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The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust

Annual Giving
$2.4M
000

The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust

Quick Stats

  • Annual Giving: $2,365,000 (2023)
  • Total Assets: $53.1 million (2024)
  • Number of Grants: 39 awards (2023)
  • Geographic Focus: Cincinnati, OH area
  • Foundation Type: Private Independent Foundation

Contact Details

Address:
PO Box 630858
Cincinnati, OH 45263-0858

Phone: 513-534-5310

Trustee:
Fifth Third Bank, N.A. (Co-Trustee)
Former Co-Trustee: Narley L. Haley (served until February 2022)

Note: This foundation does not maintain a dedicated website or public-facing contact email.

Overview

The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust was established in August 2000 as a private charitable trust in Ohio. With total assets exceeding $53 million and annual charitable disbursements of over $3.1 million, the trust represents a significant philanthropic presence in the Greater Cincinnati region. Fifth Third Bank serves as the institutional trustee, managing the foundation's grantmaking activities with discretionary authority. The foundation's mission centers on supporting nonprofit organizations in the Cincinnati area, with particular emphasis on the arts, children's services (including Cincinnati Children's Hospital), social services, and community development initiatives. The trust operates as part of the broader Luther family philanthropic legacy in Cincinnati, which includes the related H.B., E.W., F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

This foundation operates through trustee-discretionary grantmaking rather than formal grant programs. Fifth Third Bank, as trustee, reviews grant opportunities and makes funding decisions based on the trust's established charitable purposes and the donor's original funding priorities.

Grant Range: While specific grant amounts are not publicly disclosed, the foundation made 39 grants totaling $2,365,000 in 2023, suggesting an average grant size of approximately $60,600. However, actual grants likely vary considerably based on project scope and organizational need.

Priority Areas

Primary Focus Areas:

  • Arts and Culture: Support for major Cincinnati arts institutions including symphony orchestras, theater companies, opera, and cultural organizations
  • Children's Services: Funding for children's hospitals, pediatric healthcare, and youth-serving organizations
  • Social Services: Community-based programs addressing human needs and social welfare
  • Community Development: Projects that strengthen and improve the Greater Cincinnati community

Geographic Limitation: The trust focuses exclusively on nonprofit organizations serving the Cincinnati, Ohio metropolitan area.

What They Don't Fund

As a private foundation with trustee discretion, the trust does not publicly specify exclusions. However, based on its stated priorities, funding typically does not support:

  • Organizations outside the Greater Cincinnati area
  • Individual requests or scholarships
  • Political or lobbying activities
  • Religious organizations for sectarian purposes

Governance and Leadership

Current Trustee:

  • Fifth Third Bank, N.A. serves as institutional trustee with full discretionary authority over grantmaking decisions. The bank's Foundation Office manages over 300 private and corporate foundations, granting millions of dollars annually to charities across the United States.

Former Leadership:

  • Narley L. Haley served as Co-Trustee until February 2022, working alongside Fifth Third Bank in managing the trust's charitable activities.

Trustee Compensation: In 2024, Fifth Third Bank received $550,718 in trustee fees for managing the foundation's assets and grantmaking operations.

Related Foundation: The H.B., E.W., F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation (also managed by Fifth Third Bank and Narley L. Haley as Co-Trustees) supports similar causes with focus on environmental and historical preservation, education, and arts organizations in Greater Cincinnati.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. Grants are awarded at the discretion of Fifth Third Bank as trustee, based on the trust's established charitable purposes and the original donor's funding priorities.

Unlike many Fifth Third Bank-managed foundations that participate in the Foundation Office's annual grant cycle (October 1 - November 22), The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust operates independently with trustee-directed grantmaking throughout the year.

Grant Awards Process:

  • Grants are initiated by the trustee rather than through external applications
  • The trustee identifies potential grantees aligned with the trust's mission
  • Funding decisions reflect the original donor's philanthropic interests and the ongoing needs of Cincinnati-area nonprofits
  • Organizations may be approached directly by the trustee when funding opportunities align

Getting on Their Radar

While this section would typically include strategies for approaching funders without public applications, no specific, funder-unique information about The Frances R Luther Charitable Trust's approach to identifying potential grantees is available in public sources. The foundation operates through Fifth Third Bank's discretionary trustee process.

Decision Timeline

Not applicable - grants are awarded on a rolling basis at trustee discretion rather than through scheduled funding cycles.

Success Rates

Not available. As an invitation-only funder, the foundation does not publish application or award statistics.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the absence of a public application process.

Application Success Factors

Given the trustee-discretionary nature of this foundation, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, organizations that have benefited from Luther family philanthropy share certain characteristics:

Alignment with Core Mission:

  • Organizations must operate within the Greater Cincinnati metropolitan area
  • Strong track records in arts and culture, children's services, social services, or community development
  • Established nonprofit status with demonstrated community impact

Institutional Credibility:

  • Well-established organizations with recognized names in Cincinnati's nonprofit sector
  • Organizations that align with the foundation's focus on arts institutions, children's hospitals, and social service providers
  • Programs that serve broad community needs rather than narrow constituencies

Historical Funding Patterns: The related H.B., E.W., F.R. Luther Charitable Foundation (also managed by Fifth Third Bank) has supported major Cincinnati institutions including:

  • Cincinnati Shakespeare Company (education partner, $25,000+ donor level)
  • Cincinnati Symphony Orchestra (Platinum Baton Circle supporter at $50,000+)
  • Cincinnati Opera
  • Cincinnati Children's Hospital (memory care household named "Luther House")
  • Cincinnati Zoo (Passenger Pigeon Memorial project)
  • The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati (season sponsor)

These examples suggest the Frances R. Luther Charitable Trust likely supports similar major institutions and capital projects.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

  • No public application process exists - this is a trustee-discretionary foundation where Fifth Third Bank identifies and awards grants based on the trust's mission
  • Geographic focus is paramount - only Cincinnati-area organizations are eligible for consideration
  • Major institutional support - the Luther family philanthropic legacy suggests preference for established, well-known organizations making significant community impact
  • Arts and children's services emphasized - these sectors appear to be primary areas of interest, particularly major cultural institutions and children's hospitals
  • Relationship with trustee matters - since Fifth Third Bank manages the grantmaking, organizations with existing relationships with the bank's Foundation Office may have advantages
  • Capital and programmatic support - historical grants from related Luther foundations suggest support for both capital projects and ongoing program operations
  • Focus on quality over quantity - with 39 grants totaling $2.4 million annually, the foundation makes selective, substantive grants rather than many small awards

References

All sources accessed December 25, 2025

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