OVERVIEW: The Columbus Foundation supports community needs, community improvement, youth development, special populations and other causes in central Ohio.
IP TAKE: The Columbus Foundation is a well-established community foundation that is involved in an essential source of grants for nonprofits in central Ohio. This is a transparent funder that gives access to its recent financial reports and, for some of its programs, examples of the types of grants it makes. It is extremely accessible as well and gives the complete contact information—including email addresses and phone numbers—for its staff and leadership team. The downside here is that there are so many funding opportunities, each with its own process and deadlines, that the whole thing can be difficult to navigate. Fortunately, there is a detailed flow chart that can help out new grantseekers.
PROFILE: Established in 1943, the Columbus Foundation is a community foundation based in Columbus, Ohio. Harrison M. Sayre and other passionate areas residents created the foundation to improve the quality of life in central Ohio. The foundation aims to “assist donors and others in strengthening and improving our community for the benefit of all its residents.” It supports local community needs, community improvement, youth development, and special populations. The foundation also reserves funds for emergency relief and other pressing community needs.
Grants for Community Development, BIPOC, and K-12 Education
The Columbus Foundation awards grants through many different funds for a range of purposes; however, they can be grouped into three broad categories:
Racial Equity grants benefit BIPOC communities in Franklin County, specifically in the areas of economic opportunity, awareness and training, disparity reduction, and system change.
Capacity Building grants are designed to help area nonprofits grow and develop. Grants can go up to $100,000 and can be used for Capital Improvements, Sector Building, Social Enterprises, or Summer Fellowships.
Operating and Program Support grants can be used for a variety of areas and issues. Examples of funding programs include the Columbus and Franklin County Garden Grants Program, Neighborhood Partnership Grants, and the Dorothy E. Ann Fund, which supports education and vocational training for the deaf and hard of hearing.
There are also several Core Support Grants and Focused Funds with topics narrowed by donors. Regional Funds support different geographic areas. These are included in Operating and Program Support.
In addition to its own grants, there are Supporting Foundation Grants, which focus on a variety of areas. Examples include youth sports and recreation grants, scholarships for White Castle employees, and support for education and literacy.
Past local grantees include the Columbus Metropolitan Library Foundation, Columbus Museum of Art, and Columbus School for Girls. Learn more about this funder’s local giving by examining its recent tax records.
This funder hosts grants information sessions to help nonprofits navigate its many grant opportunities.
Important Grant Details
Grants typically range between about $100 and $10 million. The most common amount is $1,000. The foundation gave over $285 million in grants in a recent year and held more than $2.3 billion in assets. Grantmaking focuses on the city of Columbus and elsewhere in central Ohio.
This foundation accepts unsolicited grant applications from nonprofits for certain funds.
Application procedures and deadlines vary by funding opportunity.
The application portal is here.
Direct general questions to the staff at contactus@columbusfoundation.org or 614-251-4000.
PEOPLE:
Search for staff contact info and bios in PeopleFinder (paid subscribers only).
LINKS:
