The Austin E. Knowlton Foundation

• This foundation's stated focus is higher education in the United States, channelled through grants to colleges and universities and through endowed scholarships for students attending qualified colleges and universities in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, with preference for Ohio students planning to major in science, technology, engineering or mathematics; a grant writer whose work sits outside higher education, or outside college and university support and related scholarships, is unlikely to find a fit here.
• Most grants to organisations are modest: about 8 in 10 of the 143 grants fall between $5,000 and $795,000, and the median grant was $30,000, so a request pitched in that range is realistic, even though the largest grant recorded was $6,000,000.
• Applications may be submitted in any form, with proof of tax-exempt status required, and there are no deadlines given in the filing, so timing is flexible.
• A high share of grant dollars, 87%, went to organisations also funded in the two prior filings, which suggests the foundation leans towards continuing relationships, so new applicants should not be put off but should recognise that returning grantees take up much of the funding.
• No eligibility restrictions or exclusions beyond its stated higher education focus and its Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana scholarship programme are given, so anyone whose work matches that description can consider applying.

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

• Ohio State University Foundation · Bmec building
  $6,000,0002024 tax year
• Denison University · Career exploration center
  $1,000,0002024 tax year
• College of Wooster · Lowry center
  $1,000,0002024 tax year
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute · Program services
  $925,0002024 tax year
• Georgetown College · Davis-reid alumni gym project
  $500,0002024 tax year
• Ronald Reagan Presidential Foundation and Institute · National economic forum
  $200,0002024 tax year
• Institute for Citizens and Scholars · Program services
  $200,0002024 tax year
• Alexander Hamilton Society · Program services
  $200,0002024 tax year

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

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.