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Louis & Melba Schott Foundation at a glance

· Private foundation

Louis & Melba Schott Foundation

Its FY2025 filing reports that it accepted unsolicited grant applications.

$100k
Granted FY2025still arriving
6
Grants FY2025still arriving
2
States reached
$25k
Largest
01What it fundsRead
02The needRead
03Its granteesRead
04Its fieldRead
01What it funds
01100% classified

What it funded, over time

Every grant placed by its stated purpose and the recipient’s mission, by year, FY2020 to 2025.

Arts & Culture$144kHealth$110kYouth Development$90kHuman Services$80kEducation$40kInternational$35kHousing & Shelter$25kFood & Nutrition$10k
02FY2025 · 6 grants

Where the money goes

Grants by size, and the largest recipients.

$20,000
Median grant
2
States reached
$1.7M
Total assets
Largest grants
RecipientAmount
UPSPRING$25,000
CINCINNATI YOUTH COLLABORATIVE$25,000
CINCINNATI URBAN PROMISE$20,000
THE SCHOTT FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC EDU$10,000
GUIDING LIGHT FOUNDATION$10,000
A CHILDS HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC$10,000
02The need
03

Does the money reach high-need areas?

Each grant placed by the hardship in its grantee’s ZIP, against the area’s typical level.

show:

Its human-services grants (FY20–25, $85k) land where the poverty rate runs at 14%, against an area that typically sits at 11%. 100% of those dollars go to grantees based in above-average-need neighborhoods. Most of its grants land in higher-need ZIPs.

area typical 11%FOCUS ON YOUTH INC: $30k → 12%TALBERT HOUSE: $5k → 16%STEPPING STONES: $8k → 16%BEECH ACRES PARENTING CENTER: $8k → 16%A CHILDS HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC: $25k → 16%A CHILDS HOPE INTERNATIONAL INC: $10k → 16%0%20%40%50%more need →
grant to an above-average-need area below average· circle size = grant amount
How this is measured
Matched: human-services grants are those whose grantee’s IRS cause code is Human Services. Placed by people below the poverty line in the grantee’s ZIP, averaged from the tracts in that ZIP.
How this is measured
US grants placed by each grantee’s ZIP, which can differ from where services are delivered. Need from public data (U.S. Census/ACS, CDC PLACES, Eviction Lab, USDA), shown as context about the area, never attributed to the funder’s giving.
03Its grantees
repeat funding

Who it funds again

Organizations funded in more than one year, against those funded once.

46%of every dollar goes to organizations it has funded before.
$245k · 4 repeat orgs$288k to everyone else

4 repeat relationships: 2 still active in FY2025, 2 since wound down; 4 grantees were first funded in FY2025 (too recent to call).

How the two cohorts compare

Re-uppedFunded once

Organizations

4
18

Total granted

$245k
$223k

Median revenue growth · since first grant

+2%
+8%

Still filing today

75%
67%

New vs renewed · share of each year

In FY2025, 35% of grant dollars renewed an existing relationship; $65k went to new ones.

50%100%’20’21’22’23’24’25
RenewedFirst-time

Where new relationships form · theme of each grantee’s first grant

’20’21’22’23’24’25
Human ServicesArts & CultureCommunity ImprovementYouth DevelopmentFood & NutritionHealthOther
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.

Backed again, and grew

  • CC
    Clifton Cultural Arts Center
    4× · 2020–2023 · $133k · revenue +7%
  • CY
    Cincinnati Youth Collaborative
    2× · 2024–2025 · $50k · revenue +2%
  • AC
    A Child's Hope International
    2× · 2024–2025 · $35k · revenue 0%

Funded once

  • TH
    THE HEALTHCARE CONNECTION INCgraduated
    one grant, 2023 · $50k · revenue +37%
  • FO
    FOCUS ON YOUTH INC
    one grant, 2023 · $30k · revenue +8%
  • BC
    Breakthrough Cincinnati Incgraduated
    one grant, 2024 · $25k · revenue +26%
How this is measured

Repeat means funded in two or more distinct years. Growth and survival are read from each grantee’s own subsequent IRS filings.

04Its field

Closest unfunded matches

The nonprofits that most resemble its grantees but are not funded by it, scored along the direction from the rest of the field toward the portfolio. A resemblance in what they say they do, not a recommendation.

1
Hope Ignites Cincinnati

Hope Ignites Cincinnati nurtures and guides motivated young people in need to become well-educated, career-ready men and women for others through its holistic, long-term residential and academy programming. The organization provides direct…

—
2
Cincinnati Arts and Technology Center

Unlocking the self-worth and potential of at-risk teens through the transformative power of art, a first-class environment and a character-building culture. Equipping at-risk teens with skills, credentials and pathways to employment.…

—
3
Hope for Cleveland's Children
—
4
Every Child Succeeds

Every Child Succeeds is based on a strong scientific foundation demonstrating that a nurturing and stimulating environment in the first 1,000 days of life promotes optimal brain growth, cognitive development, psycho-social adjustment,…

Human Services
5
Wordplay Cincy

WordPlay Cincy sparks storytelling through creative expression and arts in healing with Cincinnatis young people to cultivate belonging, celebrate our strengths, and empower the community in its pursuit of social justice.

Education
6
Cincinnati Center for Autism

We support individuals with autism and their families through programming in the areas of academics, adaptive behavior, communication, and social participation.

Education
7
ProKids

Advocates on behalf of abused and neglected Children. Mobilizing our community to break the vicious cycle of child abuse and neglect and provide outstanding advocacy for abused and neglected children who are in the juvenile court system.

Civil Rights
8
Fotofocus Cincinnati
Arts & Culture
9
The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati

The mission of The Children's Theatre of Cincinnati (TCT) is to educate, entertain and engage audiences of all ages through professional theatrical productions and arts education programming. Our vision is to awaken a lifelong love of…

Arts & Culture
10
Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services

To ensure people with mental illness, addiction, and related challenges lead healthy and productive lives.

Health
11
Young Mens Christian Association of Greater Cincinnati

The mission of the YMCA of Greater Cincinnati is to put Christian principles into practice through programs that build healthy spirit, mind and body for all. Counting members and program participants, the Y reaches more than 114,000 people…

Philanthropy
12
Cincinnati Aquatic Club

To offer children and young adults a top quality program that develops, trains and competes as competitive swimmers year-round in a supportive and motivating enviroment that respects, challenges and nurtures them as athletes, students, and…

Recreation & Sports
How this is measured
The grantee most central to the portfolio’s shape is Focus On Youth Inc; the most unlike its peers is A Child's Hope International. Resemblance is measured on each organization’s own IRS 990 mission text; it reflects how work is described, not its quality or impact.
04the grantee network

18 grantees tracked through their own filings, 2017–2025.

Each grant beside the grantee’s revenue from every source, year by year.

How this is measured

Counted here: distinct organizations funded across 2017 to 2025, not grant rows in a single year, so this will not match the grant count on the cover. 18 of the 26 grantees resolved in that span have returns of their own we could reconcile.

Each grantee is resolved to its own IRS returns. Association, dated; never a causal claim.

0
Load-bearing (≥25% of a budget)
0
Early backer (in before they grew)
17/18
Grantees still filing
10/18
Grew since first funded

Where the money sits, by cause and then by grantee

Clifton Cultural Arts Center: $132,500 · Arts & CultureClifton Cultural Arts CenterCincinnati Playhouse in the Park: $6,000 · Arts & CultureTHE HEALTHCARE CONNECTION INC: $50,000 · OtherTHE HEALTHCARE CONNECTION INCDOWN SYNDROME ASOC OF GREATER CINCY: $27,500 · OtherDOWN SYNDROME ASOC OF GREATER CIN…THE SCHOTT FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC EDU: $10,000 · OtherTHE SCHOTT FOUNDATION FOR PUBLIC …GUIDING LIGHT FOUNDATION: $10,000 · OtherGUIDING LIGHT FOUNDATIONRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIES: $10,000 · OtherRONALD MCDONALD HOUSE CHARITIESGREATER CINCINNATI BEHAVIORAL HEALTH: $7,000 · OtherFREESTORE FOODBANK INC: $10,000 · OtherFREESTORE FOODBANK INCCancer Family Care Inc: $10,000 · OtherCancer Family Care Inc+5 more: $25,000 · Other+5 moreA Child's Hope International: $35,000 · Human ServicesA Child's Hope Int…FOCUS ON YOUTH INC: $30,000 · Human ServicesFOCUS ON YOUTH INCSTEPPING STONES INC: $7,500 · Human ServicesSTEPPING STONES IN…BEECH ACRES: $7,500 · Human ServicesBEECH ACRESTALBERT HOUSE: $5,000 · Human ServicesTALBERT HOUSECincinnati Youth Collaborative: $50,000 · EducationCincinnati…Breakthrough Cincinnati Inc: $25,000 · Community ImprovementBreakthro…CINCINNATI URBAN PROMISE INC: $20,000 · Community ImprovementCINCINNAT…UPSPRING: $25,000 · Youth DevelopmentENVISION CHILDREN: $5,000 · Youth DevelopmentCINCINNATI GOLDEN GLOVES FOR YOUTH: $25,000 · Recreation & Sports
Arts & Culture$138,500Other$159,500Human Services$85,000Education$50,000Community Improvement$45,000Youth Development$30,000Recreation & Sports$25,000

Each grantee by its size and the funder’s share of it; top left is load-bearing

25%50%75%100%$1.0M$10Mgrantee revenue →↑ funder's share of their budgetClifton Cultural Arts Center: $132,500 over 4y, 2.4% of budgetCincinnati Youth Collaborative: $50,000 over 2y, 0.6% of budgetTHE HEALTHCARE CONNECTION INC: $50,000 over 1y, 0.4% of budgetA Child's Hope International: $35,000 over 2y, 0.7% of budgetFOCUS ON YOUTH INC: $30,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetBreakthrough Cincinnati Inc: $25,000 over 1y, 2.5% of budgetUPSPRING: $25,000 over 1y, 2.3% of budgetCINCINNATI GOLDEN GLOVES FOR YOUTH: $25,000 over 1y, 3.5% of budgetCINCINNATI URBAN PROMISE INC: $20,000 over 1y, 1.5% of budgetFREESTORE FOODBANK INC: $10,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetCancer Family Care Inc: $10,000 over 1y, 0.9% of budgetSTEPPING STONES INC: $7,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetBEECH ACRES: $7,500 over 1y, 0.1% of budgetCincinnati Playhouse in the Park: $6,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetJOSH CARES INC: $5,000 over 1y, 8.2% of budgetTALBERT HOUSE: $5,000 over 1y, 0.0% of budgetENVISION CHILDREN: $5,000 over 1y, 0.7% of budgetElementz: $5,000 over 1y, 0.8% of budget
Grantee by grantee: a decade per organization, before and after funding

A decade per grantee: revenue shaded, grants as bars, all rows on one timeline.

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.

Sutphin Family Founda…Andrew Jergens Founda…The Greater Cincinnat…Jack J Smith Jr Chari…Pfau Charitable Found…Millstone FundJosephine S Russell C…United Way of Greater…Charles H Dater Found…John a Schroth Family…Marge & Charles J Sch…The Thomas J Emery Me…
Sutphin Family Foundation IcaPA34.7× affinity14 shared granteesties to 11 of 11Hover any node to trace its alignments.Compare side by side →

Open a dossier: Sutphin Family Foundation Ica · Andrew Jergens Foundation · The Greater Cincinnati Foundation · Jack J Smith Jr Charitable Trust · Pfau Charitable Foundation · Millstone Fund · Josephine S Russell Charitable · United Way of Greater Cincinnati · Charles H Dater Foundation Inc · John a Schroth Family Char Tr · Marge & Charles J Schott Foundation · The Thomas J Emery Memorial

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.

How much its grantees rely on government

Each dot is one organization Louis & Melba Schott Foundation funds: left to right is the share of its income from government, bottom to top the share from Louis & Melba Schott Foundation. Bigger dots raise more.

2024
’20’21’22’23’24’25
no gov · 00%1%3%6%10%funder's share of their income ↑0%15%30%45%60%share of the org’s income from government →
    no gov moneyreceives it· size = income
    0get no government money at all
    7report government grants on their 990 we could not trace to a source (not plotted)
    0rely on government for over half their income
    ⤢ axis zoomed · 0–60%
    typical government reliance, FY20–25
    How this is measured
    Government income is each org’s traced federal awards (USASpending grants and contracts) plus state payments (open checkbooks) as a share of its total revenue (IRS Form 990); the self-reported government-grant line (990 line 1e) is carried for cross-check: a grantee that reports government grants we could not trace to a source is left off the chart rather than shown as receiving none. An association, not a claim that a grant caused the public funding. Coverage is precision-first, a floor rather than a census; state records exist for 9 states, so a grantee outside them shows no state figure (dimmed) rather than a false zero. Federal award amounts are obligations, which can span years, so a single-year share is indicative. 990 filings lag 12 to 24 months.

    On method. Every financial figure here is read from IRS e-file XML, the funder’s own 990/990-PF, and from the multi-year returns of the 26 grantees we resolved, each linked to its source. Grantee outcomes are each organization’s own program-service reporting (Form 990, Part III), read as association with funding, never as caused by it. Low-confidence name matches are suppressed rather than guessed. How we build these →

    How this is measured
    Each figure carries one of six labels. Filed is what the funder reported on its return. Official is another government record about an organization, such as a federal award or a charity register, joined by name where no shared identifier exists. Resolved is an identity we worked out where the filing named a recipient without an EIN, kept only above a measured confidence threshold. Computed is arithmetic over those, like themes, portfolio clusters and co-funder strength. Context is a statistic about a place rather than about an organization, which is what the need overlay is: it describes the area a grantee’s address sits in, not where its work lands. Inferred is drawn by a model from text, like the partnerships read out of public news and organization websites. Each is labeled where it appears.

    Generated from the IRS Form 990-PF e-file return for fiscal year 2025, released 2025. Filings run roughly 12 to 24 months behind; figures are dated accordingly.

    Source object · view filing

    Play a game based on Louis & Melba Schott’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