The Cleveland Foundation
The Cleveland Foundation, founded in 1914, is the world's first community foundation and a 501(c)(3) public charity managing over $195 million in annual grantmaking to nonprofits across Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga counties in Northeast Ohio, serving individual donors, professional advisors, and community organizations.
- Company typePrivate
- Founded1914
- HeadquartersCleveland, United States
- Headcount51–100
- GTM typeB2B and B2C
- OfferingServices
What The Cleveland Foundation does
The Cleveland Foundation is a 501(c)(3) public charity established in 1914 in Cleveland, Ohio, recognized as the world's first community foundation and among the largest today. It operates a community philanthropy model that channels donor contributions and endowment investment returns into grantmaking, organizational endowment management, and professional advisory services across Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga counties in Northeast Ohio. In 2025, the foundation granted over $195 million to more than 120 nonprofit organizations per quarter, supporting initiatives spanning food insecurity, maternal and child health, education, housing, workforce development, and the arts.
The foundation's core offerings include donor advised funds, affinity funds (Black Philanthropy Fund, LGBTQ+ Opportunity Fund with $3 million endowment, Latino Impacto Fund with $3 million endowment, Lake Geauga Fund), organizational endowment services for nonprofits, scholarship administration through College Now Greater Cleveland, and the Impact Cleveland Investment Pool — a $37 million vehicle allowing donors to invest in 20+ Cleveland-based companies while directing returns to local nonprofits. Leadership development programs include the 12-month paid Public Service Fellowship ($48,000 salary, 117 fellows since 2016), an 11-week paid Summer Internship Program ($18/hour, 388 interns since 1999), and Encore Cleveland for retirees.
Revenue derives from donor contributions, endowment investment returns, and philanthropic co-investment partnerships such as the Rockefeller Foundation's Big Bets for America convening (June 2026), which produced over $350 million in commitments at the Cleveland event including a $13 million Cleveland Foundation commitment to the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Endowment Fund. The foundation distributes resources through a grants gateway, donor portal, owned physical infrastructure (the Warren E. Anderson MidTown Collaboration Center housing nonprofits, businesses, and a NEOMED healthcare innovation hub), and direct engagement with professional advisors. The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, administered since 1935, provide national brand visibility through the nation's only endowed juried literary prize addressing race and cultural diversity.
The Cleveland Foundation firmographics
Firmographics- Name
- The Cleveland Foundation
- Legal name
- The Cleveland Foundation
- Website
- https://clevelandfoundation.org
- Company type
- Private
- Founded year
- 1914
- Operating status
- Operating
- Headcount range
- 51–100 employees
- Short description
- The Cleveland Foundation, founded in 1914, is the world's first community foundation and a 501(c)(3) public charity managing over $195 million in annual grantmaking to nonprofits across Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga counties in Northeast Ohio, serving individual donors, professional advisors, and community organizations.
- Ownership category
- akta.pro rank
The Cleveland Foundation industry classification
Industry- Product category
- Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services
- NAICS
- Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)
- SIC
- Services-Membership Organizations (8600)
- akta.pro primary industry
- Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)
- akta.pro secondary industries
- Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders (BPAGAKAO), Family Offices & Philanthropic Advisors (Grantmaking) (BPAGAKAD)
Keywords
Where The Cleveland Foundation is headquartered
LocationHeadquarters
- HQ city
- Cleveland
- HQ country
- United States
- HQ region
- North America
Offices2 records
Markets served
The Cleveland Foundation business model
Business model- GTM type
- B2B and B2C
- Offering type
- Services
- Cost components
- Personnel, Operations, Others, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Infrastructure
Revenue model
- Donor Contributions and Endowments: The foundation receives charitable contributions and manages endowed funds for donors who wish to support community causes. Donors establish funds that provide ongoing support for charitable purposes.
- Investment Returns: The foundation invests its endowment portfolio and uses investment returns to fund grantmaking and operations. They offer vehicles like the Impact Cleveland Investment Pool allowing donors to invest in Cleveland companies.
- Philanthropic Partnerships: The foundation co-invests with other philanthropies and public sector partners on major initiatives, such as the $13 million Site Readiness for Good Jobs Endowment Fund commitment.
Go-to-market motion2 records
Distribution channels4 records
Marketing channels6 records
The Cleveland Foundation product offering
Product offeringCore offering
The Cleveland Foundation is a community foundation that administers charitable funds for individual donors and deploys competitive grants and community leadership programs to nonprofits serving Northeast Ohio. Its core activities include donor-advised fund management, scholarship administration, place-based equity funds (Black Philanthropy, LGBTQ+ Opportunity, Latino Impacto, Lake Geauga), workforce and economic development initiatives, and fellowships that develop civic leadership in the Cleveland region.
Product overview
The Cleveland Foundation is the world's first community foundation, offering a portfolio of philanthropy and giving programs centered around grantmaking, leadership development, and affinity funds. Its core programs include the Public Service Fellowship (12-month paid placement), Summer Internship Program (11-week paid internships), and Encore Cleveland (retiree volunteer program), alongside 60+ scholarship opportunities. The foundation administers specialized affinity funds including the Black Philanthropy Fund, LGBTQ+ Opportunity Fund ($3M endowment), and Latino Impacto Fund ($3M endowment). Its economic development initiatives include the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund ($13M commitment) and the Impact Cleveland Investment Pool ($37M+). The foundation also owns and operates the MidTown Collaboration Center, a mixed-use community hub. The Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards, the nation's only endowed juried literary prize on race and diversity, is administered by the foundation. Organizational Funds provide nonprofit partners with endowment and administrative support services.
Differentiator
Problem solved
Functional benefit
Brands
- Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards: The nation's only endowed juried prize dedicated to literature that contributes to our understanding of race and appreciation of cultural diversity, established in 1935 by Edith Anisfield Wolf and administered by the Cleveland Foundation.
- African American Philanthropy Committee (AAPC)
- Black Philanthropy Fund
- LGBTQ+ Opportunity Fund
- Latino Impacto Fund
- Public Service Fellowship
- Summer Internship Program
- Encore Cleveland
Products and services
- Donor-Advised Funds Personalized charitable giving vehicles that allow individual donors and families to contribute assets, receive an immediate tax benefit, and recommend grants to nonprofits over time. For individual donors, families, and their professional advisors across the United States, with a regional focus on Northeast Ohio.
- Competitive Grants Program Structured, application-based grantmaking program that awards funding to 501(c)(3) nonprofits serving Northeast Ohio across multiple priority areas including education, health, economic development, arts, and neighborhoods.
- Scholarships Scholarship funds administered by the foundation for students pursuing higher education, established by donor contributions and awarded based on defined criteria.
- Public Service Fellowship Fellowship program placing emerging leaders in public service roles within Cleveland-area institutions to develop civic leadership capacity.
- Summer Internship Program Paid summer internship program providing college students with experiential learning opportunities at Cleveland-area nonprofits and civic organizations.
- Encore Cleveland Program engaging adults in the encore stage of their careers to apply professional expertise as volunteers with Cleveland-area nonprofits.
- Anisfield-Wolf Book Awards Annual literary prize administered by The Cleveland Foundation recognizing books that address racism and diversity; among the oldest U.S. literary awards.
- Black Philanthropy Fund Place-based fund pooling contributions from donors to support Black-led and Black-serving nonprofits in Greater Cleveland.
- LGBTQ+ Opportunity Fund Place-based fund supporting LGBTQ+ organizations and initiatives across Northeast Ohio through pooled donor contributions.
- Latino Impacto Fund Place-based fund channeling donor contributions to support Latino-led and Latino-serving nonprofits in Greater Cleveland.
- Lake Geauga Fund Regional fund focused on supporting nonprofits and community initiatives in Lake and Geauga counties in Northeast Ohio.
- Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund Economic development fund supporting site preparation and infrastructure investments to enable quality job creation in Greater Cleveland.
- MidTown Collaboration Center Physical co-working and collaboration hub operated by the foundation in MidTown Cleveland, providing grantees and community partners with workspace and capacity-building resources.
- Impact Cleveland Investment Pool Pooled impact investing vehicle enabling nonprofits and donors to deploy capital for measurable social and environmental returns alongside financial returns.
- Organizational Funds Endowment-building service for nonprofit organizations that allows nonprofits to establish long-term invested funds under the foundation's stewardship to support their institutional sustainability.
Quantifiable outcome
- Over $195 million in grants awarded in 2025
- +5 more outcomes
Companies that use The Cleveland Foundation
Customer profileNamed customers3 records
Segments7 records
Ideal customer profiles3 records
The Cleveland Foundation technology and API
TechnologyTechnology focussed No
API detail
- Has API
- No
- API docs
- API detail
Core technology
AI maturity
App detail
The Cleveland Foundation partnerships and signals
Strategic signalPartnerships
Ten partnerships are on record, tiered flagship, core and minor.
- Rockefeller FoundationflagshipPartnership for Big Bets for America convenings. Rockefeller Foundation has committed over $450 million across three convenings, with over $350 million at the Cleveland event including a $13 million commitment to the Site Readiness for Good Jobs Endowment Fund from The Cleveland Foundation.
- JobsOhiocoreJobsOhio Experiential Learning Initiative - a $300 million workforce development program announced at the Cleveland Big Bets for America convening.
- NEOMED (Northeast Ohio Medical University)coreNEOMED is opening a healthcare innovation hub at the MidTown Collaboration Center with $1.58 million allocated for renovation. Partnership includes AI in healthcare work with University Hospitals.
- University HospitalsminorPartnership with NEOMED for AI in healthcare and maternal and child health programs at the MidTown Collaboration Center.
- Kent State UniversityminorPartnership for Greater Cleveland LGBTQ+ Community Needs Assessment including insights from over 2,000 community members.
- Cleveland VOTESminorPartnership to provide free RTA transportation on Election Day to ensure equitable voter access. Ridership increased 19% on November 5.
- Greater Cleveland RTAminorPartnership with Cleveland VOTES and foundation funding to cover bus, rail, and paratransit fares on Election Day.
- College Now Greater ClevelandminorPartnership for administration of 60+ Cleveland Foundation scholarships for higher education and vocational training.
- Divine Nine (HBCU Fraternities and Sororities)flagshipHistoric partnerships with all nine local chapters of the Divine Nine for Black philanthropy initiatives. First U.S. community foundation to establish such partnerships.
- Cleveland GuardiansminorPartnership for 2026 community games at Progressive Field celebrating Greater Cleveland communities.
Scale indicators6 records
Recent moves6 records
Expansion highlights6 records
The Cleveland Foundation competitors and assessment
Company assessmentDirect peers
- The New York Community Trust: Major community foundation serving the NYC metro area with permanent endowment funds, competitive grantmaking cycles, and a wide range of affinity funds. Highly comparable operating model and donor service offerings.
- The Chicago Community Trust: One of the oldest and largest community foundations in the U.S., serving the Chicago region with a comparable mix of donor-advised funds, affinity funds, and place-based grantmaking. Closest functional analog in scale and program breadth.
- The Boston Foundation: Major community foundation serving Greater Boston with permanent funds, donor services, and a focus on racial equity and economic mobility. Strong program overlap including leadership development pipelines.
- The George Gund Foundation: Cleveland-based private foundation with a parallel mission to The Cleveland Foundation and overlapping geographic focus. Co-funds community needs assessments and shares donor ecosystem in Northeast Ohio.
- The Pittsburgh Foundation: Rust Belt community foundation serving the Pittsburgh region with donor-advised funds, competitive grantmaking, and community leadership programs. Closely comparable geography, history, and operating model.
- Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation: Cleveland-based private health foundation with overlapping geographic focus and shared partnership history (LGBTQ+ community needs assessment). Smaller and more specialized but operates in the same donor and grantee ecosystem.
- Greater Kansas City Community Foundation: Mid-size community foundation with a strong regional grantmaking focus and donor-advised fund platform. Comparable to Cleveland in structure and target donor segments.
Regional players
- The Columbus Foundation: Largest community foundation in Ohio, headquartered in Columbus. Operates the same state regulatory environment and competes for Ohio-based donors, with overlapping affinity fund structures.
Broad incumbents
- The California Endowment: Large health-focused private foundation with place-based grantmaking and mission-related investments. Comparable on MRI strategy and health equity programming, though state rather than city-focused.
- Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Largest community foundation in the U.S. by assets, with national and international DAF reach. Competes directly with Cleveland Foundation for high-net-worth donors but operates at a vastly larger scale and broader geographic mandate.
Market position
Strengths5 records
Weaknesses5 records
Competitive moat5 records
Key risks6 records
Key highlights7 records
Customer concentration
The Cleveland Foundation social profiles
Digital presenceThe Cleveland Foundation financial estimates
Financial estimateRevenue estimate
Valuation estimate
The Cleveland Foundation leadership team
Management profileNumber of profiles
Profiles12 records
The Cleveland Foundation funding detail
Funding detailFunding overview
Funding rounds7 records
Investors4 records
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The Cleveland Foundation M&A and investment
M&A and investmentM&A
Investments42 records
M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →
Frequently asked questions about The Cleveland Foundation
What does The Cleveland Foundation do?
The Cleveland Foundation is a community foundation that administers charitable funds for individual donors and deploys competitive grants and community leadership programs to nonprofits serving Northeast Ohio. Its core activities include donor-advised fund management, scholarship administration, place-based equity funds (Black Philanthropy, LGBTQ+ Opportunity, Latino Impacto, Lake Geauga), workforce and economic development initiatives, and fellowships that develop civic leadership in the Cleveland region.
Is The Cleveland Foundation a public or private company?
The Cleveland Foundation is a private company. It is classified as nonprofit foundation owned and is currently operating.
When was The Cleveland Foundation founded?
The Cleveland Foundation was founded in 1914. It employs 51 to 100 people.
Where is The Cleveland Foundation based?
The Cleveland Foundation is headquartered in Cleveland, United States, in the North America region.
How does The Cleveland Foundation make money?
Three revenue lines are on record. Donor Contributions and Endowments are the primary driver. The others are investment Returns and philanthropic Partnerships.
Who are The Cleveland Foundation's main competitors?
Direct peers on record are The New York Community Trust, The Chicago Community Trust, The Boston Foundation, The George Gund Foundation, The Pittsburgh Foundation, Mt. Sinai Health Care Foundation and Greater Kansas City Community Foundation. The Columbus Foundation is listed as a regional player. Broad incumbents are The California Endowment and Silicon Valley Community Foundation.
Does The Cleveland Foundation have an API?
No public API is recorded for The Cleveland Foundation.
What industry is The Cleveland Foundation in?
The Cleveland Foundation's product category is Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services. Its primary akta.pro industry code is BPAGAKAB, Community Foundations, with a secondary code of BPAGAKAO, Capacity Building & Nonprofit Infrastructure Funders. Its NAICS code is 813211 and its SIC code is 8600.