Downing Foundation
The organization is a private foundation dedicated to supporting religious and educational initiatives. Its mission centers on promoting faith-based activities, primarily through funding religious organizations and educational institutions with a religious focus. The foundation serves various recipients, including churches, schools, and community organizations, emphasizing the importance of religious education and community service. While it primarily operates in Ohio, it also supports organizations in other states, reflecting a broader commitment to faith-based initiatives beyond its immediate geographic area.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
Ideal Applicant
Small to mid-sized tax-exempt religious or faith-based organizations, including parishes, faith-affiliated schools, and religious media or educational institutions, especially those located in Ohio or nearby states.
Good Fit
- • 501(c)(3) status with a religious or religious-education mission
- • Located in Ohio or within the region supported by the foundation
- • Requests framed as operating support or program funding for faith-based activities
- • Clear, concise application materials ready for mailed submission
Geography
Giving is regionally concentrated: about two-thirds of dollars were awarded in Ohio, but recipients were funded in four different states in the latest year.
Recipient Variety
The foundation funded 17 distinct organizations in the latest year with a high number of new grantees, but the portfolio is missionally concentrated in religious and religious-education organizations rather than across many unrelated sectors.
New Applicants
Twelve new recipients appeared in the most recent year and the filing includes application instructions plus a mailing/phone contact, indicating that unfamiliar organizations can realistically enter the portfolio.
Source: Zeffy Agent · Mar 2026
