Kettering Family Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $7.1 million (2024)
• Success Rate: 90%+ for trustee-endorsed applications
• Decision Time: 4-5 months from submission to decision
• Grant Range: $1,000 - $500,000 (average: $37,235)
• Geographic Focus: National, with preferences for Colorado, New York, New Hampshire, and Ohio
• Total Assets: $90.6 million
• Number of Grants: 163 awards in 2024

Contact Details

Address: 40 N Main St, Suite 1480, Dayton, OH 45423-1001

Phone: 937-228-1021

Email: info@ketteringfamilyphilanthropies.org

Website: www.cfketteringfamilies.com/philanthropy/kff

Note: All prospective applicants must contact the foundation via email before initiating the application process.

Overview

The Kettering Family Foundation was founded in 1956 by Eugene W. Kettering (son of inventor and philanthropist Charles F. Kettering) and his wife Virginia W. Kettering. With total assets of $90.6 million, the foundation distributed approximately $7.1 million in grants in 2024 to 163 organizations. The foundation operates under an umbrella organization called Kettering Family Philanthropies, which also includes the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation (focused on Montgomery County, Ohio) and The Kettering Fund (established 1958). The foundation's grantmaking is highly relationship-driven, with the Board of Trustees—composed entirely of Kettering Family members—meeting biannually in May and November to make funding decisions. Over 90% of grants are awarded to organizations endorsed by a trustee, reflecting the foundation's emphasis on family connections and trustee interests. The foundation has paid $19.7 million to charitable organizations over the last three calendar years, primarily in areas where family members reside.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Kettering Family Foundation operates a single grant program with two annual cycles:

• General Grant Program: $1,000 - $500,000
  • Average grant size: $37,235
  • Two cycles per year (January-May and July-November)
  • Grants awarded in May and November, payments made in June and December
  • Applications submitted via online portal only

Priority Areas

The foundation supports six primary categories:

1. Arts, Culture and Humanities
2. Education
3. Environment
4. Health/Medical
5. Human Services
6. Public/Society Benefit

Geographic Priorities: While national in scope, the foundation gives preference to areas where Kettering family members reside, with larger concentrations between New York and New Hampshire, in addition to Colorado and Ohio.

Important Context: "Funding decisions are driven by the interests of Foundation trustees and the majority of grants are awarded to those non-profit organizations with which the family has a relationship." Over 90% of grants are trustee-endorsed at the time of submission.

What They Don't Fund

The following are rarely considered without trustee endorsement:

• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Individual public elementary or secondary schools or public school districts
• Capital construction
• Foreign-based or foreign-purpose organizations
• Local chapters of national organizations
• Multi-year grants
• Travel expenses
• Event sponsorship

The foundation will not accept Request Summaries for:

• Grants or loans to individuals
• Tickets
• Advertisements

Multi-year Grant Restriction: Multi-year grants are rarely considered without trustee endorsement. Additionally, if grants are awarded three years in a row, the organization will be asked to take one year off.

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees

The Board of Trustees is composed entirely of Kettering Family members and meets biannually (May and November) to make funding decisions.

Co-Presidents

• Charles F. Kettering III: Co-Principal Officer and descendant of Charles F. Kettering, the foundation's namesake
• Linda H. Hanauer: Co-President and CEO of the fifth-generation family office management company that oversees Kettering Family Philanthropies

The foundation continues the legacy of Charles F. Kettering's tradition of innovation and strategic philanthropy through focused, relationship-based grantmaking.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

MANDATORY Pre-Application Contact: All prospective applicants must email the foundation at info@ketteringfamilyphilanthropies.org to discuss their proposal before initiating the application process. Applicants must document on the Request Summary form with whom from Kettering Family Philanthropies and when they spoke about their specific proposal.

Application Process:

1. Initial Contact: Email foundation staff to discuss your proposal
2. Request Summary: Submit by January 31 or July 31 through online portal only
3. Review: Grant committee reviews all Request Summaries
4. Invitation: If interested, foundation requests a Full Proposal
5. Full Proposal: Due March 15 or September 15 (if invited)
6. Board Decision: May or November
7. Payment: June or December

Submission Requirements:

• Fully website-based application—faxed, mailed, or hand-delivered applications will not be accepted
• Must be a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization
• Organizations that are government units or affiliated with religious organizations have different requirements

Decision Timeline

Spring Cycle:

• Request Summary deadline: January 31
• Full Proposal deadline (if invited): March 15
• Board decision: May
• Payment: June
• Total time: Approximately 4-5 months

Fall Cycle:

• Request Summary deadline: July 31
• Full Proposal deadline (if invited): September 15
• Board decision: November
• Payment: December
• Total time: Approximately 4-5 months

Success Rates

• 90%+ approval rate for trustee-endorsed applications
• Success for non-endorsed applications appears significantly lower
• The foundation states: "Request Summaries endorsed by a trustee at the time of submission are considered a priority, with over 90% of grants awarded fitting within this category"
• 163 grants awarded in 2024, 168 in 2023, 163 in 2022

Reapplication Policy

Organizations may apply to only one Kettering Family Foundation entity during a twelve-month period. This includes The Kettering Family Foundation, The Kettering Fund, and The Virginia W. Kettering Foundation.

Three-Year Rule: If grants are awarded to an organization three years in a row, the organization will be asked to take one year off before reapplying.

The foundation does not specify a waiting period for unsuccessful applicants, but the twelve-month limitation applies to all applications.

Application Success Factors

Critical Success Factor: Trustee Endorsement

The single most important factor for success is having a relationship with a Kettering Family trustee who will endorse your Request Summary. The foundation explicitly states that "over 90% of grants approved in recent years have been trustee endorsed."

Building Relationships

The foundation requires all applicants to contact them before applying, creating an opportunity to:

• Discuss project alignment with trustee interests
• Understand which family members might have interest in your work area
• Demonstrate how your organization connects to foundation priorities

Geographic Alignment

While applications are accepted nationally, the foundation has historically approved grants in areas where family members reside:

• Strong concentrations: New York to New Hampshire corridor, Colorado, and Ohio
• The foundation states: "Family members live throughout the US, but there are larger concentrations between New York and New Hampshire, in addition to Colorado"

What the Foundation Values

Based on their stated priorities and structure:

• Long-term relationships: "The majority of grants are awarded to those non-profit organizations with which the family has a relationship"
• Alignment with trustee interests: Funding decisions are driven by trustee interests rather than standardized criteria
• Prior communication: The mandatory pre-application contact demonstrates commitment and allows for relationship building

Strategic Approach for Applicants

1. Contact early: Reach out well before the deadline to discuss your proposal and understand which trustees might be interested
2. Geographic connection: If your organization works in areas with Kettering family concentrations, emphasize this
3. Focus on relationships: This is not a competitive grant process based on standardized criteria—it's about finding alignment with family interests
4. Be prepared for the long game: Without trustee endorsement, success rates drop significantly; building relationships may take time
5. One chance per year: With only two cycles and a twelve-month application limit, timing and preparation are crucial

Areas Less Likely to Succeed

Without trustee endorsement, the following face significant challenges:

• Capital construction projects
• Multi-year funding requests
• Local chapters of national organizations
• Religious organizations for religious purposes
• Individual schools or school districts

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Trustee endorsement is essential: With a 90%+ success rate for trustee-endorsed applications, securing family support is the critical factor—not the strength of your written application alone.

• Mandatory pre-application contact is an opportunity: Use the required email contact to build relationships, understand trustee interests, and determine if genuine alignment exists before investing time in a full application.

• This is relationship-based philanthropy: The foundation explicitly states it primarily funds "non-profit organizations with which the family has a relationship"—standard competitive grant processes don't apply here.

• Geographic presence matters: If you work in Colorado, the New York-New Hampshire corridor, or Ohio, emphasize this connection as family members are concentrated in these areas.

• Plan for 4-5 months from submission to funding: With biannual board meetings in May and November, and payments in June and December, allow for this timeline in your planning.

• One application per year rule is strict: You can only apply to one Kettering Family entity per twelve-month period, so choose carefully between the Kettering Family Foundation, Virginia W. Kettering Foundation, and Kettering Fund based on which best matches your geography and mission.

• Multi-year funding requires extra relationship building: Multi-year grants are rarely considered without trustee endorsement, and even successful organizations must take a year off after three consecutive grants.

References

• Kettering Family Foundation official website: https://www.cfketteringfamilies.com/philanthropy/kff (accessed January 2026)
• Kettering Family Philanthropies homepage: https://www.cfketteringfamilies.com/ (accessed January 2026)
• GuideStar Profile for Kettering Family Foundation (EIN: 31-0727384): https://www.guidestar.org/profile/31-0727384 (accessed January 2026)
• Cause IQ Profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/kettering-family-foundation,310727384/ (accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/310727384 (accessed January 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory: https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=KETT002 (accessed January 2026)
• Instrumentl 990 Report: https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/kettering-family-foundation (accessed January 2026)
• New Hampshire Center for Nonprofits: https://www.nhnonprofits.org/funding-alerts/kettering-family-foundation (accessed January 2026)