Louise H And David S Ingalls Foundation Inc

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $2,302,000 (2023)
• Total Assets: $38.8 million (2023)
• Number of Grants: 50 grants annually
• Grant Range: Median $24,000 (ranging from smaller grants to $345,000+)
• Geographic Focus: Primarily Cleveland, OH area
• Founded: 1953

Contact Details

Address: 20600 Chagrin Blvd, Suite 430, Shaker Heights, OH 44122

Phone: 216-921-6000

Contact Person: Gary Dayton

Note: The foundation does not appear to have a public website or email address for general inquiries.

Overview

The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation was founded and incorporated in 1953 in Cleveland by Louise Harkness and David Sinton Ingalls. Louise was the daughter of William L. Harkness and granddaughter of Daniel M. Harkness, who was instrumental in the formation of Standard Oil. David Sinton Ingalls was the U.S. Navy's only flying ace of World War I and a member of a prominent Cleveland family. The foundation's stated purpose is "the improvement of the physical, educational, mental, and moral conditions of humanity throughout the world." With assets of approximately $38.8 million, the foundation distributes around $2.3 million annually across 50 grants, primarily supporting organizations in the Cleveland area known to the trustees. The foundation has a long history of significant support to Cleveland institutions, including a $1 million grant to University Hospitals in the early 1980s and support for the Cleveland Museum of Art's new wing in 1984.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The foundation does not operate formal grant programs with specific names or application cycles. Instead, grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees to organizations they know and support.

Recent Grant Examples (2023):

• Cleveland Zoological Society: $345,000
• Lindner Center of Hope: $250,000
• Cleveland Museum of Natural History: $248,000
• Friends of Breakthrough Schools: $150,000
• Boulder Museum of Contemporary Art: $100,000
• Ruffing Montessori School: $100,000
• Michael Cronheim Taft Conlin Foundation: $86,000
• Eversight (vision and eye banking research): $75,000 (2022)
• Nature Conservancy (amount not specified)

Priority Areas

The foundation supports a broad range of charitable purposes, including:

• Education: Secondary and higher education institutions, educational programs
• Arts and Culture: Museums, music, fine arts organizations, historical preservation
• Health: Hospital building funds, health programs, rehabilitation programs, mental health
• Environment: Conservation and environmental protection
• Social Services: Child development, programs for the disadvantaged
• Science: Archaeology, anthropology, natural history

The foundation has a particular historical connection to eye banking and vision research, stemming from founder David S. Ingalls, Sr.'s championing of eye banking and his role in creating the Central Eye Bank for Sight Restoration.

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, but the foundation's practice of funding "mainly organizations known to the trustees" suggests they do not fund:

• Organizations outside the Cleveland, Ohio region (with rare exceptions)
• Organizations without prior relationships with the trustees
• Individuals

Governance and Leadership

The foundation is governed by trustees who maintain close connections to organizations in the Cleveland area. Historical leadership has included family members:

• Louise Ingalls Brown (daughter of the founders) served as foundation president
• Edith Ingalls Vignos (daughter of the founders, 1923-2005) was a prominent art collector whose curatorship at the Cleveland Museum of Art was endowed by the foundation in 2003
• David Sinton Ingalls Jr. (son of the founders, 1934-1993) served as president of the Cleveland Museum of Natural History

Current Contact: Gary Dayton serves as the primary contact for the foundation.

The foundation operates with a small staff and makes funding decisions through its board of trustees.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This foundation does not have a public application process. The foundation's stated approach is to support "mainly organizations known to the trustees." Grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than an open application system.

Organizations seeking funding from this foundation would need to have an existing relationship with one or more trustees or be introduced through a trusted intermediary.

Decision Timeline

Decision timelines are not publicly disclosed. As grants are awarded through trustee discretion rather than fixed cycles, timing likely varies based on trustee meetings and individual circumstances.

Success Rates

Success rate information is not publicly available, as the foundation does not accept unsolicited applications.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable, as the foundation does not have a formal application process. However, the foundation's history shows it makes repeated grants to favored organizations, suggesting that organizations that receive support may continue to receive it over time.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation does not accept unsolicited applications, the key factor for success is having a relationship with the trustees. Based on the foundation's grant history and approach:

Key Success Indicators:

1. Geographic alignment: Being based in or serving the Cleveland, Ohio area is essential. The vast majority of grants go to Cleveland-area organizations.

2. Alignment with funding priorities: Organizations working in education, arts and culture, healthcare, environmental conservation, or social services have received significant support.

3. Institutional credibility: The foundation's largest grants go to well-established institutions such as the Cleveland Zoological Society, Cleveland Museum of Natural History, and major healthcare and educational institutions.

4. Historical connection: The foundation has shown a particular interest in eye banking and vision research, stemming from founder David S. Ingalls, Sr.'s involvement in creating the Central Eye Bank for Sight Restoration.

5. Quality and impact: As Teresa Clark, Vice President of Philanthropy at Eversight, noted about their renewed support: "Eversight is thrilled to continue our partnership with The Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation." This suggests the foundation values ongoing partnerships with organizations demonstrating impact.

Types of Grants Awarded:

• Capital campaigns: Historical support for building projects at University Hospitals and the Cleveland Museum of Art
• Program support: Ongoing funding for educational programs, research initiatives, and organizational operations
• Endowments: The foundation endowed the Paul J. and Edith Ingalls Vignos Curator of European Painting and Sculpture at the Cleveland Museum of Art in 2003

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This foundation funds organizations known to trustees through existing relationships. Cold applications are not accepted.

• Cleveland focus is essential: Nearly all grants go to organizations in the Cleveland area. Out-of-state grants are rare exceptions.

• Broad charitable interests: The foundation supports a wide range of causes from arts to education to healthcare, giving fundraisers in multiple sectors potential opportunities.

• Relationship-based giving: Building connections with trustees or being introduced through trusted intermediaries is the pathway to funding.

• Repeat grantees: The foundation shows loyalty to organizations it supports, often making multiple grants over time to the same institutions.

• Grant size variation: While the median grant is $24,000, the foundation can make much larger grants ($100,000-$345,000+) for priority projects and organizations.

• Institutional focus: Major grants tend to go to established, well-known Cleveland institutions rather than smaller grassroots organizations.

References

• Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, Case Western Reserve University. "Louise Harkness and David Sinton Ingalls Foundation, Inc." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://case.edu/ech/articles/l/louise-harkness-and-david-sinton-ingalls-foundation-inc

• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer. "Louise H And David S Ingalls Foundation Inc - Form 990 Filings." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/346516550

• Cause IQ. "Louise H and David S Ingalls Foundation | Shaker Heights, OH." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/louise-h-and-david-s-ingalls-foundation,346516550/

• Eversight. "Louise H. and David S. Ingalls Foundation awards Eversight." 2022. Accessed January 21, 2026. https://www.eversightvision.org/louise-h-and-david-s-ingalls-foundation-invests-in-vision-eye-banking-research/

• GrantExec. "THE LOUISE H & DAVID S INGALLS FDN - Ohio, $2M Grants." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://grantexec.com/foundations/346516550

• Foundation Directory, Candid. "Louise H and David S Ingalls Foundation Inc." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?collection=grantmakers&key=INGA001

• Encyclopedia of Cleveland History, Case Western Reserve University. "Ingalls Foundation." Accessed January 21, 2026. https://case.edu/ech/articles/i/ingalls-foundation