How the Columbus Foundation Serves Its Region of Ohio

As the largest city in Ohio, it should come as little surprise that Columbus is a major center for philanthropy in the state. The Columbus Foundation is the community foundation that serves the city and the broader central Ohio region, and it’s an accessible foundation that has been operating since 1943.

Here are some basics to know about the Columbus Foundation if you need a grant in Ohio.

Current grant opportunities

The Columbus Foundation offers a straightforward website with lists of current opportunities. There are three types of Columbus Foundation grants: racial equity, capacity building, and operating and program support grants.

Racial equity grants support partnerships that expand economic opportunities for Black and brown people and inform the community about how systemic inequity affects life in Columbus. Capacity building grants support the growth and development of nonprofits as they improve their mission delivery, facilities, finances and quality of programs.

The foundation awards both program and general operating support grants in the following fields of interest: arts and culture, core support, digital equity, deaf and hard-of-hearing youth, community gardens, neighborhood improvements, youth, and some regional areas outside of Franklin County. The Columbus Foundation also administers supporting foundation grants, including funding from the Paul G. Duke Foundation, Columbus Youth Foundation, Siemer Family Foundation and Ingram-White Castle Foundation.

Open houses for grantseekers

If your organization is new to the Columbus Foundation or if you have a new leader, attending one of the foundation’s open house events is highly recommended. These events are available to nonprofits serving Franklin County, Ohio, to learn more about funds the foundation hosts. The open houses provide vital information about upcoming grant cycles. Nonprofits can also find a list of upcoming grant application deadlines for all current opportunities on the funder’s website.

Other ways to get involved

Beyond the foundation’s current grant opportunities, local groups can get involved with the Columbus Foundation in multiple ways. The foundation offers educational programs, including consulting services and nonprofit forums. There are also cohort programs, such as the Board Series, Fundraising Leadership Academy, and Chartered Advisor in Philanthropy Study Group. The Giving Store is a searchable philanthropy marketplace with a nonprofit directory listing, and Better Together is a crowdfunding platform for nonprofits to fundraise and spread the word about their missions. The foundation also offers nonprofit endowment services.

An accessible staff

The Columbus Foundation makes its staff readily available for grantseeker questions. It has a general email address for nonprofit inquiries and lists the direct phone numbers, email addresses and biography information of individual staff members.

Read more about this funder in IP’s full profile of the Columbus Foundation, which is part of our Ohio grantmaking guide.

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