The Virginia W. Kettering Foundation’s Grant Program

The Virginia W. Kettering Foundation is a private philanthropic entity established in 2003 following the passing of Virginia W. Kettering. Its mission is to continue her legacy of charitable giving by supporting community-focused organizations and initiatives primarily in southwestern Ohio. The foundation concentrates its resources within eight counties in Ohio—Montgomery, Greene, Clark, Miami, Darke, Preble, Butler, and Warren—and also supports select institutions such as Kettering University, the Cincinnati Zoo, and the Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. Funding is directed across multiple sectors, including arts, culture and humanities, education, environment, health and medical, human services, and public and society benefit. The foundation operates two grant cycles per year. The application process is bifurcated into an initial Request Summary stage and, for selected applicants, an invitation-only Full Proposal. The Request Summary is the essential gateway to be considered for funding and must be submitted through the foundation’s online portal by either January 31 or July 31. These summaries are reviewed by the Distribution Committee, which meets in April and October to make funding decisions. Applicants selected to move forward will receive an email invitation to submit a Full Proposal, due by March 15 or September 15, respectively. Grant awards are typically paid in May and November. Eligibility for funding requires applicants to be tax-exempt under IRS Code 501(c)(3), or, under rare and pre-approved circumstances, to have a fiscal sponsor. Units of government and religious organizations are allowed to apply only if the funding is not used for religious purposes. Organizations that have not applied since 2010 or are first-time applicants must create a new account on the Kettering Family Philanthropies (KFP) website, using their Employer Identification Number (EIN) as their username. Communications throughout the grant cycle are sent exclusively through the email linked to the organization’s account. The foundation will not consider proposals for religious purposes, individual schools or school districts, capital construction, foreign operations, local chapters of national organizations, multi-year requests, travel expenses, or event sponsorships. It also prohibits grants or loans to individuals, lobbying efforts, or projects from 509(a)(3) Type III supporting organizations. While fiscal sponsorships are technically permissible, they require prior consultation and approval. The application process is strictly digital—faxed, mailed, or hand-delivered submissions are not accepted. The Request Summary, which is the only way to enter the grant review process, requires applicants to provide a concise overview of their funding needs. If invited to submit a Full Proposal, additional information may be requested, and a site visit may be conducted. Full Proposals are reviewed within 10 days of the committee meeting, and awardees must sign a Grant Recipient Agreement to formalize the funding relationship. Only one application per organization may be submitted in any 12-month period, regardless of outcome. To maintain eligibility for future funding, previously supported organizations must have expended their grant funds fully and submitted all required final reports, which must be accepted by KFP. The foundation strongly encourages all applicants to whitelist its email address to ensure timely receipt of communications. Overall, the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation provides a structured and selective funding mechanism that prioritizes organizational impact within a defined geographic and programmatic scope.

Ensure active email for notifications; only one application allowed per 12 months; no paper submissions.