Columbus Foundation
97% goes to programs $1 to raise $100 Strong reserves Declining revenue
Columbus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization based in Columbus, Ohio, registered in 1937, with $411,632,853 in FY2024 revenue. CharityIndex grades it A, and it directs about 97% of spending to programs.
1234 E Broad St, Columbus, OH, 43205 EIN 31-6044264 Since 1937
Revenue (FY2024)
$411.6M
▲ 60.9% vs prior year
Philanthropy median: $168K
Expenses (FY2024)
$272.7M
Net assets
$2.8B
Employees
72
CharityIndex rating
One independent A+ to F grade from four published criteria, each scored separately from IRS filings and combined by weight.
A
A+Program efficiency40% of the rating97% to programs · $1 to raise $100
Measures how much of every dollar spent actually reaches programs, plus what it costs to raise $100 of donations. The worse of the two measures sets the letter (85%+ to programs is an A; under $15 to raise $100 is an A), averaged over the three most recent filings. For Columbus Foundation: 97% to programs · $1 to raise $100 earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
B+Financial health25% of the rating121 mo reserves · +34% margin
Measures whether the organization is built to last: how many months its reserves would cover expenses (3+ months earns an A-range score, but hoarding 5+ years of budget is capped) and whether it runs a surplus or a deficit. For Columbus Foundation: 121 mo reserves · +34% margin earns a B+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
A+Governance25% of the rating6 of 6 checks met
Checks how the organization is run, from its own Form 990: an independent board majority, a board of five or more, conflict-of-interest, whistleblower and document-retention policies, and independently audited financials. The share of disclosed checks that pass sets the letter. For Columbus Foundation: 6 of 6 checks met earns a A+ on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
ATransparency10% of the rating4 of 5 disclosure signals
Counts five disclosure signals: a recent filing, a mission statement, program descriptions, a listed website, and the full expense breakdown. More disclosure, better letter. For Columbus Foundation: 4 of 5 disclosure signals earns a A on this criterion. See the exact thresholds →
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Mission
The columbus foundation is entrusted to improve the quality of life for all its residents.
Contact & location
- Address
- 1234 E Broad St, Columbus, OH, 43205
- City
- Columbus
- State
- Ohio
- Subcategory
- Public Foundations
- Phone
- …
- Website
- …
Financial trends
Revenue grew from $150.8M (FY2013) to $411.6M (FY2024) across 12 reported years.
Financial snapshot
Financial health & position (FY2024)
Liabilities $23.4MNet assets $2.8B
Operating margin
33.7%
Revenue exceeded expenses in the latest fiscal year.
Total assets
$2.8B
Total liabilities
$23.4M
Net assets
$2.8B
Salaries & benefits
$11.0M
4% of expenses
Board members
9
9 independent
Financials by year
| Fiscal year | Revenue | Expenses | Net assets | Total assets | Form |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $411,632,853▲60.9% | $272,733,262▼20.4% | $2,760,346,978▲11.7% | $2,783,783,271▲11.9% | 990 |
| 2023 | $255,754,957▼11.0% | $342,712,374▲14.3% | $2,471,196,222▲5.0% | $2,487,180,715▲5.0% | 990 |
| 2022 | $287,508,310▼50.6% | $299,743,646▲42.5% | $2,353,629,027▼14.6% | $2,369,457,379▼14.4% | 990 |
| 2021 | $582,508,645▲84.3% | $210,278,469▼0.5% | $2,754,636,990▲23.4% | $2,768,665,470▲23.5% | 990 |
| 2020 | $316,145,889▲3.8% | $211,430,740▲39.2% | $2,232,290,411▲12.3% | $2,241,760,925▲12.2% | 990 |
| 2019 | $304,494,598▲19.4% | $151,859,802▼23.6% | $1,988,102,234▲22.8% | $1,997,426,344▲22.6% | 990 |
| 2018 | $255,021,977▼5.1% | $198,704,202▲13.0% | $1,619,429,535▼6.5% | $1,628,783,580▼6.4% | 990 |
| 2017 | $268,723,376▼26.3% | $175,866,285▲1.9% | $1,732,906,806▲14.8% | $1,740,107,304▲14.6% | 990 |
| 2016 | $364,445,236▲90.4% | $172,644,904▲20.8% | $1,509,507,583▲21.4% | $1,518,009,431▲21.2% | 990 |
| 2015 | $191,436,561▲6.8% | $142,952,170▲24.0% | $1,243,321,139▼4.4% | $1,252,595,506▼4.5% | 990 |
| 2014 | $179,224,811▲18.9% | $115,253,627▼13.4% | $1,300,752,720▲9.4% | $1,311,306,701▲9.6% | 990 |
| 2013 | $150,791,436 | $133,077,314▲70.0% | $1,189,081,825▲14.4% | $1,196,917,907▲14.3% | 990 |
| 2012 | — | $78,291,868▼4.2% | $1,039,704,128▲42.8% | $1,047,064,594▲41.9% | 990 |
| 2011 | — | $81,702,382▼11.4% | $728,264,393▲0.6% | $737,994,080▲0.1% | 990 |
| 2010 | — | $92,188,622 | $724,104,770 | $737,251,238 | 990 |
Original Form 990 PDFs (the Form column) are served by ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer, as filed with the IRS. Create a free account to download the CSV report.
Leadership & compensation (FY2024)
Highest-paid: Douglas F Kridler — $905,239 (0.33% of total expenses)
| Name | Title | Hours/week | Compensation |
|---|---|---|---|
| Douglas F Kridler | President & Ceo | 50 | $905,239 |
| Scott G Heitkamp | Vice President & Cfo | 50 | $318,492 |
| Angela G Parsons | Vice President of Dsd | 40 | $267,008 |
| John B Britton | Dir. of Planned Gvg. & Gnl | 40 | $259,159 |
| Dan Sharpe | Vice President Crgm | 40 | $239,341 |
| Tess Tannehill | Senior Advisor and Assoc. | 40 | $220,117 |
| Steven Moore | Chief of Staff | 40 | $204,088 |
| Gregg Oosterbaan | Vice President of Informat | 40 | $194,424 |
| Nikki Scarpitti | Exec. Dir., Walter Foundations | 40 | $189,154 |
| Clark Kellogg | Chairperson/trustee | 1 | — |
| George S Barrett | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jane Grote Abell | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Jeffrey W Edwards | Vice Chairperson/trustee | 1 | — |
| Katie Wolfe Lloyd | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Lisa Ingram | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Marchelle E Moore | Trustee | 1 | — |
| Matthew A Scantland | Trustee | 1 | — |
| William J Hicks II Md | Trustee | 1 | — |
Top vendors & contractors (FY2024)
| Contractor | Services | Paid |
|---|---|---|
| Foundant Technologies Inc | Operating Platform Services | $344,614 |
| Direct Approach Tactical Solutions Inc | Security | $295,864 |
| Ideal Integrations LLC | Consulting Technology | $277,322 |
| The Daimler Group Inc | Construction | $263,673 |
| Gbq Partners LLC | Accounting and Auditing | $216,928 |
Grants received · $147.0M total
397 grants to Columbus Foundation totaling $147.0M, reported by foundations on their Schedule I filings — showing the 15 most recent.
| Grantmaker | Purpose | Year | Amount |
|---|---|---|---|
| Columbus Foundation | Advancing philanthropy | 2024 | $1,451,008 |
| Gs Donor Advised Philanthropy Fund For Wealth Management Inc | Community & human services | 2024 | $1,000,000 |
| Dechomai Foundation Inc | Unrestricted | 2024 | $175,227 |
| Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors Inc | Environment, youth development, community improvement & capacity building | 2024 | $150,000 |
| Nationwide Childrens Hospital | Columbus promise fund, architecture, design equity & representation fund | 2024 | $55,000 |
| The Us Charitable Gift Trust | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2024 | $25,000 |
| Robert F Wolfe & Edgar T Wolfe Foundation | Advaning philanthropy | 2024 | $24,000 |
| National Christian Charitable Foundation | Community development | 2024 | $20,000 |
| Columbus Foundation | Education | 2024 | $19,017 |
| American Online Giving Foundation Inc | General support | 2024 | $10,605 |
| Greater Hartford Gives Foundation | Philanthropy | 2024 | $6,121 |
| The Pittsburgh Foundation | Community resources | 2024 | $6,000 |
| Battelle Memorial Institute | Operating support | 2023 | $12,190,494 |
| Donor Advised Charitable Giving | Public, societal benefit | 2023 | $822,500 |
| Vanguard Charitable Endowment Program | For recipient's exempt purpose | 2023 | $205,500 |
Grants made · $242.7M in FY2024
1,747 grants totaling $242.7M in FY2024 — showing the 15 largest. All grants made by Columbus Foundation →
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Huntington Foundation | Advancing philanthropy | $21,846,166 |
| Ohio State University Foundation | Education | $11,667,513 |
| Nationwide Childrens Hospital Inc | Health | $9,737,094 |
| Columbus Downtown Development Corporation | Neighborhood | $8,420,523 |
| I Know I Can | Education | $4,741,988 |
| Lesley University | Education | $4,305,000 |
| The Journey Foundation | Education | $4,300,000 |
| Columbus Museum of Art | Arts and humanities | $4,234,728 |
| Columbus Symphony Orchestra Inc | Arts and humanities | $4,008,815 |
| Nature Conservancy | Conservation | $3,811,425 |
| United Way of Central Ohio Inc | Social services | $3,084,390 |
| Alcohol Drug and Mental Health Board of Franklin County | Health | $3,000,000 |
| P A S T Foundation | Education | $2,872,100 |
| Columbus State Community College Development Foundation Inc | Education | $2,866,284 |
| Mid-ohio Foodbank | Social services | $2,652,781 |
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Frequently asked questions
- Is Columbus Foundation a legitimate nonprofit?
- Yes. Columbus Foundation is a 501(c)(3) organization registered with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service under EIN 31-6044264, based in Columbus, Ohio. Donations are tax-deductible.
- What is Columbus Foundation's EIN?
- Columbus Foundation's Employer Identification Number (EIN) is 31-6044264.
- How much revenue does Columbus Foundation report?
- Columbus Foundation reported $411,632,853 in total revenue on its fiscal year 2024 IRS Form 990 filing.
- How much of Columbus Foundation's spending goes to programs?
- Columbus Foundation spends about 97% of its total expenses on programs, based on its latest IRS Form 990.
- What financial grade does Columbus Foundation have?
- CharityIndex grades Columbus Foundation A, based on program efficiency and fundraising cost.
- How much does Columbus Foundation's highest-paid employee make?
- The highest reported compensation on Columbus Foundation's latest Form 990 is $905,239, paid to Douglas F Kridler (President & Ceo).
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Data for Columbus Foundation (EIN 31-6044264) comes from the IRS Business Master File and e-filed Form 990 returns, via CharityIndex. Figures reflect what the organization reported to the IRS for each fiscal year.