John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- If your organisation is a 501(c)(3) working in Northwest Ohio on housing stability, food security or youth education, your work fits the Growth & Resilience programme, which the Foundation states is focused on Northwest Ohio.
- A small rural public library in the United States fits the Rural Public Library Fund, which has a stated maximum of $5,000.
- Half of its grants to organisations were $5,500 or less, and about 8 in 10 fall between $2,500 and $30,000, so a request in that range is typical, though its largest grant was $230,000.
- Growth & Resilience applications are submitted online through the Foundation's grantmaking platform, and the Foundation favours trust-based relationships and in-person engagement, so a conversation before you apply is sensible.
- Repeat funding is significant, since 63% of its grant dollars to organisations went to groups it had funded in an earlier filing, but being new to the Foundation does not rule you out; check each programme's timing before you plan.
Overview
John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation is a US private foundation based in Toledo, OH.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2025, TY2024, TY2023) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Foundation invests in initiatives to strengthen families and the communities in which they live, work and play. In Northwest Ohio it funds 501(c)(3) organisations dedicated to housing stability, food security and youth education, supporting access to affordable housing, fresh and nutritious food, and quality learning and career-readiness opportunities for young people. It also supports small, rural public libraries across the United States, investing in children’s collections and programming. Its approach is strategic and trust-based: it seeks solutions to root causes, fosters partnerships and shared accountability, and promotes long-term strategies that cultivate well-being, stability and generational opportunity. It describes itself as a community ally and flexible funder, prioritising multi-year, unrestricted support that builds organisational resilience and innovation.
Themes
- Housing stability
- Food security
- Youth education
- Rural public libraries
Geographic Focus
Northwest Ohio. Priority: United States.
How to apply
For Growth & Resilience, applications are submitted online through the Foundation’s grantmaking platform.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2025 filing, 63% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2023 or TY2024 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2023, TY2024 and TY2025 filings, half of its 429 grants to organisations were $5,500 or less.
What the foundation says:
- The Foundation assesses project feasibility and organisational capacity, potential impact and reach, community engagement and collaboration, and alignment with its priorities.
- For past grantees, previous performance on a Foundation-sponsored project is considered.
- The Foundation favours trust-based relationships, in-person engagement, transparency and shared learning with partners.
- It champions solutions addressing root causes and partnerships that build shared power and accountability.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2023–2025.
Grant dollars by state
6 other states: 4%
Outside the US or with no state on the filing: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 5% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2025, 63% of grant dollars went to organisations John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
- 7% of grant dollars went to intermediaries that regrant to other organisations.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 147 grants in tax year 2025 by size
Median $12,900 (tax year 2025)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Historic South Initiative · To support the charitable mission of the organization$230,0002025 tax year
- Local Initiatives Support Corporation · To support the charitable mission of the organization$225,0002025 tax year
- Maumee Valley Habitat for Humanity · To support the charitable mission of the organization$176,0002025 tax year
- Day 52 · To support the charitable mission of the organization$130,0002025 tax year
- Fair Housing Opportunities of Northwest Ohio · To support the charitable mission of the organization$130,0002025 tax year
- Boys & Girls Clubs of Toledo County Administrative Center · To support the charitable mission of the organization$107,5002025 tax year
- Lucas County Land Revitalization Corporation · To support the charitable mission of the organization$105,0002025 tax year
- Rural Lisc · To support the charitable mission of the organization$100,0002025 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Michael Deetsch — Executive Director
- Michael Olah — Director
- John Eldred III JR — Director
- Sue Bascuk — Vice President
- Erica Messinger — Director
- Margaret Eldred — Director
- Mary Jacobs — Secretary
- Lee Wunschel — Treasurer
- Kate Blake — President
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 tax year | $1,474,437 | $1,270,700 | $25,517,586 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $2,626,867 | $2,113,600 | $48,758,276 | Filing for 2024 tax year |
| 2025 tax year | $4,417,735 | $3,614,778 | $59,985,520 | Filing for 2025 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.
Sources
Registers and filings
Other sources
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At a glance
Applying to John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@jhefoundation.org
- Toledo, OH
- jhefoundation.org
Applying to John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- info@jhefoundation.org
- Toledo, OH
- jhefoundation.org