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As your community foundation, we are on a mission to catalyze change that benefits our neighbors and region. We understand the systemic issues and the most critical challenges that need addressing in order to build a community where everyone can thrive. Through our Community Leadership grants, we are able to help drive these changes that create a better future for all. Racial equity is the overarching goal for this work and the following four recipients are our latest community leadership investments.
December 2020
Free COVID-19 Testing This past summer, the City of Cincinnati began partnering with community health centers, the Governor’s office and the Ohio National Guard to offer free COVID-19 testing at pop-up stations located in neighborhoods of our most vulnerable neighbors. Funding to the City will help offset staffing and lab costs and enable them to test more neighborhood residents.
Minority Business Accelerator A Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber initiative, the Minority Business Accelerator (MBA) has created 3,500 jobs and $1 billion in annual revenues by brokering relationships between local corporations and established Black- and Hispanic-owned ventures. Funding to MBA will support general operations as it begins working toward its goal of achieving $2 billion in annual revenues and creating 3,500 additional jobs in far less time.
Represent Cincy A collective of community and city leaders, developers and organizations, Represent Cincy’s mission is to make Over-the-Rhine the most diverse business district in the country. Funding will help Represent Cincy amplify resources, bridge the gaps and eliminate barriers for minority entrepreneurs and owners.
Avondale Grocery Store With limited access to fresh produce and quality grocery staples, Avondale has long been considered a food desert. The last grocery store with fresh food in Avondale was in 2008, but that’s all about to change. This project will bring fresh food to Avondale and is a collaboration between Greater Cincinnati Foundation, City of Cincinnati, Carol Ann and Ralph V. Haile, Jr./U.S. Bank Foundation, Interact for Health, Fifth Third Bank and United Way of Greater Cincinnati. This funding will allow Country Meats, a Black owned grocery store, to serve Avondale residents. Greater Cincinnati Foundation will be granting funding to support its development.
We believe in driving growth and prosperity for our entire region, especially for the Black community. Each of these investments get us a step closer.
CINCINNATI (April 25, 2018) — The Greater Cincinnati Foundation recently awarded $255,000 in grants to 17 local nonprofits to drive greater belonging, independence and authorship with and for people with disabilities. All grants awarded were made in partnership with GCF donors past and present.
GCF is hosting these organizations for a year-long learning journey and challenging them to seek collaborative solutions to maximize impact. In partnership with the nonprofit social innovation firm, Design Impact, organizations are participating in 1,334 hours of training and dialogue to change their approaches and learn from one another.
“The idea of a person with a disability fully belonging to their community, we have big barriers to that,” said Dan Connors, CEO, St. Joseph Home. “We need to think differently about how we’re going to solve this problem.”
The priorities for this funding cycle include strengthening partnerships, building a community of belonging and redefining the way things have always been done. The priorities were created in conjunction with the participating organizations. Each nonprofit received a $15,000 in support to test their innovative concepts as well as a series of trainings throughout the year.
Examples include:
“We’re always asked to show the efficacy of what we’re doing when we need funding,” said Rob Seideman, CTRH’s executive director. “So we rely on those things that we do well. But if we’re going to work with people in new ways, we need to change what we’re doing. And that’s what’s so great about this opportunity.”
More than $25,000 awarded in this grant cycle represent donor co-investments.
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“It is an honor to work side by side with these experts in their field who are so passionate about figuring out new ways to create even more meaningful lives for those they exist to serve,” said Molly Robertshaw, GCF program officer.
“This funding effort represents GCF’s interest in being a nimble and innovative partner for nonprofits,” said Ellen M. Katz, president/CEO. “We want to help our community to build a region where everyone can thrive.”
As the region’s leading community foundation, the Greater Cincinnati Foundation connects people with purpose in an eight-county region in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana. GCF is leading the charge toward a more vibrant Greater Cincinnati for everyone – now, and for generations to come. As of 2017, GCF is the 35th largest U.S. community foundation with net assets of $636 million.
View full list of nonprofits receiving grants [PDF]
March 2019
“In our efforts toward a more equitable community for all, we know that where people work and where they live are fundamental. Through our investments, leadership, convenings, advocacy, education and awareness building, GCF is committed to advancing equity in housing as a critical step to insuring that everyone has an opportunity to thrive in our community.” — Harold Brown, GCF Vice President, Community Strategies As we enter our 56th year as a trusted and connected community partner, Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) continues to make strides along the pathways of racial and economic equity. The most recent result of that purposeful and strategic focus is a series of community leadership grants to five organizations engaged in impactful equity work. GCF launched a redesigned community impact strategy in 2017 to spotlight equity issues. In response to a preponderance of challenging data — provided, in part, by extensive research by GCF’s Women’s Fund — we know that in our region, three out of four children living in poverty are being raised in single, female-headed and disproportionately women of color households. Cincinnati has the third highest child poverty rate in the nation, with 180,000 children growing up in families living below the self-sufficiency line. As a region, 72 percent of jobs pay less than self-sufficient wages, which lands us in the lowest bracket of upward mobility. Furthermore, there is a 40,000-unit gap in affordable housing, the result of which is that 60 percent of low-income households spend more than 50 percent of their income on housing (much more than the recommended 30 percent or less). That is why GCF is committed to prioritizing a deep, concentrated focus on housing stability and economic mobility for people of color, and particularly low-income women. We revised our organizational community investment strategy, adopting explicit equity approaches that are also reflected in our grantmaking and directed funding opportunities. Aligned with that mission, GCF made the single largest investment in our history — $1.8 million, together with our generous donors — to partner with the Greenlight Fund in 2017 to the Family Independence Initiative (FII) to Greater Cincinnati. The innovative, data-driven program empowers families to determine their own goals to move out of poverty. To date, more than 200 families have enrolled in the program. GCF’s recent, concentrated community leadership grants also exemplify that vital equity strategy. They include:
Through these and future grants, GCF is determined to move the needle on housing stability and economic mobility in life-changing ways that benefit all of us with a more vibrant, inclusive community.
CINCINNATI (June 6, 2016) —The Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s (GCF) Governing Board recently approved $3.3 million in Community Fund grants in its second quarter. Thanks to the generosity of its donors, GCF is able to offer help to local needs.
A number of Community Fund grants this quarter included requests for help with mental health services with a focus on trauma-informed care:
The Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s increased funding for trauma parallels a national movement towards preventing childhood abuse, neglect and household challenges such as domestic violence, substance abuse, mental illness or parental separation. The Centers for Disease Control-Kaiser Permanente Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACE) Study is one of the largest investigations of childhood abuse and neglect and later-life health and well-being. The study found as the number of ACEs increase so does the risk for alcoholism and alcohol abuse, depression, suicide attempts, fetal death, illicit drug use, poor work performance, financial stress, poor academic achievement, adolescent pregnancy and more. “Unaddressed trauma can be an underlying cause for many problems later in life,” said Molly Robertshaw, MSW, Program Officer. “If GCF invests in increasing access to trauma-informed services now, those affected by trauma in our community are more likely to have the opportunity to live healthy lives.” Through its Generous Together program, GCF partnered with its donors to provide a grant to Little Sisters of the Poor for $65,000. Generous Together provides donors an opportunity to partner with GCF in providing support to grant seekers. The grant to Little Sisters of the Poor will assist in the purchase of an emergency power generator. “We are grateful for the opportunity offered by GCF to further assist the Little Sisters of the Poor, whose work we have admired and supported for many years,” said Peter Schmid, a GCF donor. The Greater Cincinnati Foundation’s Community Fund supports the current and greatest needs in our community. Contributions to GCF’s Community Fund build more resources to invest in the good work of nonprofit organizations in our region. Contributions can be made at www.gcfdn.org/yourcommunity.
See the complete list of spring 2016 grants [PDF]
One of the nation’s leading community foundations, The Greater Cincinnati Foundation helps people make the most of their giving to build a better community. We believe in the power of philanthropy to change the lives of people and communities. As a community foundation, GCF creates a prosperous Greater Cincinnati by investing in thriving people and vibrant places. An effective steward of the community’s charitable resources since 1963, the Foundation inspires philanthropy in eight counties in Ohio, Kentucky, and Indiana. At the end of 2015, GCF had net assets of $533 million.
Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) invites nonprofit organizations and schools to apply for grants to support innovative education programs that are enriching and fun for youth during the summer months and the school year — Summertime Kids and Learning Links, respectively. Funding requests for up to $1,000 will be accepted for both proposals.
Summertime Kids grants are available to nonprofit organizations, schools or churches working with young people in GCF’s eight-county community — Butler, Clermont, Hamilton and Warren in Ohio; Boone, Campbell and Kenton in Kentucky; and Dearborn in Indiana. The grants provide support for programs that are enriching, fun and promote learning during the summer months and which take place between June 1 and August 31, 2019. Each organization may submit up to two applications, either for two different programs or the same program in two different locations. The funds may be used to support, expand or strengthen existing programs or launch new programs; funding will not be awarded to religious organizations that require religious activity for participation.
The deadline for Summertime Kids proposals is 5 p.m. Friday, March 15. This is a competitive process; an invitation to submit a proposal does not guarantee a grant award. Funding awards for Summertime Kids will be announced in May.
Learning Links grants are available to schools in GCF’s eight-county community for the purpose of providing opportunities for K-12 educators to bring creative and interesting projects or events to their classrooms or schools during the 2019-20 school year. Funding may be used to support, expand or strengthen existing projects or events or to launch new ones. It may also be used to support capital costs for equipment or supplies, which then become property of the school.
The deadline for Learning Links proposals is 5 p.m. Friday, April 12. This, too, is a competitive process, and an invitation to submit a proposal does not guarantee a grant award. Funding awards for Learning Links will be announced in July.
Both Grants for Kids programs are made possible through the generosity of GCF donors and continuing support from the Charles H. Dater Foundation. The maximum grant award for Summertime Kids and Learning Links projects is $1,000, but GCF also accepts grant requests for lower amounts. Grant submissions will be reviewed by a team of passionate donors and community volunteers.
A complete list of criteria, application instructions and the Request for Proposals (RFP) documents for Summertime Kids and Learning Links may be found at https://www.gcfdn.org/Grants/Grants-for-Kids.
CINCINNATI (March 1, 2017)—The Greater Cincinnati Foundation has been evaluating how our grantmaking strategy can be more innovative, focused, and effective. We are also considering strategic areas of focus for large scale community initiatives. These considerations result from an evaluation of our current processes that identifies opportunities for us to improve the way we support the community. As a result, we are not currently accepting applications for the Fall 2017 grant cycle.
Thank you for your patience. We will communicate details as they become available. We understand that your organization has a stake in the changes that we are exploring, and we invite you to a community reception to hear more details and discuss changes in our approach.
If you would like to join the community reception in June 2017, please register here.
CINCINNATI (Feb. 1, 2017) — The Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) is now accepting applications for its two programs designed to fund innovative education projects for children during the school year and in the summer.
Grants for Kids enable educators and nonprofit organizations to provide creative learning experiences for children and support for schools with limited project budgets.
Get the applications
Summertime Kids grants provide support for programs that are enriching and fun for children during the summer months. Grants of up to $1,000 are available to nonprofit organizations that are working with the young people of our community.
Since 1993, Learning Links has provided grants of up to $1,000 for creative and interesting programs or events for classrooms in the Greater Cincinnati area.
Grants for Kids are made possible through the generous support of GCF’s donors and continued support from the Charles H. Dater Foundation. Helping these small but mighty programs is an example of how GCF makes a difference as a steward of the community’s resources.