The Virginia W. Kettering Foundation’s Grant Program

The Virginia W. Kettering Foundation is a private philanthropic organization established in 2003 following the passing of Virginia W. Kettering. Its mission is to carry forward her legacy of support for communities and organizations that held personal significance to her. The Foundation primarily supports charitable activities in eight counties in Ohio—Montgomery, Greene, Clark, Miami, Darke, Preble, Butler, and Warren—and also provides funding to Kettering University, the Cincinnati Zoo, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center. The Foundation’s grantmaking spans a broad range of focus areas, including arts, culture, and humanities; education; the environment; health and medical services; human services; and public and societal benefit. The Foundation has a strong regional focus and does not offer funding opportunities nationwide. The Foundation has contributed over $4 million to charitable organizations in its designated counties over the last three years, with the majority allocated to arts and human services. Organizations seeking funding must first submit a Request Summary via the Foundation’s online portal. For the current cycle, the Request Summary submission window runs from July 1 to July 31, 2025. Only 501(c)(3) organizations are eligible to apply, unless operating under a pre-approved fiscal sponsorship. Certain types of organizations and funding purposes are excluded, including religious activities, public school districts, travel, capital construction, foreign-focused work, and multi-year grants. Requests from individuals and political or legislative activity are strictly prohibited. The application process consists of two phases: a Request Summary and, if selected, an invitation-only Full Proposal. The application is entirely web-based, and mailed or faxed submissions are not accepted. Full Proposals, if invited, are due by September 15, 2025. Funding decisions are made in October, with disbursements scheduled for November. The Foundation has a biannual review schedule, with cycles running from January to May and July to November. First-time applicants or those who have not applied since 2010 must create a new account using their organization's Employer Identification Number. Returning applicants should log into their existing account to update contact information and submit their application materials. Organizations may only apply once per twelve-month period, regardless of whether they are applying for the same or a different project. Previous grantees are eligible to reapply provided their earlier grant is fully expended and all reporting requirements have been fulfilled. All communications from the Foundation are managed via the email address provided in the applicant’s account profile. To ensure timely communication, applicants are advised to add the Foundation’s email address to their safe sender list. For any questions or to initiate a discussion, applicants can contact the Foundation at info@ketteringfamilyphilanthropies.org. The next opportunity to submit applications following this cycle is anticipated for January 2026, with Request Summaries due by January 31.