Ohio · Public charity
Greater Columbus Arts Council
Mission: to champion and elevate the arts and cultural expression of greater columbus.vision: power of art realized. People engaged. City energized.
- $18M
- Granted FY2025(still arriving)
- 132
- Itemized grants FY2025
- 103
- Organizations funded FY2024
- 24%
- First-time grantees FY2024
- Itemized, FY2025
- $16M
- The rest is grants the schedule does not break out
- Median grant, FY2025
- $23,550
- Largest grant, FY2025
- $1,315,000
- Organizations funded a year
- 58 to 103
- FY2018 to FY2024
- States reached, FY2025
- 2
- Total assets, FY2025
- $15M
How open it is to new grantees
In FY2024, 24% of the organizations Greater Columbus Arts Council funded were first-time grantees, receiving 1% of its grant dollars.
New vs renewed · share of each year
In FY2024, 99% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $305k went to new ones.
RenewedFirst-time
Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant
Arts & CultureCommunity ImprovementYouth DevelopmentEducationHuman ServicesHealthOther
How this is measured
First-time means a grantee’s first year in the filing window; renewed means funded in an earlier year too. The renewed share climbs naturally as a portfolio matures, so the signal is a year that bucks it (a wave of new grantees). The earliest year is left-censored: relationships that predate the data read as new. Theme is the grantee’s IRS cause.
The numbers by year
| Fiscal year | Organizations funded | To those organizations | First-time grantees |
|---|---|---|---|
| FY2025still arriving | 113 | $16M | 13% |
| FY2024 | 103 | $22M | 24% |
| FY2023 | 93 | $15M | 20% |
| FY2022 | 80 | $10M | 9% |
| FY2021 | 74 | $8.1M | 9% |
| FY2020 | 63 | $7.3M | 19% |
| FY2019 | 67 | $5.9M | 18% |
| FY2018 | 58 | $4.0M | 7% |
100% classified
What it funded, over time
Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2017 to 2025.
Arts & Culture$92MYouth Development$297kHealth$53kCommunity Improvement$29kAnimals$27kEnvironment$15kFood & Nutrition$15kEducation$13k
Top grantees
Largest recipients by total granted, FY2017 to FY2025, and the share of each one’s budget the grants supplied at peak.
| Grantee | Total granted | Years | Share of their budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of the Conservatory | $7,583,504 | 9 | 58% |
| Franklin County Historical Society Dba Cosi Columbus | $6,599,833 | 9 | 6% |
| Columbus Association for the Performing Arts | $6,526,140 | 9 | 6% |
| Columbus Museum of Art | $6,309,900 | 9 | 9% |
| Columbus Symphony Orchestra | $5,292,018 | 9 | 6% |
| Ballet Metropolitan Inc | $5,248,545 | 9 | 12% |
| Wexner Center Foundation | $4,270,577 | 9 | 46% |
| Shadoart Productions Inc | $4,149,130 | 9 | 32% |
| Ohio History Connection | $3,457,397 | 8 | 2% |
| Gateway Film Foundation | $3,106,787 | 8 | 49% |
Show all 169 grantees
| Grantee | Total granted | Years | Share of their budget |
|---|---|---|---|
| Friends of the Conservatory | $7,583,504 | 9 | 58% |
| Franklin County Historical Society Dba Cosi Columbus | $6,599,833 | 9 | 6% |
| Columbus Association for the Performing Arts | $6,526,140 | 9 | 6% |
| Columbus Museum of Art | $6,309,900 | 9 | 9% |
| Columbus Symphony Orchestra | $5,292,018 | 9 | 6% |
| Ballet Metropolitan Inc | $5,248,545 | 9 | 12% |
| Wexner Center Foundation | $4,270,577 | 9 | 46% |
| Shadoart Productions Inc | $4,149,130 | 9 | 32% |
| Ohio History Connection | $3,457,397 | 8 | 2% |
| Gateway Film Foundation | $3,106,787 | 8 | 49% |
| Community Arts Project Inc | $3,001,491 | 9 | 52% |
| Pro Musica Chamber Orchestra of Columbus Inc | $2,949,504 | 9 | 21% |
| Jazz Arts Group | $2,635,728 | 9 | 24% |
| The Opera Association of Central Ohio | $2,176,729 | 9 | 31% |
| National Veterans Memorial and Museum Operating Corporation | $1,904,500 | 6 | 12% |
| The Contemporary Theatre of Ohio | $1,850,754 | 9 | 42% |
| Columbus Children's Theatre | $1,829,388 | 9 | 25% |
| Ohio Designer Craftsmen | $1,792,467 | 9 | 55% |
| Short North Stage Inc | $1,770,629 | 5 | 38% |
| Ohio Alliance for Arts Education | $1,380,000 | 5 | 78% |
| Lincoln Theatre Association | $1,293,274 | 7 | 29% |
| Glass Axis Inc | $1,215,310 | 9 | 60% |
| Columbus Music Commission | $1,200,000 | 6 | 47% |
| The Thurber House | $926,518 | 9 | 22% |
| Columbus & Central Ohio Children's Chorus Foundation | $780,258 | 9 | 78% |
| Columbus Gay Men's Choir | $701,775 | 9 | 54% |
| Maroon Arts Group | $688,484 | 8 | 32% |
| Columbus Dance Theatre Inc | $619,350 | 7 | 49% |
| Madlab | $505,020 | 9 | 36% |
| Short North Stage | $467,962 | 4 | n/a |
| Columbus Landmarks Foundation | $459,920 | 8 | 24% |
| Actors Theatre of Columbus | $419,152 | 9 | 23% |
| Friends of Early Music | $395,900 | 9 | 93% |
| Wild Goose Creative Inc | $374,477 | 9 | 49% |
| Opera Project Columbus Inc | $359,496 | 9 | 36% |
| Ohiodance Inc | $266,424 | 9 | 27% |
| Cartoon Crossroads Columbus | $235,950 | 9 | 37% |
| Chamber Music Columbus | $219,231 | 8 | 29% |
| Ohioana Library Association | $216,705 | 9 | 5% |
| Asian Festival Corp | $212,850 | 9 | 17% |
| Roy G Biv Emerging Artists Inc | $209,653 | 9 | 42% |
| Vaud-Villities Productions | $202,763 | 9 | 53% |
| Thiossane Institute | $190,062 | 6 | 55% |
| Harmony Project Productions Inc | $179,700 | 7 | 2% |
| Capriccio Vocal Ensemble | $179,372 | 7 | 45% |
| Kingdom Image Arts | $175,140 | 4 | 8% |
| All People Arts | $171,720 | 5 | 38% |
| Available Light Theatre | $167,336 | 7 | 44% |
| Global Gallery Inc | $151,563 | 6 | 18% |
| The Jewish Community Center of Greater Columbus | $150,625 | 7 | 0% |
| Franklin County Stadium Inc | $150,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Crew Sc Team Company LLC | $150,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Evolution Theatre Inc | $148,039 | 8 | 23% |
| Summer Jam West Inc | $144,984 | 9 | 26% |
| Columbus College of Art & Design | $139,710 | 8 | 0% |
| A Tribe for Jazz | $130,250 | 3 | 46% |
| 934 Inc | $128,132 | 4 | 34% |
| Two Scoops National Performance Art Company Inc | $115,900 | 4 | n/a |
| The Fuse Factory | $114,370 | 8 | 50% |
| Laborers for Christ Committee | $113,375 | 9 | n/a |
| Urban Strings Columbus | $113,000 | 5 | 56% |
| Six String Concerts Inc | $109,890 | 9 | 29% |
| Columbus Cultural Youth Orchestra | $108,170 | 3 | n/a |
| Columbus Fashion Initiative | $103,550 | 3 | 2% |
| Zora's House Inc | $103,000 | 2 | 2% |
| New Herring Productions | $102,836 | 7 | 48% |
| Short North Alliance | $101,870 | 6 | 1% |
| State of the Arts Productions | $100,905 | 5 | 93% |
| Columbus Civic Theater Inc | $98,796 | 6 | 71% |
| Hixon Dance | $97,790 | 7 | 16% |
| The Dick and Jane Project | $96,100 | 6 | 6% |
| Use Your Ears Inc | $95,000 | 2 | 66% |
| Oyo Dance Company | $94,118 | 8 | 68% |
| Columbus Printed Arts Center | $85,013 | 3 | n/a |
| Education Foundation for Freedom | $84,185 | 6 | 21% |
| Art Possible Ohio | $79,832 | 7 | 7% |
| Xclaim | $76,236 | 5 | 32% |
| Kbk Foundation | $73,540 | 3 | 5% |
| Livingston Ave Business Association | $71,700 | 3 | n/a |
| Franklinton Arts District | $69,230 | 4 | 5% |
| Vivo Music Fest | $57,500 | 3 | n/a |
| Converging Arts Columbus | $57,018 | 5 | n/a |
| Southeast Inc | $52,545 | 5 | 0% |
| Spotlight Columbus Inc | $52,335 | 6 | n/a |
| Camille Catherine Inc | $50,378 | 4 | 12% |
| Worthington Chamber Orchestra | $48,500 | 2 | 15% |
| Pizzuti Collection | $46,250 | 2 | n/a |
| Columbus Songwriters Association | $44,930 | 4 | n/a |
| Columbus African Festival | $44,400 | 3 | n/a |
| Sunday at Central a Recital Series | $42,990 | 5 | n/a |
| National Audubon Society Inc | $42,100 | 4 | 0% |
| Imagine Productions of Columbus Inc | $40,787 | 4 | 16% |
| Vivo Music Festival | $40,100 | 2 | 22% |
| Imagine Productions of Columbus Inc | $39,010 | 2 | n/a |
| Latino Arts for Humanity Inc | $38,050 | 2 | 21% |
| Evolve Productions Inc | $37,647 | 3 | n/a |
| Columbus Pride Bands | $37,056 | 1 | 53% |
| Whirlwind Dance Corp | $37,045 | 2 | 42% |
| Healing Broken Circles Inc | $37,000 | 4 | 5% |
| Central Ohio Bengali Cultural Associatio | $36,625 | 3 | 16% |
| Urban Cultural Arts Foundation | $33,600 | 3 | 62% |
| Clintonville Community Choir | $31,964 | 3 | n/a |
| Olde Towne East Jazz Festival | $31,040 | 2 | n/a |
| First Night Columbus Inc | $31,000 | 3 | 9% |
| University District Organization Inc | $30,260 | 2 | 2% |
| Olde Towne East Arts | $29,000 | 2 | 45% |
| Side Hustle Syndicate Inc | $27,544 | 1 | n/a |
| Now Foundation | $25,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Somali Cultural Festival | $24,930 | 2 | n/a |
| New Albany Symphony Orchestra Inc | $24,000 | 1 | 4% |
| Cross Media Collective | $23,750 | 1 | n/a |
| Columbus Folk Music Society Incorporated | $23,625 | 2 | n/a |
| Federation of Asian Indian Association of Central Ohio | $23,500 | 2 | 6% |
| Ember Womens Theatre Inc | $23,300 | 2 | n/a |
| Saint Mary Catholic Church | $22,100 | 2 | n/a |
| Aethereal Jest Arts Council | $21,740 | 2 | 34% |
| Central Ohio Hot Jazz Society | $21,590 | 2 | n/a |
| Streetlight Guild | $21,000 | 1 | n/a |
| 12 Stones Productions LLC | $20,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Gymfea LLC | $20,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Kingdom Films LLC | $20,000 | 1 | n/a |
| The Ohio Art League | $19,922 | 2 | 31% |
| Fractured Atlas Inc | $19,480 | 2 | 0% |
| Columbus Dance Alliance | $19,394 | 2 | n/a |
| Community Shares of Mid Ohio | $19,125 | 2 | 1% |
| Eclipse Theatre Company | $17,600 | 2 | n/a |
| Stage Right Theatrics Inc | $17,600 | 2 | n/a |
| Somali American Community Hub | $17,413 | 2 | n/a |
| Magpipe Consort Inc | $16,920 | 2 | n/a |
| Gotham Dance Inc | $16,250 | 1 | 16% |
| Inpulse Dance Co Corp | $15,530 | 1 | n/a |
| Elevate Northland | $15,260 | 2 | 1% |
| Mid-Ohio Foodbank | $15,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus Inc | $15,000 | 1 | 0% |
| New Vision Dance Company | $14,160 | 1 | 21% |
| Movement Afoot | $13,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Economic and Community Development Institute | $13,500 | 1 | 0% |
| Divercity614 Inc | $12,880 | 1 | n/a |
| Independents' Day Inc | $12,750 | 1 | 5% |
| Jefferson Academy of Music | $12,625 | 2 | n/a |
| Columbus Downtown Development Corporation | $12,500 | 1 | 0% |
| Ohio State University Foundation | $12,194 | 1 | 0% |
| Ohio Ghana Festival | $11,990 | 1 | n/a |
| Peggy R McConnell Arts Center of Worthington | $11,930 | 1 | 1% |
| Columbus Laughs | $11,620 | 1 | n/a |
| Columbus Rings | $11,580 | 2 | n/a |
| Kate Schulte Foundation | $11,550 | 1 | n/a |
| Citymusic Inc | $11,533 | 2 | n/a |
| Kaleidoscope Performing Arts Inc | $11,520 | 1 | n/a |
| World Martial Artists Federation Global Asian Cultural | $11,375 | 1 | n/a |
| Theatre Reset Inc | $11,360 | 1 | n/a |
| Short North Foundation Inc | $11,110 | 2 | n/a |
| Ohio Ecological Food and Farm Assoc | $11,055 | 1 | 1% |
| Columbus Black International Film Festival | $10,875 | 2 | n/a |
| Rock of Faith Community Development Corporation | $10,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Franklinton High School | $10,000 | 1 | 0% |
| Joybinge Inc | $9,900 | 1 | n/a |
| Community Refugee & Immigration Services Inc | $9,900 | 1 | 0% |
| Milo Arts District | $9,800 | 1 | n/a |
| Tipping Point Theatre Company | $9,500 | 1 | n/a |
| Somali American Museum | $8,800 | 1 | n/a |
| Artway Inc | $8,010 | 1 | n/a |
| Greenlawn Abbey Preservation Association | $7,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Ohio Performance Academy | $6,868 | 1 | 2% |
| 614us | $6,390 | 1 | n/a |
| Community Partners Youth Development Organization | $6,000 | 1 | n/a |
| Phoenix Rising Printmaking Cooperative Inc | $5,200 | 1 | n/a |
| Trinity Theatre Company | $5,200 | 1 | 50% |
| Momentum-Excellence Inc | $5,000 | 1 | 1% |
Plus 1 recipient with no EIN on record ($6k), not named here.
Where it is load-bearing
Greater Columbus Arts Council supplied at least a quarter of the budget for 50 of its grantees at some point. The chart plots its 109 largest grantees; load-bearing ones sit top left.
Tap a dot to name the grantee.
How this is measured
Share of budget is the funder’s grant in a year over the grantee’s total revenue that year, at its highest across the years we hold; revenue is from all sources. Only grantees confirmed against their own filings, whose grants do not exceed their revenue, are plotted: the largest 109.
Co-funders
Grantmakers whose grantees overlap with this funder’s far more than size alone predicts. Closer means stronger alignment; arcs show where they also fund each other. Here they form a tightly interlocked group: most of these funders back each other's grantees too.
Columbus FoundationOH95.6× affinity95 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →
Open a dossier: Columbus Foundation · L Brands Foundation · Cardinal Health Foundation · Ingram-White Castle Foundation · American Electric Power Foundation · Harry C Moores Foundation · United Way of Central Ohio Inc · Puffin Foundation West Ltd · Encova Foundation of Ohio · Hinson Family Trust Foundation · The Reinberger Foundation · Columbus Jewish Foundation
How this is measured
Affinity is a Gamma-Poisson posterior co-funding rate, re-centered on the typical rate, so thin evidence shrinks toward no signal. Overlap is association, not proof of shared intent.
About Greater Columbus Arts Council
- How much does Greater Columbus Arts Council give?
- Greater Columbus Arts Council reported 132 itemized grants totaling $15,892,987, out of $18,470,607 in total grant expense reported on the return in its FY2025 IRS filing. It funded between 58 and 103 organizations a year over FY2018 to FY2024.
- What does Greater Columbus Arts Council fund?
- By grant dollars over FY2017 to FY2025, its largest causes are Arts & Culture (100%), Youth Development (0%), Health (0%).
- Who are Greater Columbus Arts Council's largest grantees?
- By total granted over FY2017 to FY2025: Friends of the Conservatory ($7.6M), Franklin County Historical Society Dba Cosi Columbus ($6.6M), Columbus Association for the Performing Arts ($6.5M).
- Does Greater Columbus Arts Council fund new organizations?
- In FY2024, 24% of the organizations it funded were first-time grantees.
- Which funders back the same organizations as Greater Columbus Arts Council?
- Its strongest co-funders, measured against what their size predicts, include Columbus Foundation, L Brands Foundation, Cardinal Health Foundation.
- Where is Greater Columbus Arts Council based?
- Greater Columbus Arts Council is based in OH.
Play a game based on Greater Columbus Arts Council’s filings →
More from the funding graph
The unnamed billions
grants reported with no recipient in the public record
The regranting layer
51% of grant dollars land in the regranting layer
The DAF merry-go-round
$9.7B circulates between donor-advised funds
The endowment market
who holds foundation money, and what just moved
The camps
funders cluster by geography, not ideology
By state
where grant money is based, and what stays home