Harshaw Family Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $668,000 (2023)
• Total Assets: $14.47 million (2024)
• Grant Range: Varies by project (major capital gifts documented)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Louisville, KY and surrounding areas
• Application Type: No public application process
• Number of Grants: 12 awards in 2023

Contact Details

Address: 6104 Regal Springs Dr, Louisville, KY 40205-3322
Phone: (502) 259-9600
EIN: 27-4251521

Note: The foundation does not have a public website or email address for grant inquiries.

Overview

The Harshaw Family Foundation Inc was established in 2012 by Frank and Virginia (Paula) Harshaw as a private family foundation. With total assets of $14.47 million and annual giving of approximately $668,000, the foundation focuses on children's issues, education, arts, human services, and animal welfare in the Louisville, Kentucky area. Frank Harshaw, who experienced challenges growing up in foster care, has made foster care youth a particular priority. He is President and CEO of Harshaw Trane, a professional energy service company, and serves on multiple Louisville-area boards. The foundation operates alongside the older Harshaw Trane Foundation (established 1979) but functions as a separate entity. In 2012, Frank was recognized by the Kentucky State legislature for his groundbreaking work benefiting foster care youth.

Funding Priorities

Priority Areas

Children & Youth: The foundation has a strong focus on foster care youth and children's issues, reflecting Frank Harshaw's personal connection to the foster care system. The foundation partnered with Louisville Metro United Way and seven nonprofit residential programs specifically for the benefit of foster care youth.

Education: Support for educational programs and initiatives in the Louisville area.

Arts & Culture: Grants to arts organizations including the Louisville Ballet and other cultural institutions.

Human Services: Broad support for human service organizations addressing community needs.

Healthcare & Grief Support: Major support for grief counseling and end-of-life care services, including the Harshaw Family Grief Counseling Center at Hosparus Health.

Animal Welfare: Significant capital support for animal services, including the Louisville Metro Animal Services Harshaw Family Foundation Animal Shelter opened in 2019.

What They Don't Fund

Information about specific exclusions is not publicly available. As a private family foundation, grants appear to be focused primarily in the Louisville metropolitan area.

Governance and Leadership

President: W. Frank Harshaw
Secretary/Treasurer: Virginia K. Harshaw (Paula)
Director: Thomas J. Beck

All officers serve without compensation. Frank Harshaw is also President and CEO of Harshaw Trane and currently serves on the boards of Eclipse Bank, Library Foundation, and Sullivan University. He is a former board member of the Louisville Community Foundation and the Greater Louisville Chamber of Commerce.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. As a private family foundation, the Harshaw Family Foundation makes grants through trustee discretion rather than accepting unsolicited applications. Grants appear to be awarded based on the trustees' knowledge of community needs and organizations with which they have existing relationships or personal connections.

The foundation identifies grantees proactively and makes funding decisions internally. There is no online portal, application form, or formal submission process available to the general public.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable due to the private nature of the foundation's grantmaking process. The foundation files Form 990-PF annually and made 12 grants in 2023, 12 in 2022, and 9 in 2021, suggesting consistent but selective grantmaking throughout the year.

Application Success Factors

Given the foundation's private nature and lack of public application process, organizations that receive funding typically have these characteristics:

Existing Relationships: The foundation appears to support organizations with which the Harshaw family has personal connections or where family members serve in leadership roles.

Louisville Focus: Nearly all documented grants support Louisville-area organizations addressing local needs.

Alignment with Personal Values: Projects addressing foster care youth, grief support, animal welfare, and community services align with Frank Harshaw's personal experiences and stated priorities.

Major Capital Projects: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make significant gifts for capital projects, such as the $11.6 million Harshaw Family Foundation Animal Shelter (2019) and the Harshaw Family Grief Counseling Center at Hosparus Health (part of a $4 million project completed in 2023).

Partnership Opportunities: The foundation values collaborative approaches, as evidenced by Frank Harshaw's initiative bringing together Louisville Metro United Way and seven nonprofit residential programs to benefit foster care youth.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No Public Application: This foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals. Grants are made at the discretion of the Harshaw family trustees.
• Relationship-Driven: Funding decisions appear to be based on personal knowledge, board connections, and existing relationships with Louisville-area organizations.
• Foster Care Priority: Organizations serving foster care youth align strongly with Frank Harshaw's personal mission and are a documented priority.
• Capital Projects: The foundation has supported major capital campaigns, particularly for facilities that bear the Harshaw name (animal shelter, grief counseling center).
• Louisville-Centric: Geographic focus is overwhelmingly on the Louisville metropolitan area and surrounding Kentucky communities.
• Consistent Grantmaking: With 12 grants annually in recent years, the foundation maintains steady but selective grantmaking activity.
• Multi-Generational Impact: Projects addressing children, youth, and families appear to be particularly aligned with the foundation's mission.

References

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: Harshaw Family Foundation Inc (EIN 27-4251521), Form 990-PF filings 2020-2024. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/274251521. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Cause IQ: The Harshaw Family Foundation profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/harshaw-family-foundation-inc,274251521/. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• United Way Worldwide: Frank Harshaw Leadership Council profile. https://www.unitedway.org/about/leadership/frank-harshaw. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Hosparus Health: "Hosparus Health Breaks Ground on The Harshaw Family Grief Counseling Center," May 2023. https://hosparushealth.org/blog/hosparus-health-breaks-ground-on-harshaw-family-grief-counseling-center/. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Hosparus Health: "Hosparus Health Opens New Grief Counseling Center in Louisville," 2024. https://hosparushealth.org/blog/hosparus-health-opens-new-grief-counseling-center-in-louisville/. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• WAVE 3 News: "Louisville Metro Animal Services officially open new animal shelter," October 21, 2019. https://www.wave3.com/2019/10/21/louisville-metro-animal-services-officially-open-new-animal-shelter/. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Friends of Metro Animal Services: Organization website. https://www.fomaslou.org/. Accessed January 16, 2026.
• Kentucky Attorney General: Private Foundations list, updated December 8, 2025. https://www.ag.ky.gov/Resources/Consumer-Resources/charity/Documents/privatefoundations.pdf. Accessed January 16, 2026.