Woodruff Foundation
The Woodruff Foundation is a private foundation based in Cleveland, Ohio. It welcomes grant requests from tax-exempt nonprofit organizations with a presence in Cuyahoga County that serve county residents and address behavioral health.
Woodruff Foundation at a glance
In short: Woodruff Foundation gave $471K across 22 grants in 2024 (avg $21K), mostly in Ohio. 50% of 2024 grantees were new. Source: 2024 IRS Form 990-PF.
- Annual giving (2024)
- $470,785
- -29.4% vs 2023
- Grants made (2024)
- 22
- -24.1% vs 2023
- Average grant
- $21,399
- -7.0% vs 2023
- Median grant
- $22,893
- Total assets
- $12,754,518
- +4.9% vs 2023
- New grantees (estimate)
- 50% first-time grantees (11 of 22, 2024; small sample)
- Primary geography
- Ohio (100% of itemized 2024 grant dollars)
- Latest 990 filing
- Form 990-PF, 2024 View filing
Data from IRS Form 990-PF, 2024; updated October 2026. New grantees are estimated by matching recipient names across years (methodology).
How to apply to Woodruff Foundation
- Accepts unsolicited proposals
- Yes
- How to Apply
-
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Submit an application online through the foundation’s process.
- Review Cycle
- The website lists three cycles: applications available November 15, due December 15, with a February meeting; available April 1, due May 1, with a June meeting; and available August 1, due September 1, with an October meeting. The 2024 filing lists no deadlines.
- Deadline
- The website lists three cycles: applications available November 15, due December 15, with a February meeting;…
- Contact
Application contact: Care Of Cristin Slesh
Mailing address: 1422 Euclid Avenue Suite 966, Cleveland, OH 44115
Phone: (216) 566-1853
Website: https://woodruffgreatercle.org
Application details from Grantable's research on the foundation's public materials; confirm on its website before applying.
Open Grants
1 open opportunity from Woodruff Foundation
Who Woodruff Foundation funds
How this funder distributes its grants
Top Recipients
Top 10 recipients in 2024
The largest 2024 recipient was The Educational Service Center of ($50K). Together the top 10 received $290K.
Grant Size Distribution
121 grants across all recorded years
The most common grant size was under $50K: 115 grants of 121 (95%).
Geographic Focus
Where this funder awards grants
The foundation is based in Cleveland, Ohio. Its website generally seeks applications from organizations with a presence in Cuyahoga County serving county residents. In 2024, all grant dollars were reported as going to recipients in Ohio.
Grant Distribution by State
Share of 2024 grant dollars across all 22 itemized grants.
States
Cities
Is Woodruff Foundation open to new grantees?
50%
first-time grantees, 2024
In 2024, 11 of 22 grantees (50%) were first-time recipients. With only 22 grantees, that is a small sample: one grantee more or less moves the share by about 5 points. First grants averaged $21K; repeat grants $21K. How we count
Medians: $15K first-time, $25K repeat.
- 32% of 2024 grantees were also funded in 2023. Method
- Giving fell 25% from 2021 to 2024. Method
- In 2024 it paid out 101% of its IRS minimum distribution (the 5% rule). Method
Estimate from itemized grant lists in IRS Form 990-PF filings (2020–2024). Recipient names are matched across years, so a renamed or misspelled grantee can look new; grants to individuals are left out. Methodology.
Giving History
Giving Over Time
Total grant dollars and number of grants per year
From 2020 to 2024, annual grant giving ranged from $372K (2022) to $667K (2023). In 2024 it made 22 grants totaling $471K.
Grants by year
Grant recipients and amounts by year
| Recipient | Purpose | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| The Educational Service Center of Independence, OH | Develop Iecmh Workforce | $50,000 |
| The Centers for Family and Children Cleveland, OH | Renovate CLE. Christian Home | $35,000 |
| Positive Education Program Cleveland, OH | Prof. Dev. for Day Treatment Center | $30,000 |
| Cleveland Foundation Cleveland, OH | Expand Health Serv for CMSD Students | $25,000 |
| Pregnant with Possibilities Maple Heights, OH | Launch a Behavioral Health Practice | $25,000 |
| Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry Cleveland, OH | Provide Guardianship to Adults | $25,000 |
| The Metrohealth Foundation Cleveland, OH | Staff Training | $25,000 |
| Thrive for Change Cleveland, OH | Harm Reduction Services & Awareness | $25,000 |
| Stella Maris Cleveland, OH | Detoxification Services | $25,000 |
| NAMI Greater Cleveland Cleveland, OH | Program Support | $25,000 |
Ready to take the next step with Woodruff Foundation?
Financial History
Multi-year comparison from IRS filings
| Filing year | Total Assets | Revenue | Expenses | Grants paid | Grants | Qualifying Distributions | Net Investment Income | Distributable Amount |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | $12,754,518 | $870,903 | $697,315 | $470,785 | 22 | $615,566 | $822,968 | $612,112 |
| 2023 | $12,156,735 | $1,231,002 | $833,676 | $666,960 | 29 | $784,577 | $1,181,753 | $579,780 |
| 2022 | $11,416,685 | $364,540 | $597,596 | $372,000 | 16 | $496,781 | $260,592 | $597,589 |
| 2021 | $14,329,254 | $1,012,705 | $861,710 | $630,314 | 27 | $748,757 | $896,237 | $671,426 |
| 2020 | $13,207,344 | $337,459 | $734,653 | $526,000 | 27 | — | $243,386 | $581,291 |
Under IRS private-foundation payout rules, Woodruff Foundation reported a distributable amount of $612K for 2024 — the minimum it must pay out in qualifying distributions.
Research compiled by Grantable AI from public sources. Last updated September 2026.
Mission & Focus Areas
The foundation’s website describes behavioral health as encompassing mental health and substance use, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support. Its focus areas include treatment; education and prevention; coordination of resources in the community; research; and advocacy. It says advocacy grants cannot fund lobbying, and that advocacy proposals from organizations without a Cuyahoga County presence may be considered if they demonstrate an impact on county residents.
Examples of supported organizations illustrate the range of work represented among grantees. Positive Education Program describes its mission as “supporting young people to overcome and thrive.” Stella Maris says it provides a continuum of addiction and mental health services. Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy describes its work as unifying local voices to raise awareness and advance policies affecting people impacted by mental illness and addiction.
Grantmaking
In 2024, the foundation reported 22 grants totaling $470,785. Awards ranged from $10,000 to $50,000, with a median grant of $22,892. The largest listed award was $50,000 to The Educational Service Center of for developing the infant and early childhood mental health workforce. Other notable 2024 grants included $35,000 to The Centers for Family and Children for renovation of Cleveland Christian Home; $30,000 to Positive Education Program for professional development; and $25,000 each to Cleveland Foundation, Pregnant with Possibilities, Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry, The MetroHealth Foundation, Thrive for Change, Stella Maris, NAMI Greater Cleveland, and Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy.
The foundation’s website provides an online application process and says applications are reviewed by staff and the board. Applicants must be 501(c)(3) organizations, have a presence in Cuyahoga County, and provide services or programming in an eligible focus area. A report on any previous grant must be submitted before a new request can be considered. The website says grants are generally for one year and that the foundation’s general policy is to make one grant per year directly to an organization; it also considers joint requests from partner agencies. It does not consider requests for endowment, scholarships, fellowships, annual fundraising campaigns, or general solicitations.
The foundation’s 2024 filing describes proposals as having no specific application form and lists suggested materials: proposal purpose; organizational history and purpose; client and service information; request objectives, timeline, and budget; prior-year income and expenses and current budget; board list; latest audited financial statements; and most recent annual report.
Leadership & Key People
Leadership team and compensation from IRS filings
The 2024 filing lists Molly Wimbiscus MD, Habeebah Rasheed Grimes, Vanessa Jensen PsyD, Dixon Morgan, Steven Siemborski, and Robert Fischer PhD as trustees. Laurel Domanski Diaz is listed as president, Janet Lowder as secretary, and John Corlett as vice president.
Woodruff Foundation is led by Laurel Domanski Diaz, President since 2023 (on filings since 2020); none of the 9 officers listed in 2024 report compensation.
Officers on the 2024 filing
Laurel Domanski Diaz
President
Trustee → Vice President, 2021
Vice President → President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Dixon Morgan
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Habeebah Rasheed Grimes
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Molly Wimbiscus MD
Trustee
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Steven Siemborski
Trustee
Trustee → President, 2021
President → Trustee, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Vanessa Jensen Psyd
Trustee
On filings since 2023
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Robert Fischer PhD
Trustee
New on the 2024 filing
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Janet Lowder
Secretary
Trustee → Secretary, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
John Corlett
Vice President
Trustee → Secretary & Treasurer, 2021
Secretary & Treasurer → Vice President, 2023
On filings since 2020
1 hr/week
No compensation reported
Former officers (2)
- Former: Lovell J. Custard (2020–2023) — Trustee
- Former: John Hertzer MD (2020–2022) — Trustee
Data from IRS Form 990 filings, 2020–2024. "On filings since" is the earliest filing we hold that lists the person; hours are average hours per week as reported.
Frequently asked questions about Woodruff Foundation
How much does Woodruff Foundation give each year?
Woodruff Foundation gave $471K across 22 grants in 2024, according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. In 2023 it gave $667K across 29 grants.
What is Woodruff Foundation's typical grant size?
Woodruff Foundation's median grant in 2024 was $22,893, and its average grant was $21,399, across 22 grants on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Organizations receiving their first grant from Woodruff Foundation that year got $21K on average.
Where does Woodruff Foundation give grants?
Woodruff Foundation gives mostly in Ohio: 100% of the grant dollars itemized on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF went to recipients there. The most frequent recipient cities were Cleveland, OH (19 grants).
Does Woodruff Foundation give general operating support?
Not in 2024: none of the 22 grants with a stated purpose on Woodruff Foundation's 2024 IRS Form 990-PF were described as general or operating support.
Who are Woodruff Foundation's largest grantees?
Woodruff Foundation's largest 2024 grantees include The Educational Service Center of ($50,000), The Centers for Family and Children ($35,000) and Positive Education Program ($30,000), according to its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. Together they received 24% of its itemized 2024 grant dollars.
How large is Woodruff Foundation?
Woodruff Foundation reported $12.8M in total assets on its 2024 IRS Form 990-PF. It paid out $616K in qualifying distributions that year, against a required minimum of $612K (roughly 5% of its investment assets).
What does Woodruff Foundation fund?
The foundation’s website describes behavioral health as encompassing mental health and substance use, including prevention, intervention, treatment, and recovery support. Its focus areas include treatment; education and prevention; coordination of resources in the community; research; and advocacy. See mission & focus areas ↑
How do I apply for a grant from Woodruff Foundation?
The foundation accepts unsolicited requests. Eligibility and process details are in the grantmaking section of this profile. See how to apply ↑
What is Woodruff Foundation's EIN?
Woodruff Foundation's EIN (Employer Identification Number) is 23-7425631. IRS Form 990 filing data is available on this page for 2020–2024.
Does Woodruff Foundation accept unsolicited proposals?
Yes, according to Grantable's research on the foundation's published guidelines. See how to apply ↑
Data last updated October 2026. Sourced from IRS Form 990-PF filings. Research dossier generated September 2026.
Data update history
(1)
When this profile's IRS filing data changed on Grantable
- IRS filings on file for fiscal years 2020–2024
Explore Open Grants
Browse active grant opportunities in Woodruff Foundation's focus areas in our free grants database
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Cite this profile
Grantable. (2026). Woodruff Foundation funder profile. GrantGraph. Retrieved October 10, 2026, from https://grantable.co/funders/woodruff-foundation-morg_800d37ab067140fda1457e3c40f0f27f
BibTeX
@misc{grantable_237425631_2026,
author = {{Grantable}},
title = {{Woodruff Foundation funder profile}},
howpublished = {GrantGraph},
year = {2026},
url = {https://grantable.co/funders/woodruff-foundation-morg_800d37ab067140fda1457e3c40f0f27f},
note = {Accessed 2026-10-10. Data licensed CC BY 4.0}
}The figures on this page are open data under CC BY 4.0: reuse them with credit to Grantable and a link. Download the data.
Figures come from Woodruff Foundation's IRS filings (methodology). AI-written summaries, news items and logos are not covered by the open licence. Spot an error? Email hello@grantable.co.
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