Austin Memorial Foundation

Quick Stats

• Annual Giving: $547,852 (2024)
• Success Rate: Not publicly available
• Decision Time: Not publicly disclosed
• Grant Range: $250 - $60,000
• Geographic Focus: National (primarily Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, Ohio, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, New York)

Contact Details

Address: 3900 Key Center, 127 Public Square, Cleveland, OH 44114-1291
Phone: 216-566-5865
EIN: 34-6528879
Website: No public website identified

Note: This is a private family foundation that does not appear to have a public-facing website or formal application portal.

Overview

The Austin Memorial Foundation was established in 1961 and incorporated in Ohio in 1962 as a private family foundation. With current assets of approximately $12.8 million, the foundation distributed $547,852 in grants across 57 awards in 2024. The foundation's stated purpose is "to make grants, gifts, payments or contributions" to U.S.-based organizations "organized and operated exclusively for religious, charitable, scientific, literary or educational purposes, or for the prevention of cruelty to children or animals." The foundation operates as a classic family foundation with trustee-directed grantmaking, making grants across multiple states with particular concentration in Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, and Ohio. The foundation gives primarily for education, the environment, health and hospitals, human services, and to United Methodist churches.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

The Austin Memorial Foundation does not offer formally structured grant programs. Instead, grants are awarded at the discretion of the trustees across several focus areas.

Grant Size: $250 - $60,000
Number of Awards: 57 grants in 2024; 71 grants in 2023; 53 grants in 2022

Priority Areas

Based on analysis of their 990-PF filings and grant patterns, the foundation prioritizes:

• Education: Educational institutions and programs
• Environment and Nature: Environmental conservation and nature-related organizations
• Health and Hospitals: Healthcare organizations and medical facilities
• Human Services: Social service organizations addressing community needs
• Animal Welfare: Organizations focused on prevention of cruelty to animals
• Religious Organizations: Particularly United Methodist churches
• Philanthropy and Voluntarism: Grantmaking foundations and volunteer organizations

Recent Example Grantees (from available data):

• Alaska Business Development Center: $51,380
• Compass Family Services: $50,000
• Dysautonomia International: $50,000

Geographic Focus

While headquartered in Cleveland, Ohio, the foundation makes grants throughout the United States with primary concentration in:

• Tennessee
• Virginia
• Massachusetts
• Ohio
• Colorado
• Florida
• Maryland
• New York

What They Don't Fund

Specific exclusions are not publicly documented, though as a 501(c)(3) private foundation, they are limited to supporting organizations that qualify as tax-exempt charitable organizations.

Governance and Leadership

The Austin Memorial Foundation is governed by family trustees who make grantmaking decisions. Known leadership includes:

• Donald G. Austin Jr. - President
• David A. Rodgers - Vice President and Treasurer
• Stewart G. Austin Jr. - Secretary

The foundation has no full-time employees and is operated by its trustees. No compensation is reported for officers or trustees, indicating this is a volunteer-managed family foundation.

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

This funder does not have a public application process.

The Austin Memorial Foundation operates as a private family foundation with trustee-discretion grantmaking. This means:

• Grants are selected and approved by the foundation's trustees
• There is no public grant application portal or formal application process
• The foundation does not accept unsolicited proposals through a standard process
• Grantees appear to be identified through trustees' networks, existing relationships, and trustee research

This type of grantmaking is common among family foundations, where approximately 60% utilize some form of discretionary grantmaking according to industry research. The trustees retain full discretion over the amount, timing, and recipients of grants.

Getting on Their Radar

Given the private nature of this family foundation and the limited public information available about their specific approach to identifying grantees, there are no documented funder-specific strategies for getting on their radar. The foundation does not appear to host public events, publish guidance on unsolicited contact, or maintain a public presence beyond their tax filings.

Organizations working in the foundation's priority areas (education, environment, health, human services, animal welfare, and United Methodist churches) in their geographic focus areas may be identified by trustees, but there is no publicized process for initiating contact.

Decision Timeline

Not publicly disclosed. Trustees make decisions on their own timeline throughout the year.

Success Rates

Not applicable - there is no public application process to generate success rate data.

Reapplication Policy

Not applicable given the invitation-only/trustee-discretion model.

Application Success Factors

Since this foundation operates through trustee discretion rather than a public application process, traditional application success factors do not apply. However, based on their documented grantmaking patterns, organizations most likely to receive funding:

• Align with documented priority areas: Education, environment, health and hospitals, human services, animal welfare, and United Methodist churches
• Operate in priority geographic areas: Particularly Tennessee, Virginia, Massachusetts, Ohio, and surrounding states
• Are established 501(c)(3) organizations: The foundation's charter limits giving to qualified tax-exempt organizations
• Fall within the typical grant range: Awards typically range from $250 to $60,000, with many grants in the $10,000-$50,000 range
• May have connections to the Austin family or trustees: As a family foundation, many grantees may be identified through trustee networks and interests

The foundation made 57-71 grants annually in recent years, indicating active grantmaking across a diverse portfolio of organizations rather than concentration in just a few recipients.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

• No public application process: This is a private family foundation with trustee-discretion grantmaking; there is no standard way to apply
• Active grantmaker: Despite the private nature, the foundation makes 50-70+ grants annually, showing genuine commitment to philanthropy
• Geographic diversity: While based in Cleveland, grants go to organizations across multiple states, with emphasis on Tennessee, Virginia, and Massachusetts
• Moderate grant sizes: Most grants fall between $10,000-$50,000, making this foundation suitable for mid-sized organizational needs
• Multiple priority areas: The foundation supports diverse causes including education, environment, health, human services, and religious organizations
• Family foundation structure: Governed by Austin family members who make decisions without formal staff or public infrastructure
• Consistent grantmaking: Multi-year pattern shows reliable annual giving in the $550,000-$870,000 range

References

• Cause IQ - Austin Memorial Foundation Profile. https://www.causeiq.com/organizations/austin-memorial-foundation,346528879/ (Accessed January 2026)
• Instrumentl - The Austin Memorial Foundation 990 Report. https://www.instrumentl.com/990-report/austin-memorial-foundation (Accessed January 2026)
• ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - Austin Memorial Foundation. https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/346528879 (Accessed January 2026)
• Charity Navigator - Austin Memorial Foundation Profile. https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/346528879 (Accessed January 2026)
• Candid Foundation Directory - The Austin Memorial Foundation. https://fconline.foundationcenter.org/fdo-grantmaker-profile?key=AUST002 (Accessed January 2026)
• GuideStar - Austin Memorial Foundation Profile. https://www.guidestar.org/profile/34-6528879 (Accessed January 2026)
• National Center for Family Philanthropy - Discretionary Grants. https://www.ncfp.org/collection/discretionary-grants/ (Accessed January 2026)