Middletown Community Foundation Inc

What Middletown Community Foundation Inc does

Middletown Community Foundation Inc (MCF) is a private 501(c)(3) community foundation founded in December 1976 and headquartered at 300 North Main Street, Suite 300, Middletown, Ohio. It connects donors in the greater Middletown area — covering Franklin, Madison Township, Middletown, Monroe, and Trenton — with charitable causes through three primary product lines: competitive community grants (three annual cycles covering Arts & Recreation, Education & Economic Development, and Human Need), a portfolio of scholarship programs (high school seniors, renewable scholarships, college upperclassmen, non-traditional adults, and named scholarships such as Louie F. Cox, Miami Middletown Rising, Marshall High School, and Cohen Cares), and donor-advised charitable fund establishment (minimum gift $10,000). The foundation also runs a Youth Philanthropy Council through which approximately 30 local high school students collectively award about $50,000 per year to youth-serving programs, and provides fiscal sponsorship for community projects incubating toward independent 501(c)(3) status.

MCF operates its scholarship and grant workflows through third-party online portals — the Grant Lifecycle Manager (GLM) portal for nonprofit grant applications and the Scholarship Lifecycle Manager (SLM) portal for scholarship applications, renewals, and follow-up reporting — supported by QR-code access and a monthly email newsletter (E-Connections). It is stewarding over $50 million in charitable assets as of 2026, its 50th anniversary year, and is governed by a volunteer Board of Trustees chaired by Elizabeth Yauch, with three-person operational staff led by Executive Director Travis A. Robinson (joined January 2026), Program Officer Sarah Watson, and Development Coordinator Patty Dane.

The foundation's revenue model is donation-based: it accepts charitable contributions in the form of cash, appreciated securities, property, and bequests from individuals, families, and organizations, supplemented by an annual membership program with tiers ranging from $50 (Bronze) to $1,000+ (Diamond), planned-giving recognition via the Legacy Society, and investment returns on its endowed assets. It does not charge fees for its services. Distribution occurs via direct-to-school scholarship payments, in-person grant check pickup at the Middletown office, and the recent flagship $5 million commitment to a $15 million Downtown Revitalization partnership with the City of Middletown and Butler County, in which MCF serves as fund holder and steward.

Name

Middletown Community Foundation Inc

Legal name

Middletown Community Foundation Inc

Website

https://mcfoundation.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1976

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Middletown Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation in Middletown, Ohio that awards scholarships to local students and grants to regional nonprofits, stewarding over $50 million in charitable assets across Franklin, Madison Township, Middletown, Monroe, and Trenton since 1976.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation Services

NAICS

Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321), Grantmaking Foundations (813211)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industry

Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation grants
• Scholarship administration services
• Donor advised funds
• Charitable endowment management
• Nonprofit grantmaking services

Headquarters

HQ city

Middletown

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

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

Revenue model

1. Donor Contributions: The foundation receives charitable donations from individuals, families, and organizations. Donors can contribute cash, appreciated securities, property, bequests, and other assets. Donors may establish funds in their name or in the name of a loved one.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels6 records

Core offering

Middletown Community Foundation is a 501(c)(3) community foundation that stewards over $50 million in charitable assets to connect donors with community causes across the greater Middletown, Ohio area. Its core offerings are community grants (three annual competitive cycles covering arts & recreation, education & economic development, and human need) and a portfolio of scholarship programs for high school seniors, college upperclassmen, and non-traditional adult learners, along with donor services including charitable fund establishment, fiscal sponsorship, annual membership, and planned giving through the Legacy Society.

Product overview

Middletown Community Foundation is a nonprofit community foundation offering a unified portfolio of philanthropic products centered on scholarships and grants. Its core offerings include: High School Senior Scholarships (with renewable options), College Upperclassmen and Non-Traditional Adult Scholarships, and specialized named scholarships (Louie F. Cox, Miami Middletown Rising, Marshall High School, Cohen Cares). On the grants side, it provides Community Grants across three annual cycles, a $15 million Downtown Revitalization Grant initiative, Butler County Grant Link collaborative funding, and Youth For Youth Grants administered by the Youth Philanthropy Council. Additional services include Fiscal Sponsorship for incubating nonprofits, the Legacy Society for planned giving, Annual Membership Program, and the MCF Awards Program. The Foundation manages over $50 million in charitable assets and serves Franklin, Madison Township, Middletown, Monroe, and Trenton, Ohio.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Youth Philanthropy Council: A program run by high school students who review grant applications and award funds for youth-serving programs in the greater Middletown area.
• Grant Link

Products and services

• High School Senior Scholarships Competitive scholarship program for high school seniors in the greater Middletown service area; applications submitted online through the SLM Portal between December 1 and February 1 each year, with awards paid directly to the recipient's college.
• Renewable Scholarships Multi-year renewable scholarships awarded to high school seniors that require annual follow-up through the SLM Portal to maintain continued funding through college.
• College Upperclassmen Scholarships Scholarships for college students 24 years or younger entering their sophomore, junior, or senior year, with applications accepted June 1 to July 1 and awards paid directly to schools in mid-August.
• Non-Traditional Adult Scholarships One-time, non-renewable scholarships for adults 25 years and older pursuing education or career training, with year-round application and a 2-4 week processing window.
• Adult Learner Financial Assistance Financial assistance program for adult learners in the MCF service area pursuing courses or training to improve employment opportunities; applications accepted year-round with 2-4 week processing.
• Louie F. Cox Scholarship Named scholarship honoring civil rights leader Louie Cox, available to African American students graduating from high schools in Butler or Warren Counties, Ohio.
• Miami Middletown Rising Scholarship Scholarship partnership with the City of Middletown and Miami University Regionals supporting retention and graduation of students at the Middletown Campus (4200 N. University Blvd., Middletown, OH 45042).
• Marshall High School Scholarship (Alison Shuemake) Scholarship for Marshall High School seniors and graduates pursuing an academic or technical degree or certification.
• Cohen Cares Scholarship Scholarship for current Cohen employees or their dependents participating in the Cohen Cares employee giving program, offering $2,500 for college and $500 for technical school.
• Community Grants Program Competitive community grant program for 501(c)(3) nonprofits in MCF's service area with three annual funding cycles: Cycle 1 (Feb 1-Mar 1) covers Arts & Recreation, Event Sponsorships, and Youth for Youth; Cycle 2 (May 1-Jun 1) covers Education and Economic Development; Cycle 3 (Aug 1-Sept 1) covers Human Need. Applications submitted through the online GLM portal; checks distributed 8-10 weeks after deadline.
• Downtown Revitalization Grant $15 million collaborative downtown revitalization initiative between the City of Middletown, Butler County, and MCF (contributing $5 million and serving as fund holder/steward), including the development of Middletown Community Foundation Park as a signature public space.
• Butler County Grant Link Collaborative initiative with Butler County United Way, City of Hamilton, and Hamilton Community Foundation designed to expand access to external funding, enhance grant writing support, and foster cross-sector collaboration for Butler County's nonprofit community.
• Youth Philanthropy Council and Youth For Youth Grants Program in which high school students from Bishop Fenwick, Edgewood, Franklin, Madison, Marshall, Middletown, Middletown Christian, Monroe, and Butler Tech review grant applications and collectively award approximately $50,000 annually to youth-serving programs. Participants are selected in sophomore year and serve through senior year, gaining hands-on philanthropic and leadership experience.
• Fiscal Sponsorship Administrative home provided to community-benefit projects that need to incubate while seeking their independent 501(c)(3) status, intended as a temporary arrangement lasting until the project gains its own nonprofit status.
• Charitable Fund Establishment Service enabling donors to establish endowed charitable funds with a minimum gift of $10,000, supporting specific charities, fields of interest, scholarship programs, or general grantmaking in the donor's name or in honor of a loved one.
• Annual Membership Program Annual giving membership program with tiered recognition levels: Bronze ($50-$99), Silver ($100-$249), Gold ($250-$499), Platinum ($500-$999), and Diamond ($1,000+), billed annually.
• Legacy Society Recognition program for individuals who have included Middletown Community Foundation as a charitable beneficiary of a future gift through wills, bequests, or other estate plans.

Named customers4 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

Six partnerships are on record, tiered flagship and core.

• City of MiddletownflagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 10 February 2026MCF Board approved participation in a $15 million Downtown Revitalization partnership. MCF contributed $5 million and serves as fund holder/steward. Includes development of Middletown Community Foundation Park as signature public space.
• Butler County United WaycoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in the Butler County Grant Link initiative designed to strengthen Butler County's nonprofit community by expanding access to external funding, enhancing grant writing support, and fostering cross-sector collaboration.
• City of HamiltoncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Butler County Grant Link initiative to expand funding access and support for local nonprofits.
• Hamilton Community FoundationcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner in Butler County Grant Link initiative pooling resources to support Butler County nonprofit community.
• Butler CountyflagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerCollaborative partner in $15 million Downtown Revitalization Fund for sparking downtown revitalization and strengthening the city's urban core.
• Miami University RegionalscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartner with City of Middletown and MCF on Miami Middletown Rising Scholarship to support retention and graduation of students at the Middletown Campus (4200 N. University Blvd., Middletown, OH 45042).

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights3 records

Direct peers

• The Cleveland Foundation: First U.S. community foundation (1914), serving the Cleveland area with scholarships, grants, and donor-advised funds. Operates the same core community foundation model as MCF and serves as a scale benchmark.
• Hamilton Community Foundation: Direct peer community foundation in Butler County, Ohio. MCF and Hamilton Community Foundation are co-partners in the Butler County Grant Link initiative, making them functionally comparable in scale, service area, and product offering (scholarships, grants, donor-advised funds).
• The Dayton Foundation: Major Ohio community foundation managing over $1B in assets, providing scholarships, competitive grants, and donor-advised funds. Directly comparable in operating model to MCF, though at significantly larger scale, making it a relevant benchmark for MCF's growth trajectory.
• The Columbus Foundation: One of the largest community foundations in the U.S., serving central Ohio. Offers scholarships, grants, and donor-advised funds similar to MCF. Comparable in operating model and product mix, though serving a much larger urban market.
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation: Regional community foundation serving the broader Cincinnati metro area, including parts of Butler County where MCF operates. Offers similar products (scholarships, competitive grants, donor-advised funds) and overlaps with MCF's geographic footprint.
• Lancaster-Fairfield Community Foundation: Ohio community foundation serving Fairfield County with scholarships and grants. Comparable in scale, service area type (single county), and product offerings to MCF.
• Springfield Foundation: Ohio community foundation serving Clark County with scholarships and grants. Comparable in scale and operating model to MCF, making it a useful peer for benchmarking smaller Ohio community foundations.

Broad incumbents

• Fidelity Charitable: Largest U.S. donor-advised fund (DAF) sponsor, holding tens of billions in assets. Represents a significant competitive alternative to community foundations for donors considering DAFs, although it is not a direct local competitor.
• Schwab Charitable: Major national donor-advised fund sponsor. Competes with community foundations like MCF for donor-advised fund dollars, particularly from affluent donors seeking digital-first giving experiences.

Regional players

• Butler County United Way: Direct partner in the Butler County Grant Link initiative. While MCF was originally a component of United Way, the two organizations now operate as separate entities in the same service area, both raising funds and distributing them to nonprofits in Butler County.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/middletown-community-foundation

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about Middletown Community Foundation Inc