502025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Charles E Zebula — Treasurer, Director
- Cynthia Wiseman — Vice President
- Aaron Walker — Vice President
- Judith Talavera — Vice President
- Kate Dixon — Director, Treasurer
- Leigh Anne Strahler — Vice President
- Marc Reitter — Vice President
- Brett Mattison — Vice President
- Greg Brian Hall — Vice President
- Stacey D Gabbard — Director
- Kelly Ferneau — Vice President
- Janelle N Coleman — Director, President, Chair
- Christian T Beam — Dir, VP, Sec
- Steve Baker — Vice President
- Kamran Ali — Director, Secretary
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $27,017,873 | $26,713,952 | $80,775,595 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $22,792,145 | $22,552,176 | $65,960,338 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $23,405,713 | $22,998,295 | $47,747,663 | Filing for 2025 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
Registers and filings
Other sources
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Applying to AEP Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required