CINCINNATI (April 24, 2024) — Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF), in partnership with the City of Cincinnati and Interact for Health, has awarded $834,620 in Boots on the Ground Fund grants to 41 local nonprofits, 71% led by Black, Indigenous and People of Color. These funds, $650,000 of which are provided by the City, strengthen the capacity of small, community-based organizations with a programing focus on housing, food and healthcare access, gun violence prevention, workforce and youth development, mental health, and substance use services.

Honoring the spirit of this fund with its cornerstone in community involvement, GCF engaged a diverse group of community members to participate in the review process. These grants, up to $25,000 each, represent a targeted investment in grass roots organizations to build upon the foundational relationships they’ve created in our neighborhoods.

“The nonprofits receiving funding demonstrate deep community involvement in their decision making – often creating solutions that are designed by those who are directly impacted,” said vice mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney.

Adison Nelson, senior director, community investments at GCF echoed this sentiment, “The intentional focus on valuing lived experience is crucial to the success of the Boots on the Ground Fund. These efforts are working to remove barriers that prevent many members of our community from reaching their full potential.”

The types of projects funded range from using creative expression to deter youth gun violence to initiatives that bring more fresh food into neighborhoods and support food entrepreneurs; training for in demand trade jobs; increased capacity building for organizations to respond to the growing number of people with anxiety and depression and more.

By establishing deep partnerships, the Boots on the Ground Fund is making more possible in our community. For a full list of grantees, click here.

About Greater Cincinnati Foundation

Greater Cincinnati Foundation is the region’s leading community foundation, serving an eight-county region in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. Through trusted partnerships and thoughtful stewardship of community assets, GCF builds a more vibrant, opportunity-rich, and equitable region for everyone – now, and for generations to come.