The Nationwide Foundation

Private foundation · EIN 31-6022301 · since 1961nationwide.com/personal/about-us/giving/nationwide-foundation/what-we-fund·Columbus, Des Moines, Gainesville, Phoenix, Raleigh, San Antonio, Scottsdale·Updated 13 October 2026

At a glance

$39.9M

Annual giving, 2023 tax year

From the Form 990-PF filing

Open to applications

A mix of rolling and fixed deadlines · unsolicited applications welcome

Key takeaways

The Nationwide Foundation funds food security, crisis stability, children’s wellbeing and economic empowerment work, and only accepts applications from nonprofits based in Columbus (Metro), OH; Des Moines, IA; Gainesville, FL; Raleigh, NC; San Antonio, TX; or Scottsdale/Phoenix (Metro), AZ, so check your location fits before applying.
Support can take the form of general operating, project or programme funding, with limited capital support considered case by case; no grant range is stated, so you will need to gauge a reasonable request from the scale of your own programme.
Applicants must be tax exempt under section 501(c)(3), and arts and culture organisations and higher education organisations may only apply by invitation.
The foundation does not fund national organisations unless the applicant is a local branch or chapter providing direct services, nor does it support veterans, labor, religious or fraternal groups unless they serve the wider community, groups that re-grant funds (other than United Way), schools, individuals, lobbying, fundraising events, debt-reduction or endowment campaigns, or travel costs.
Applications open annually from 1 June to 1 September, but eligible applicants must first attend mandatory grant training, so plan ahead and build that step into your timeline.

Overview

The Nationwide Foundation is a US private foundation based in Columbus, OH.

What they fund

Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.

Priority Areas

The Nationwide Foundation bases funding decisions on a community impact model that prioritises food security, crisis stability, children’s wellbeing and economic empowerment. It offers general operating support, project and/or programme support, and limited capital support considered case by case. It accepts applications from nonprofits in Columbus (Metro), Ohio; Des Moines, Iowa; Gainesville, Florida; Raleigh, North Carolina; San Antonio, Texas; and Scottsdale/Phoenix (Metro), Arizona. Applicants must be tax exempt under section 501(c)(3). Arts and culture organisations and higher education organisations are by invitation only. It generally does not fund national organisations unless the applicant is a local branch or chapter providing direct services.

Themes

Food security
Crisis stability
Children's wellbeing
Economic empowerment

Geographic Focus

Columbus (Metro), OH; Des Moines, IA; Gainesville, FL; Raleigh, NC; San Antonio, TX; Scottsdale/Phoenix (Metro), AZ.

What They Don't Fund

Organizations that are not tax exempt under paragraph 501(C)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code
Organisations discriminating against a person or group based on race, color, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, genetic information, religion, national origin, ancestry, veteran status, marital status or any other characteristic protected by law
Veterans, labor, religious or fraternal groups (except when these groups provide needed services to the community at large)
Groups or organizations that will re-grant the foundation’s gifts to other organizations or individuals (except United Way)
Public or private primary or secondary schools
Athletic events or teams, bands and choirs
Individuals for any purpose
Lobbying activities
Fund-raising events such as walk-a-thons, telethons, and sponsorships
Debt-reduction or retirement campaigns
Endowment campaigns
Requests to support travel
National organizations, unless the applicant is a local branch or chapter providing direct services

How to apply

Eligible applicants attend mandatory grant training before submitting an application; the submission window recurs from June 1 to September 1 each year.

Deadlines: Applications are accepted annually from June 1 through September 1, after mandatory grant training.

Application success factors

What the foundation says:

The foundation prioritises requests supporting food security, crisis stability, children’s wellbeing and economic empowerment.

Officers and directors

Armstrong Daniel G — Assistant Secretary
Toelle Michael J — Trustee
Marc A Howze — Trustee
Radia Suku — Trustee
Hirsch Stephen F — Trustee
Porteus Brent R — Trustee
Garman David A — Assistant Secretary
Hartman Mark E — Assistant Secretary
Skingle Denise L — Secretary
Walker Kirt A — Trustee
Biesecker Pamela A — Chief Tax Officer
Walker Tonya G — Assistant Treasurer
Dwyer Timothy J — Treasurer
Rost Kristen — Vice President
Jester Chad A — President

From the latest Form 990-PF filing

2 years of tax filings

Year	Total expenses	Grants paid	Assets	Filing document
2022 tax year	$40,861,494	$41,474,497	$78,713,874	Filing for 2022 tax year
2023 tax year	$39,996,362	$39,896,661	$84,107,074	Filing for 2023 tax year

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.