Philanthropy Ohio

What Philanthropy Ohio does

Philanthropy Ohio is a private nonprofit statewide membership association serving funders in Ohio from its headquarters at 500 S. Front St., Suite 870, Columbus. Founded in the mid-1980s and now in its fifth year past its 40th anniversary, the organization supports nearly 200 foundation, corporate, family, community, and government grantmakers that collectively manage more than $50 billion in assets and distribute over $4 billion in grants annually. Its stated mission is to lead and equip Ohio philanthropy through advocacy, learning, peer convening, public-private partnerships, and equity-centered programming.

The organization's core products are membership services and convenings rather than technology. Members receive access to a searchable Membership Directory, organized Peer Groups, Online Communities and listservs, an 8-month Mentorship Learning Exchange, a curated Resource Center, a Job Board, and policy tables in education, health, and housing. The flagship annual event is the Philanthropy Forward conference (scheduled for October 13-15, 2026, at the Hilton Columbus Downtown), supplemented by nearly 100 other events per year — including workshops, webinars, and policy convenings — and the annual Ohio Philanthropy Awards. The organization also produces Ohio-specific research, most notably the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study, and has intentionally led equity-centered programming for more than 17 years.

Philanthropy Ohio's revenue model is primarily subscription-membership combined with event, workshop, and ancillary fees. Membership dues are on a sliding scale tied to a three-year average of grantmaking, ranging from $1,000 to $13,000 for most funders; government grantmakers, individuals, and Professional Partners (for-profit service providers to philanthropy) pay $1,000 to $1,500. The organization sells conference and workshop registrations at member and nonmember rates, with one-off fees of $50 to $1,200, and operates a paid nonmember job board at $95 per posting. Membership is organization-wide (covering all staff and trustees of member foundations) and renews annually, beginning in January. The organization has no parent company, no subsidiaries, and operates as an independent association governed by a Board of Trustees under President & CEO Meghan Cummings.

Name

Philanthropy Ohio

Legal name

Philanthropy Ohio

Website

https://philanthropyohio.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1985

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Philanthropy Ohio is a statewide nonprofit membership association serving roughly 200 Ohio funders managing over $50 billion in assets through peer networking, advocacy, learning programs, equity-centered programming, and the annual Philanthropy Forward conference.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Philanthropy Membership Association Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Public Charities & Grantmaking Intermediaries (BPAGAKAE)

akta.pro secondary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

Keywords

• Membership association services
• Philanthropy advocacy
• Nonprofit networking
• Policy advocacy education
• Professional development programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Columbus

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Membership Dues: Membership support is calculated on a sliding scale based on total grantmaking averaged over a three-year period. Minimum support is $1,000, with an upper limit of $13,000. Government grantmakers, individuals, and Professional Partners pay fees ranging from $1,000 to $1,500. Memberships begin in January and are renewed annually.
2. Conference and Event Registrations: Revenue generated from the annual Philanthropy Forward conference and other workshops and events. Priority member registration is $750 (early bird) / $850 (regular); nonmembers pay $1,200. One-day rates range from $300-$750 depending on day and membership status.
3. Workshop and Program Fees: Fees for specialized workshops such as the Navigating AI series ($150 for members), Equity-Embedded Capacity Building Workshop ($50 for members / $200 for nonmembers), and Scholarship Managers Summit ($85 for members / $150 for nonmembers).
4. Job Board Postings: Free job postings for members; nonmembers pay $95 per job title per 30-day posting.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

Philanthropy Ohio is a statewide membership association for funders in Ohio, offering annual memberships, peer convenings, learning programs, advocacy representation, equity-centered programming, and the signature annual Philanthropy Forward conference. Its membership base of nearly 200 organizations collectively holds over $50 billion in assets and provides more than $4 billion in grants annually. The organization does not make grants itself; it operates as a service and advocacy body for philanthropic institutions.

Product overview

Philanthropy Ohio is a statewide membership organization serving over 200 foundations and funders. The organization provides a unified membership platform offering peer networking through Peer Groups and Online Communities, professional development via Programs and Meetings and the Mentorship Learning Exchange, and policy advocacy through Education, Health, and Housing Policy Tables. Key offerings include the annual Philanthropy Forward Conference, Ohio Philanthropy Awards, Resource Center with curated knowledge resources, Job Board for sector employment, and the Ohio Transfer of Wealth research initiative. The organization also facilitates diversity, equity, inclusion and belonging programming and maintains a searchable Membership Directory. Professional Partner membership is available for service providers to the philanthropy sector.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Annual Membership Annual organization-wide membership for Ohio funders (community foundations, corporate funders, private/family foundations, government grantmakers, individuals, Professional Partners) providing sliding-scale dues from $1,000 to $13,000 based on three-year average grantmaking. Membership includes access to peer groups, online communities, the Resource Center, Job Board, free legal consulting, and the Annual Salary & Benefits Report.
• Philanthropy Forward Annual Conference Signature three-day annual conference for Ohio philanthropy practitioners and thought leaders, held at the Hilton Columbus Downtown with keynote speakers, breakout sessions, deep-dive learning, and off-site experiences. The 2026 edition runs October 13–15, 2026, covering AI, rural philanthropy, health policy, and community engagement. Registration is tiered with early-bird and member/nonmember pricing.

Quantifiable outcome

• Nearly 200 member organizations collectively hold over $50 billion in assets and provide over $4 billion in grants annually.
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers10 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles5 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

AI capability3 records

Partnerships

Twelve partnerships are on record, tiered core, leadership investor and minor.

• Iowa Council of FoundationscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropy Ohio collaborates with the Iowa Council of Foundations on the Midwest Partnership Series, including the Navigating AI as a Philanthropic Leader Series. The Iowa Council of Foundations hosts the virtual meetings while Philanthropy Ohio supports outreach and programming. Philanthropy Missouri is also a partner in this multi-state collaborative initiative.
• Philanthropy MissouricoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropy Ohio partners with Philanthropy Missouri on the Midwest Partnership Series, including the Navigating AI as a Philanthropic Leader Series. This multi-state collaboration brings together participants from multiple states for shared learning experiences.
• GEO (Grantmakers for Effective Organizations)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPhilanthropy Ohio partners with GEO to present the Equity-Embedded Capacity Building Workshop, a two-part interactive virtual workshop focused on equity-centered capacity building approaches for philanthropy. The workshop is co-branded and offered at a discounted rate for both organizations' members.
• The Columbus Foundationleadership investorOthersLeadership investor and co-commissioner of the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study. Also serves as a conference co-chair for Philanthropy Forward '26.
• The Dayton Foundationleadership investorOthersLeadership investor in the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study, which provides Ohio-specific data to guide philanthropic strategies statewide.
• Erie County Community Foundationleadership investorOthersLeadership investor in the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study.
• Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valleyleadership investorOthersLeadership investor in the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study.
• Richland County Foundationleadership investorOthersLeadership investor in the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study.
• Don Macke and Cathy Kottwitz / Macke Carver & Associates LLCminorOthersResearchers who conducted the 2025 Ohio Transfer of Wealth Study. They are part of the Center for Rural Entrepreneurship and worked with LOCUS Impact Investing's Transfer of Wealth Research Team from 2000 to 2018.
• The Raymond John Wean FoundationminorOthersSponsor of the Equity-Embedded Capacity Building Workshop presented by Philanthropy Ohio and GEO.
• Osteopathic Heritage FoundationsminorOthersGenerously hosted the Scholarship Managers Summit 2026 space at Ohio University Dublin campus.
• Forum NetworkminorOthersPhilanthropy Ohio is a proud member of the Forum Network, a national affiliation of philanthropy-serving organizations that extends the organization's reach and connects it to broader sector initiatives.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Minnesota Council on Foundations: Minnesota's statewide philanthropy membership association serving a comparable mix of community, corporate, family, and private foundations with advocacy, programming, and grantmaker capacity-building offerings.
• Philanthropy Massachusetts: Statewide membership association serving grantmakers in Massachusetts, with parallel mission of advocacy, peer convening, and learning programs for funders. Closely comparable in structure, segment mix, and membership association model.
• Council of Michigan Foundations: Michigan-based statewide membership association for funders, offering peer convening, policy, and learning programs analogous to Philanthropy Ohio. Comparable size and member composition.
• Exponent Philanthropy: National membership association supporting lean foundations and staffed nonprofits. Comparable member-association model with annual conference, peer networks, and learning programs serving a similar funder audience.
• Grantmakers for Effective Organizations (GEO): National philanthropy effectiveness organization and existing co-programming partner with Philanthropy Ohio (e.g., Equity-Embedded Capacity Building Workshop). Directly comparable capacity-building, equity, and learning program offerings.
• Indiana Philanthropy Alliance: Indiana's statewide philanthropy membership association offering member services, advocacy, and learning programs to Indiana funders. Direct regional peer with same operating model.
• Iowa Council of Foundations: Iowa's statewide membership association for foundations and funders, also a Midwest Partnership Series partner with Philanthropy Ohio. Closely comparable scope and member-driven model.
• Philanthropy Missouri: Statewide Missouri philanthropy membership association and existing Midwest Partnership Series collaborator with Philanthropy Ohio. Operates the same model of funder membership, policy advocacy, and programming.

Broad incumbents

• Council on Foundations: Large national membership association for U.S. foundations and corporations serving as a broad incumbent in the same space. Philanthropy Ohio is a Forum Network affiliate, indicating direct member-network overlap.
• Independent Sector: National coalition of nonprofits, foundations, and corporate philanthropy-serving organizations operating broader advocacy, research, and member programs across the charitable sector. Comparable broader incumbent in the policy/advocacy space POhio operates in.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC67jWDowYsgT7pb23NpCWdg
• Facebookfacebook.com/PhilanthropyOhio
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/philanthropyohio
• Xx.com/philanthropyoh

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles9 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Philanthropy Ohio