Funding Partnerships
By harnessing the power of valued partners, The Columbus Foundation maximizes the impact of local investments to improve the quality of life for central Ohioans.
We engage with other funders because we believe that working together through shared vision and resources enables us to better invest in solutions that move our community forward.
Recent collaborative projects include:
The Capacity Building Initiative: Strengthening Growing Organizations (CBI)
Focus: Strengthen the capacity of participating organizations in areas such as board development, personnel, financial stability, responsiveness, and operational sustainability.
Description: The goals of the Capacity Building Initiative (CBI) are to provide organizations with guidance and information that substantially increases the ability to implement effective direct and indirect services; strengthen organizations by improving capacity in areas such as board development, personnel, financial stability, responsiveness, and operational sustainability; improve the ability of foundation and funding partners to make effective grants to impactful organizations; develop a comprehensive list of high-quality, effective consultants to share with the nonprofit and greater community; and increase trust and openness between the funding and nonprofit community.
Partners: CBI was developed by The Columbus Foundation in collaboration with Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Fifth Third Bank, Grange Insurance Companies, Ingram-White Castle Foundation, Osteopathic Heritage Foundation, United Way of Central Ohio, and The Women’s Fund of Central Ohio.
Background: The Capacity Building Initiative (CBI) focused on building the organizational capacity of area nonprofits, with an emphasis on small to mid-sized organizations. Capacity building is defined as providing learning resources and assistance that help an organization effectively carry out its mission and deliver services at its optimum level in response to community needs.
Outcomes: CBI provided 20 organizations with an assessment, consultation, and training services. The final report includes achievement measures for each individual organization, the impact of these measures on service delivery, and an overall evaluation of the initiative.
For more information contact: Dr. Lisa Courtice, executive vice president, community research and grants management, by e-mail or at 614/251-4000.
Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus
Focus: Strengthen the capacity of community development corporations (CDCs) to develop affordable housing opportunities and pursue neighborhood revitalization initiatives.
Description: The Collaborative mission is to serve as a local funding intermediary, pooling funds from a number of public and private sources and channeling them to eligible CDCs. By providing these operating funds, the Collaborative strengthens the capacity of CDCs to serve as leaders in neighborhood revitalization. The Collaborative continues to stimulate systems development and change; build strong, durable CDCs; and accomplish specific demonstrable and significant objectives in the production of affordable housing, economic development, community safety, and other aspects of community building.
Partners: The Columbus Foundation in collaboration with the City of Columbus, Enterprise Community Partners, Fifth Third Bank, Franklin County Board of Commissioners, Huntington National Bank, JP Morgan Chase, Ohio Capital Corporation for Housing, PNC Bank, and United Way of Central Ohio.
Background: Created in 1992, The Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus (CDC) seeks to strengthen the capacity of community development corporations CDCs to develop affordable housing opportunities and pursue neighborhood revitalization initiatives. Governed by a 10-member board of trustees, the partnership of funders––comprised of corporations and foundations, as well as federal, state, and local government agencies––is committed to revitalizing distressed neighborhoods in greater Columbus.
Outcomes: Since 2000, the Collaborative has administered nearly $6 million in grant funding to community development organizations in Franklin County. The Collaborative has made awards to 13 organizations that have developed over 600 units of affordable housing and 36,000 square feet of commercial space.
For more information contact Emily Savors, director of community research and grants management, by e-mail or at 614/251-4000.
Community Health Funders Collaborative (CHFC)
Focus: Development of a funders’ collaborative to support issues related to health and general wellness.
Description: CHFC efforts aimed to impact community health and wellness issues that surpass those possible through individual efforts. A guiding principal of CHFC is to serve as a complement to each organization’s funding efforts. CHFC’s core members agreed to share equally in costs for administrative support of the effort and retained a project director to manage the work. Additionally, CHFC encouraged other funders to join as project partners, investing in specific projects identified by CHFC.
Partners: The Columbus Foundation in collaboration with Columbus Medical Association Foundation, Osteopathic Heritage Foundations, and United Way of Central Ohio.
Background: In 2006, the Community Health Funders’ Collaborative (CHFC) was created to explore the development of a funders’ collaborative to support issues related to health and general wellness. This interest was the result of the Foundation’s previous participation in supporting a community project known as Healthy & Fit, an initiative to reduce the prevalence of obesity. During the ensuing months, the funders developed a common vision and general operating procedures for CHFC.
Outcomes: CHFC began its first grantmaking initiative in 2008. This initial effort invested in projects related to improving healthy eating and physical activity through modifications in the environment. The process allowed for the development of a cooperative approach with selected grantees and a phased proposal submission process intended to lead to the development of innovative, evidence-based projects.
For more information contact Lisa Courtice, Ph.D., vice president, community research and grants management, by e-mail or at 614/251-4000.
