Daniel and Susan Pfau Charitable Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $1,462,000 (2024)
• Number of Grants: 55 awards (2024)
• Decision Time: 5 months from full proposal to decision
• Grant Range: Information not publicly disclosed; example grants include $30,000
• Geographic Focus: Greater Cincinnati area (Hamilton, Butler, Clermont, and Warren counties in OH; Boone, Campbell, and Kenton counties in KY; Dearborn County in IN)

Contact Details

Website: https://pfaufoundation.org

Application Portal: Greater Cincinnati Foundation at www.gcfdn.org

Primary Contact:

• Jennifer A. Geisheimer, Senior Grants Manager
• Phone: 513-768-6126
• Email: jennifer.geisheimer@gcfdn.org

Alternative Contact:

• Lisa Davis Roberts
• Phone: 513-768-6113
• Email: lisa.davisroberts@gcfdn.org

Mailing Address: Greater Cincinnati Foundation 720 E. Pete Rose Way, Suite 120 Cincinnati, OH 45202

Overview

The Daniel and Susan Pfau Charitable Foundation was established in 1994 in Cincinnati by local businessman Daniel A. Pfau and his wife, Susan Laufer Pfau, a community volunteer. Operating as a private family foundation, the organization has been supporting community programs for over 30 years with a special interest in helping young people realize their full potential. The foundation is administered through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's Grantmaking Services for Private Foundations.

With annual giving of approximately $1.46 million distributed across 55 grants in 2024, the foundation focuses primarily on programs serving children, adolescents, and young adults (to age 30) with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities and those facing significant economic barriers to success. The foundation takes a collaborative approach to grant-making, with board members from the Pfau and Brill families meeting twice a year to make funding decisions. Daniel and Susan Pfau have been recognized as CYC Heroes by Cincinnati Youth Collaborative for their decades of dedication to the future of Cincinnati.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation operates on a semi-annual grant cycle with two application periods per year through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's online portal:

Cycle 1:

• Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline: January 15
• Full Proposal deadline: March 1
• Decision announcement: July 31

Cycle 2:

• Letter of Inquiry (LOI) deadline: May 15
• Full Proposal deadline: July 1
• Decision announcement: November 30

The foundation funds capital, operating, and a limited number of endowment needs. Multi-year grants are available; for example, Santa Maria Community Services received a five-year grant of $30,000 per year for youth development.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus (highest priority):

• Education, health, cultural experience, and social welfare of children, adolescents, and young adults (to age 30) with physical, mental, or developmental disabilities and their families
• Programs that help clients with disabilities realize their full potential

Secondary Focus:

• Children, adolescents, and young adults (to age 30) who face significant economic barriers to success and their families
• Programs addressing barriers to success for economically disadvantaged youth

Additional Interest:

• Large regional arts and cultural organizations
• Small and mid-size organizations using arts as a vehicle for achieving impact with successful shared outcomes aligned with the foundation's first two priorities

Recent Funded Projects Include:

• Cincinnati Association for the Blind & Visually Impaired
• Breakthrough Cincinnati (Summer Academic Session)
• Cincinnati Youth Collaborative programs
• Cancer Family Care (Free Mental Health Counseling for Children Coping with Cancer)
• Girls on the Run Cincinnati (Social, Emotional, and Physical Learning programs)
• Ohio Valley Voices (programs for children with profound hearing loss - 10+ grants over time)
• Queen City Book Bank (New Book Curation)
• Community Matters (Food Access for Families in Lower Price Hill)
• Interfaith Hospitality Network of Greater Cincinnati (Emergency Shelter Program)
• Catholic Inner-City Schools Education Fund (CISE Elementary Schools Tuition Assistance)

What They Don't Fund

• Schools: The foundation normally does not award grant funding to support individual schools, with exceptions for:

  • Nonprofits or foundations that provide services in multiple schools (or within a system of schools) serving a significant population of students facing economic barriers to success
  • Individual schools with a specified mission to serve students with disabilities

• Recent Applicants: In most cases, an organization must wait 24 months after final payment of a grant or decline of a request before it is eligible to reapply

Governance and Leadership

Board of Trustees:

• Ann Pfau, Chair
• Daniel Pfau, Chair Emeritus
• Susan Pfau, Trustee
• Steven Brill, Trustee
• David Brill, Trustee
• Mary LeRoy, Trustee
• Mark Pfau, Trustee
• Robert Brill, Trustee
• K. Logan Brill, Trustee

About the Founders:

Daniel A. Pfau is a Cincinnati businessman extensively involved in programs serving disabled and disadvantaged youth. He is a former board member and president of Springer School of Cincinnati, a founding member and trustee of Lighthouse Youth Services Board, and currently serves on the board of the Freestore/Foodbank. He is a member of Phi Delta Theta fraternity (Cincinnati '59) and has received both the Cornerstone Contributor and Founders Club distinctions from the Phi Delta Theta Foundation.

Susan Laufer Pfau is a community volunteer who started the CYC Girls Club in 1999, which provides mentoring and enrichment opportunities for inner-city girls. Both Daniel and Susan have been recognized as CYC Heroes by Cincinnati Youth Collaborative for their decades of dedication to the future of Cincinnati.

The foundation partners with the Greater Cincinnati Foundation for grant administration and management services, allowing the Pfau family to focus on strategic decision-making while leveraging professional grants management expertise.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Applications are accepted exclusively through the Greater Cincinnati Foundation's online grant system. The process is a two-stage approach:

Stage 1: Letter of Inquiry (LOI)

• Submit through the online portal at www.gcfdn.org
• Deadlines: January 15 or May 15
• Organizations will be notified if invited to submit a full proposal

Stage 2: Full Proposal

• By invitation only following LOI review
• Deadlines: March 1 or July 1
• Must be submitted through the online grant system

Required Documentation:

• IRS determination letter showing 501(c)(3) status
• Program description demonstrating service to the Greater Cincinnati area
• Projected outcomes for the program
• Budget showing how grant funds will be expended

Decision Timeline

From LOI to Decision: Approximately 6-7 months From Full Proposal to Decision: Approximately 5 months

The foundation board, consisting of members from the Pfau and Brill families, meets twice a year to make grant decisions. Applicants are notified of decisions on July 31 (for the spring cycle) and November 30 (for the fall cycle).

Success Rates

While specific success rate data is not publicly disclosed, the foundation made 55 awards in 2024, 55 in 2023, 50 in 2022, and 50 in 2021, showing consistent growth in the number of organizations funded annually.

Reapplication Policy

In most cases, an organization must wait 24 months after final payment of a grant or decline of a request before it is eligible to reapply. This policy applies to both successful and unsuccessful applicants.

Follow-up Requirements: Grantees must complete a follow-up evaluation report in the online grant system at the end of the grant period. The report must:

• Compare actual outcomes to projected outcomes from the application
• State how grant funds were expended
• Provide program impact data

Representatives of the foundation may occasionally visit or meet with applicant organizations to discuss programs and needs.

Application Success Factors

Based on the foundation's stated preferences and funding history, successful applications typically demonstrate:

1. Collaborative Funding Approach The foundation explicitly states: "The Foundation usually prefers to participate along with other donors in the support of a specific project." Applications should demonstrate:

• Other funding sources or partners committed to the project
• How the Pfau Foundation grant fits into a broader funding strategy
• Sustainability beyond the foundation's grant period

2. Measurable Outcomes for Target Population The foundation requires reporting that compares actual outcomes to projected outcomes. Strong applications include:

• Clear, measurable objectives aligned with helping youth realize their full potential
• Specific metrics for tracking success with disabled or economically disadvantaged youth
• Evidence-based approaches with documented effectiveness

3. Direct Service to Greater Cincinnati Youth Programs must benefit the seven-county Greater Cincinnati area and directly serve the foundation's priority populations. Successful applications clearly demonstrate:

• Geographic service area within Hamilton, Butler, Clermont, or Warren counties in Ohio; Boone, Campbell, or Kenton counties in Kentucky; or Dearborn County in Indiana
• Number and demographics of youth (to age 30) with disabilities or economic barriers to be served
• How the program helps clients realize their full potential (a phrase the foundation emphasizes)

4. Strategic Use of Arts and Culture For organizations in the arts sector, the foundation looks for:

• Small and mid-size organizations using arts "as a vehicle for achieving impact"
• Shared outcomes aligned with serving youth with disabilities or economic barriers
• Clear connection between artistic programming and the foundation's core mission

5. Financial Sustainability and Accountability The foundation visits grantee organizations and requires detailed reporting. Applications should show:

• Sound financial management
• Willingness to engage with foundation representatives
• Capacity to track and report outcomes
• Long-term sustainability plan

Recent Focus Areas in Funded Projects:

• Mental health counseling for children coping with trauma (Cancer Family Care)
• Literacy and book access (Queen City Book Bank, The Literacy Network)
• Housing stability for vulnerable families (Cincinnati Scholar House, Interfaith Hospitality Network)
• Educational support for students facing economic barriers (CISE, Breakthrough Cincinnati)
• Therapeutic and sensory programs (Cincinnati Therapeutic Riding, Ohio Valley Voices)
• Youth mentoring (Girls on the Run, Big Brothers Big Sisters)

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• Wait for the right fit: Only apply if your organization serves children, adolescents, or young adults (to age 30) with disabilities OR facing significant economic barriers in the Greater Cincinnati area
• Emphasize collaboration: The foundation prefers to be one of multiple funders - highlight other funding sources and partnerships in your LOI and proposal
• Use their language: Frame your work around helping clients "realize their full potential," a phrase that appears repeatedly in foundation materials
• Be outcome-focused: Strong applications include specific, measurable outcomes that can be tracked and reported at the end of the grant period
• Consider multi-year requests: The foundation has demonstrated willingness to make multi-year commitments (e.g., five-year grants) for strong programs
• Don't rush reapplication: Honor the 24-month waiting period between applications - use this time to strengthen your program and outcomes data
• Leverage professional support: Contact Jennifer Geisheimer at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation early in the process if you have questions about fit or application requirements
• Build relationships thoughtfully: The foundation values site visits and direct engagement - be prepared to welcome foundation representatives and discuss your work in depth

References

• Daniel and Susan Pfau Charitable Foundation website: https://pfaufoundation.org (accessed March 2026)
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation - Daniel and Susan Pfau Foundation page: https://www.gcfdn.org/nonprofits/funding-opportunities/private-foundations-funding/the-daniel-and-susan-pfau-foundation/ (accessed March 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Organization profile: https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/311411794 (accessed March 2026)
• Cause IQ - Daniel and Susan Pfau Charitable Foundation profile: https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/daniel-and-susan-pfau-charitable-foundation,311411794/ (accessed March 2026)
• Cincinnati Youth Collaborative - "Susan and Daniel Pfau, Committed to Children: CYC Hero": https://www.cycyouth.org/cyc-hero-daniel-susan-pfau/ (accessed March 2026)
• Instrumentl - Daniel and Susan Pfau Foundation Grant listing: https://www.instrumentl.com/grants/daniel-and-susan-pfau-foundation-grant (accessed March 2026)