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John J & Mary R Schiff Foundation

Annual Giving
$48.0M
Grant Range
$3K - $8.0M

John J & Mary R Schiff Foundation

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $48,000,000
  • Total Assets: $872,000,000
  • Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
  • Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
  • Grant Range: $2,525 - $8,000,000
  • Geographic Focus: Ohio (primarily Cincinnati), Massachusetts, and New York

Contact Details

Foundation Address: PO Box 145496 Cincinnati, OH 45250-5496

Important Note: The foundation does not have a public website or publicly listed contact information. All communications are managed through the trustees.

Overview

The John J & Mary R Schiff Foundation was established in 1983 by John J. "Jack" Schiff Sr. and Mary R. Schiff. Mr. Schiff helped found Cincinnati Financial Corporation, a major property and casualty insurance company. The foundation has grown to become one of Cincinnati's largest philanthropic institutions with assets of approximately $872 million and annual grant distributions of around $48 million. The foundation made 43 grants in 2024, with a median grant of $400,000. The foundation focuses primarily on education, arts and culture, human services, and philanthropy infrastructure, with a strong emphasis on supporting organizations in the Greater Cincinnati area, though it also funds select organizations in Massachusetts and New York.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates through trustee-selected grants rather than formal application programs. Recent major grants (2024) include:

  • Major Institutional Support: $7,970,000 - $8,000,000 (Xavier University received the largest grant at $7.97 million)
  • Human Services Organizations: $5,000,000 - $5,150,000 (Wesley Services Organization received $5.15 million; Boys & Girls Club of Greater Cincinnati received $5 million)
  • Mid-Level Grants: $100,000 - $1,000,000 (typical range for established nonprofit partners)
  • Smaller Grants: $2,525 - $100,000 (supporting a range of community organizations)

Priority Areas

Based on recent grantmaking patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

  • Education: Universities, schools, educational programs (particularly in Cincinnati)
  • Arts & Culture: Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra and other arts institutions
  • Human Services: Youth development, social services, community support organizations
  • Philanthropy & Voluntarism: Infrastructure supporting the nonprofit sector
  • Geographic Preference: Strong focus on Greater Cincinnati, with additional support for organizations in Massachusetts and New York (likely connected to family ties)

What They Don't Fund

The foundation has not publicly disclosed specific exclusions, but their pattern suggests:

  • Organizations outside their core geographic areas (Ohio, Massachusetts, New York)
  • Organizations without established relationships to the foundation or trustees
  • Projects that do not align with their focus areas

Governance and Leadership

Current Trustees:

  • John J. Schiff Jr. - Chairman (son of founders; former Chairman and CEO of Cincinnati Financial Corporation, 1986-2011; current board member since 1968)
  • Thomas R. Schiff - Trustee (family member; also operates the separate Thomas R. Schiff Foundation)
  • Suzanne Reid - Trustee (daughter of John J. Schiff Sr.; based in Barnstable, MA)

Staff:

  • Lauren Fernandez - President (20 hours/week)

Compensation: Trustees receive $35,000 annually for approximately 2 hours per week. The President receives $52,083 annually for 20 hours per week.

The foundation operates with a small, family-centered governance structure, with the Schiff family maintaining direct oversight of all grantmaking decisions.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

The foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation explicitly states it "only makes contributions to preselected charitable organizations and does not accept unsolicited requests for funds."

Grants are awarded based on trustee discretion to organizations with which the foundation has pre-existing relationships. There is no online portal, application form, or formal submission process for external organizations.

Getting on Their Radar

Based on the foundation's grantmaking patterns, grants appear to be directed to:

  • Organizations where the Schiff family has historical connections (Cincinnati Financial Corporation-related causes, Cincinnati civic institutions)
  • Major Cincinnati educational, cultural, and social service institutions
  • Organizations in Massachusetts and New York where family members (particularly Suzanne Reid in Barnstable, MA) may have connections
  • Established, prominent nonprofits with significant community impact

The foundation's grants are made to "preselected" organizations, suggesting that relationship building would need to occur through board connections, family relationships, or significant institutional presence in their geographic focus areas.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. As a private family foundation with trustee-directed giving, decisions are made at the discretion of the board throughout the year rather than on a fixed cycle.

Success Rates

Not applicable - the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable - the foundation operates on a pre-selection model rather than an application/reapplication cycle.

Application Success Factors

Given that this foundation does not accept public applications, traditional "success factors" do not apply. However, the pattern of grantmaking reveals:

Characteristics of funded organizations:

  • Institutional scale and stability: Recent major grants went to well-established institutions (Xavier University, Wesley Services, Boys & Girls Club) with significant operational scale
  • Cincinnati connections: The vast majority of grants support Greater Cincinnati organizations, reflecting the founders' deep ties to the region
  • General operating support: Most grants are designated for "General Support," suggesting the foundation trusts recipient organizations to deploy funds where most needed
  • Multi-year relationships: The foundation appears to support the same organizations over time (e.g., Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra has been a consistent recipient)
  • High-impact areas: Education and human services receive the largest grants, aligning with the foundation's stated priorities

What this means for organizations:

  • Direct outreach or applications are unlikely to be successful
  • The foundation's giving is relationship-driven and based on trustee knowledge and connections
  • Geographic proximity to Cincinnati is a significant advantage
  • Institutional reputation and established track records appear essential
  • Multi-million dollar grants are possible for major institutions in priority areas

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process: This foundation cannot be approached through traditional grant applications. Focus efforts on foundations with open application processes.
  • Relationship-driven: All funding decisions are made by family trustees based on pre-existing relationships and knowledge of organizations.
  • Scale matters: The foundation makes both very large grants ($5-8 million) and smaller ones ($2,525+), but recent patterns show preference for significant institutional support.
  • Cincinnati focus: While the foundation funds in three states (Ohio, Massachusetts, New York), the vast majority of support goes to Greater Cincinnati organizations.
  • Family governance: With John J. Schiff Jr., Thomas R. Schiff, and Suzanne Reid as trustees, this remains a tightly-held family foundation 40+ years after its establishment.
  • Significant assets: With $872 million in assets and $48 million in annual giving, this is one of Cincinnati's major philanthropic institutions, even without a public profile.
  • Complementary Schiff foundations: Note that the Robert and Adele Schiff Family Foundation and Thomas R. Schiff Foundation are separate entities with their own priorities and processes.

References

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