The Howley Foundation
At a glance
Key takeaways
- The Howley Foundation funds K-12 education, school network growth and, to a limited extent, college scholarships for students of low socioeconomic standing, with Cleveland and Philadelphia as its priority areas, so check your work matches both the subject area and one of those places before approaching it.
- Typical grants to organisations run from about $22,500 to $1,400,000, with a median of about $145,000, so pitch a request in that range rather than assuming a much larger or much smaller sum will be usual.
- Applications begin with an inquiry through its Contact Form on a rolling basis, with invited organisations then asked to submit a full application.
- A large majority of its grant dollars go to organisations it has already funded in recent filings, so it looks relationship-led and new applicants should expect it to be competitive.
- It does not fund individuals, and it generally does not fund capital projects, though it may consider contributions to expand proven, high-quality seats for economically disadvantaged students or in other similar situations with established and proven grantees.
Overview
The Howley Foundation is a US private foundation based in Cleveland, OH.
What they fund
Profile derived from the foundation's IRS Form 990-PF filings (TY2024, TY2023, TY2022) and its website, with every statement checked against those sources. Sources read on 7 October 2026.
Priority Areas
The Howley Foundation makes grants to 501(c)(3) organisations to create educational opportunities for students of low socioeconomic standing at elementary, high-school and postsecondary levels. Its programmes are intended to prepare students through academic excellence, nurture personal growth and emphasise character education. It supports schools and school networks offering high-quality places for students from low socioeconomic backgrounds, primarily in Cleveland and Philadelphia. The Foundation also supports some college and university scholarships, but describes this as limited in scope. Outside its main areas it may consider projects with proven and effective national impact or uniquely effective leveraged impact; school-network support outside those areas is occasional.
Themes
- K–12 education
- School network growth
- College scholarships
Geographic Focus
Priority: Cleveland; Philadelphia.
What They Don't Fund
- Individuals
- Capital projects, generally; contributions may be considered to expand proven, high-quality seats for economically disadvantaged students that meet its definition of a quality education, or in other similar situations with established and proven grantees
How to apply
Organisations submit an inquiry through the Contact Form. Once reviewed, an organisation may be invited to submit a full application.
Application success factors
- Repeat giving: In its TY2024 filing, 84% of its grant dollars to organisations went to organisations it had also funded in its TY2022 or TY2023 filing.
- Grant size: Across its TY2022, TY2023 and TY2024 filings, half of its 160 grants to organisations were about $145,000 or less.
What the foundation says:
- It favours programmes that prepare students through academic excellence, nurture personal growth and emphasise character education.
- It values high-quality education combining strong academics and character formation, and programmes with clear, verifiable effectiveness measures.
- Outside its target areas, it favours projects with proven and effective national impact or uniquely effective leveraged impact.
Where grants go
From grants to organisations in the foundation’s filings for tax years 2022–2024.
Grant dollars by state
5 other states: 2%
- The largest single recipient received 13% of grant dollars to organisations.
- In tax year 2024, 84% of grant dollars went to organisations The Howley Foundation had funded in earlier filings.
- No grants were paid directly to organisations outside the US.
Grants
How much do they typically give?
Share of 60 grants in tax year 2024 by size
Median $181k (tax year 2024)
The largest grants to organisations in the foundation’s latest filing:
- Gilmour Academy · Scholarships, capital campaign, coordinator position$2,938,9082024 tax year
- Drexel Fund · Scholarships, operations, capital campaign$2,453,6972024 tax year
- Saint Joseph Preparatory School · Scholarships, capital campaign, counselor position$2,386,4502024 tax year
- Cleveland Clinicaspire · Aspire scholarships, program adminstrative costs$2,153,6172024 tax year
- Merion Mercy Academy · Scholarships, capital campaign, coordinator$1,808,3732024 tax year
- Williamson College · Scholarships & capital campaign$1,720,0002024 tax year
- Cristo Rey Network · Literacy, leaders and math education programs, project waitlist, office admin, scholarships$1,653,8002024 tax year
- American Federation for Children · General$1,500,0002024 tax year
Grants to organisations listed in the foundation’s Form 990-PF filings. Grants to individuals are not shown.
Officers and directors
- Kriste Vedegys-Duhigg — Director Post Secondary Education
- Halle Martin — President & COO
- Patrick J Reindel — Cleveland Executive Director
- Margaret A Howley — Philadelphia Executive Director
- W Nicholas Howley — Co-Trustee
- Lauralee V Howley — Co-Trustee
From the latest Form 990-PF filing
3 years of tax filings
| Year | Total expenses | Grants paid | Assets | Filing document |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 tax year | $17,658,262 | $16,499,816 | $109,493,564 | Filing for 2022 tax year |
| 2023 tax year | $23,348,450 | $21,930,284 | $136,291,261 | Filing for 2023 tax year |
| 2024 tax year | $30,440,570 | $28,515,082 | $169,901,383 | Filing for 2024 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 The Howley Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- contact@howleyfoundation.org
- Cleveland, OH
- howleyfoundation.org
Applying to The Howley Foundation?
Hinchilla drafts your answers around this funder's priorities, using your organisation's own documents.
No credit card required
Contact
- contact@howleyfoundation.org
- Cleveland, OH
- howleyfoundation.org