# Charles F. Kettering Foundation

Charles F. Kettering Foundation is an Endowment / Foundation based in Dayton, United States.

## Overview

- **Organization type:** Endowment / Foundation
- **Headquarters:** Dayton, United States
- **Region:** North America
- **Address:** 200 Commons Rd, Dayton, OH 45459, United States
- **Founded:** 1927
- **Assets under management:** Undisclosed
- **Website:** kettering.org
- **LinkedIn:** https://www.linkedin.com/company/kettering-foundation

## Regulatory record

- **Reports private funds:** No

## About

Charles F. Kettering established the foundation in 1927 after building Delco and leading research at General Motors. The organization began with grants for scientific and medical projects before moving into education research in the mid-century period. Since the 1980s its work has centered on democratic institutions, citizen participation, and responses to authoritarian trends. The foundation allocates across public and private markets. Confirmed holdings include Commonfund Capital Private Equity Partners VII and Commonfund Capital International Partners VII. It maintains a headquarters building in Dayton and a Washington office at 1299 Pennsylvania Avenue. Geographic reach covers the United States and selected international programs focused on democratic practices. The foundation employs 95 professionals. It maintains three related philanthropic vehicles: the Kettering Family Foundation, The Kettering Fund, and the Virginia W. Kettering Foundation. October 2024: Sponsored the Dayton Democracy Summit. It belongs to the Council on Foundations, Philanthropy Ohio, Independent Sector, and the Strategic Ohio Council for Higher Education. The foundation operates as a nonpartisan research organization rather than a grant-making endowment. Its structure separates operating programs from the family foundations that share the Kettering name, with governance led by a board chair and a president who also directs research priorities.

## Sectors

- Philanthropy

## Offices

- Washington, DC, United States

## People

- Sharon L. Davies — President and CEO
- Sherry Magill — Chair of the Board

## Questions

### Who runs investment decisions at the Charles F. Kettering Foundation?

Sharon L. Davies serves as president and CEO and oversees overall direction. The board chaired by Sherry Magill sets policy. External custodians and managers handle day-to-day portfolio execution.

### Does the Charles F. Kettering Foundation participate in fund commitments or only direct deals?

No direct company-level investments appear in current records.

### What investment stages does the Charles F. Kettering Foundation typically target?

Holdings include buyout, growth, and secondaries strategies through fund commitments. The foundation does not publish a formal stage policy.

### How is the Charles F. Kettering Foundation related to the Kettering Family Foundation?

The two entities share a name and historical connection but operate separately. The family foundation focuses on education, environment, and human services grants while the main foundation runs research programs.

## Related profiles

- [FUNDACAO CORSAN](https://altss.com/profile/fundacao-corsan)
- [Sidney E. Frank Foundation](https://altss.com/profile/sidney-e-frank-foundation)

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Last updated: 2026-06-03T20:00:00.000Z

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