Third Federal Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 20-8467212 · since 2007thirdfederal.com/our-advantage/community-support·Akron, Cleveland, Florida·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$2.8M

Annual giving, 2025 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

$10,000 to $88,000

Grant range

From grants in the 990-PF filings

$15,000

Typical grant (median)

101 grants in the latest filing

Open to applications

Rolling, no deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

If your work falls under affordable housing, community stability and revitalization, financial literacy or education, and serves under-resourced or low- to moderate-income residents in Greater Cleveland, Akron or select Florida markets, the foundation's stated focus fits.
Start with a short email inquiry to Foundation@thirdfederal.com, because it invites full proposals only where the work aligns with its giving focus, and it accepts applications on a rolling basis.
Plan for a modest request: about 8 in 10 of its grants fall between $10,000 and $88,000, the median is $15,000, and half of its grants are $15,000 or less, although its largest grant was $430,000.
Most of its grant dollars go to organisations it has funded before, with 90% in the filing, so it leans heavily towards organisations it already knows, and it considers financial stability and 501(c)(3) status, so have those ready.

Overview

Third Federal Foundation is a US private foundation based in Cleveland, OH.

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 Third Federal Foundation provides charitable grants to nonprofit partners whose work is focused within the greater Cleveland and Akron areas of Ohio and select Florida markets. It considers established organisations with 501(c)(3) status, financial stability and alignment with its giving focus. Its giving philosophy is guided by Third Federal’s mission to help people achieve the dream of homeownership and financial security. It prioritises organisations supporting under-resourced communities and low- to moderate-income residents. The foundation names affordable housing, community stability and revitalisation, financial literacy and education as its giving priorities. Its filing also describes community development and redevelopment initiatives for economically depressed areas and neighbourhoods, alongside primary, secondary and post-secondary education initiatives intended to raise students’ aspirations and enhance knowledge in areas such as economics, communications, business and public speaking.

Themes

Affordable housing
Community stability and revitalization
Financial literacy
Education

Geographic Focus

Greater Cleveland; Akron; select Florida markets.

How to apply

Organisations can email an inquiry to Foundation@thirdfederal.com. If the Foundation sees potential to invite a proposal, it requests more information; grant proposals are invited based on alignment with the giving focus.

Application success factors

Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 90% 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 304 grants to organisations were $15,000 or less.

What the foundation says:

It considers nonprofits’ financial stability and alignment with its stated priorities.
It prioritises organisations supporting under-resourced communities and low- to moderate-income residents.

Where grants go

From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.

Grant dollars by state

Ohio83%

Florida16%

New York<1%

Illinois<1%

Minnesota<1%

The largest single recipient received 8% of grant dollars to organisations.
In tax year 2025, 90% of grant dollars went to organisations Third Federal Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
1% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.

Grants

101 grants in the latest filing analysed · median $15,000

How much do they typically give?

Share of 101 grants in tax year 2025 by size

Under $1k2%

$1k–$2.5k1%

$2.5k–$5k2%

$5k–$10k7%

$10k–$25k49%

$25k–$50k22%

$50k–$100k14%

$100k–$250k3%

$250k–$500k1%

Median $15,000 (tax year 2025)

The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:

Cleveland Central Catholic High School · Charitable purpose
$300,0002025 tax year
University Settlement · Charitable purpose
$100,0002025 tax year
St. Stanislaus · Charitable purpose
$100,0002025 tax year
Boys and Girls Club of Cleveland · Charitable purpose
$100,0002025 tax year
Jennings Center for Older Adults · Charitable purpose
$88,0002025 tax year
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress · Charitable purpose
$75,0002025 tax year
Tampa Bay Neighborhood Housing Services · Charitable purpose
$75,0002025 tax year
City Year Cleveland · Charitable purpose
$65,0002025 tax year

Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.

Officers and directors

Kitty Danckers — Secretary
Sarah Grosso — Treasurer
Terri Owens-Johnson — Director
Robert A Fiala — Director
John Marino — Director
Daniel Weir — Director
Emily Thome — President
Marc A Stefanski — Chairman & Director

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

3 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2023 tax year	$5,268,587	$4,680,421	$36,036,792	Filing for 2023 tax year
2024 tax year	$4,189,219	$3,928,200	$33,510,887	Filing for 2024 tax year
2025 tax year	$2,927,037	$2,771,421	$35,487,575	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.