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Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation

Annual Giving
$15.7M
Decision Time
4mo

Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $15,738,400 (2023)
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Approximately 3-4 months (August 1 deadline, decisions by end of November)
  • Grant Range: Not publicly disclosed; awarded 68 grants in 2021
  • Geographic Focus: Greater Cincinnati area (primarily), with some national reach

Contact Details

Email: hello@schifffoundation.org (for technical issues only)
Website: https://www.schifffoundation.org/
Note: No staff available for guidance, site visits, or individual consultations

Overview

Founded in 2003 by Robert (Bob) and Adele Schiff (though earlier iterations date back to 1983), the Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation has distributed approximately $200 million since 2006. Currently distributing at least $15 million annually, the foundation is dedicated to assisting organizations, primarily in the fields of education and children's health, that seek to improve, transform, and enhance lives and communities in Greater Cincinnati. The foundation's giving history includes humanities, cancer survivorship, college scholarships, and Cincinnati public education initiatives. The foundation typically funds a handful of new organizations each year while maintaining ongoing relationships with established grantees. Robert C. Schiff, co-founder of Cincinnati Financial Corporation, passed away in 2010, and Adele Schiff passed away in 2020. The foundation continues their philanthropic legacy through their sons Dr. Robert C. Schiff Jr. and James A. Schiff.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates a single annual grant cycle with an August 1 application deadline. Specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, but the foundation awarded 68 grants in 2021 with total giving of $15,738,400 in 2023.

Application Method: Online portal via foundation website; rolling applications reviewed annually with fixed August 1 deadline.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus:

  • Education: College scholarships, Cincinnati public education, early learning centers providing high-end early learning experiences for students at inner-city public schools
  • Children's Health: Mental health and behavior programs, pediatric services

Secondary Focus:

  • Cancer Survivorship: Significant support including $1 million gift to UC Cancer Institute; ongoing research grants totaling $200,000 awarded twice per academic year
  • Arts and Culture: Educational programming at institutions like Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra, Cincinnati Zoo, Contemporary Arts Center, Cincinnati Shakespeare Company
  • Human Services: Community support programs
  • Humanities: Including the Robert and Adele Schiff Awards through The Cincinnati Review (annual literary prizes of $1,000 each in poetry, fiction, and literary nonfiction)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation does not publicly specify exclusions, but their stated mission focuses primarily on education and children's health in the Greater Cincinnati community.

Governance and Leadership

The foundation was established by Robert C. Schiff, former President and CEO of the Schiff, Kreidler-Shell Insurance Agency and co-founder of Cincinnati Insurance Company and Cincinnati Financial Corporation. Robert passed away in 2010 at age 86, and Adele R. Schiff (née Roehr) passed away in 2020.

Family Background: Robert grew up in Price Hill and Adele was raised in Fairview Heights; both came from modest backgrounds and felt "immensely fortunate" about their success, which motivated their philanthropic giving.

Current Leadership: The foundation is now carried forward by their sons:

  • Dr. Robert C. Schiff Jr.: Pediatrician in Cincinnati; Board of Trust member at Vanderbilt University (made a $10 million commitment to Opportunity Vanderbilt)
  • James A. Schiff: Professor and literary scholar at University of Cincinnati specializing in contemporary American fiction; served as Trustee on the University of Cincinnati Foundation Board (2008-2020)

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications must be submitted through the foundation's online portal at www.schifffoundation.org. The foundation explicitly states that no staff are available for guidance, site visits, or individual consultations.

Foundation Guidance: The foundation recommends that applicants:

  1. Review the mission statement carefully
  2. Research previously funded organizations to understand alignment
  3. "Tell your story as effectively as you can" if alignment seems appropriate

Decision Timeline

  • Deadline: August 1 annually
  • Review Period: Fall (September-November)
  • Decisions Announced: Typically by the end of November
  • Next Application Period: Proposal submissions typically reopen around April

Success Rates

The foundation does not publicly disclose the total number of applications received or acceptance rates. However, they note that they "typically fund a handful of new organizations each year" while maintaining ongoing relationships with many established grantees. With 68 grants awarded in 2021 and $15,738,400 distributed in 2023, the foundation maintains a substantial grantmaking program.

Reapplication Policy

Not publicly disclosed. The foundation does not specify waiting periods or restrictions for unsuccessful applicants.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated guidance and funding patterns:

Alignment with Mission: The foundation emphasizes reviewing their mission statement and researching previously funded organizations. Success appears tied to demonstrating clear alignment with education and children's health priorities in Greater Cincinnati.

Storytelling: The foundation specifically advises applicants to "tell your story as effectively as you can"—suggesting they value compelling narratives about organizational impact and community transformation.

Examples of Funded Projects:

  • Cancer Survivorship Research: $1 million to UC Cancer Institute to advance survivorship programs; ongoing $200,000 pilot grants twice annually supporting researchers like Dr. Christopher Dandoy at Cincinnati Children's Hospital studying pediatric bone marrow transplant complications
  • Education Initiatives: St. Xavier High School scholarships; high-end early learning centers for students at inner-city public schools; Cincinnati public education programs
  • Arts Education: Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (operating support partner 2022-2024); Contemporary Arts Center's Art Play Hike program; educational programming at Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and Cincinnati Zoo
  • Humanities: The Cincinnati Review's Robert and Adele Schiff Awards for literary excellence

Geographic Preference: Approximately 80% of grants go to nonprofits in the Cincinnati area, though the foundation does support some national initiatives, particularly in cancer survivorship research.

Relationship Building: The foundation notes they "have also established close relationships with many groups that we support on a regular or near regular basis," suggesting that successful first-time grantees may receive ongoing support.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No Pre-Application Consultation: Unlike many foundations, the Schiff Foundation explicitly states no staff are available for guidance or site visits—your written application must stand entirely on its own merits
  • Research is Critical: With no opportunity for clarification, thoroughly research their previously funded organizations and demonstrate clear mission alignment in your proposal
  • Cincinnati Focus Matters: While not exclusively local, approximately 80% of funding goes to Greater Cincinnati organizations—local applicants appear to have a significant advantage
  • Compelling Narrative Required: The foundation's guidance to "tell your story as effectively as you can" suggests they value emotional resonance and impact stories alongside program details
  • Long-Term Relationship Potential: The foundation maintains "close relationships" with many grantees for regular support—a successful first grant may lead to ongoing partnership
  • Annual Cycle Only: With one deadline per year (August 1), timing is critical—missed deadlines mean waiting a full year for the next opportunity
  • Limited New Grantees: The foundation funds only "a handful of new organizations each year" despite significant annual giving—competition for first-time awards is likely intense

References

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