Press Releases
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- Contact: Carol Harmon, charmon@columbusfoundation.org, 614/251-4000
The Columbus Foundation Awards Grants Totaling $911,453 to Support Central Ohio Nonprofit Organizations
Columbus, OH (December 22, 2011)—The Governing Committee of The Columbus Foundation awarded a total of $911,453 in competitive grants to 30 central Ohio nonprofit organizations. The grants were approved by the Committee at their September, October, and December board meetings.
For 68 years, The Columbus Foundation and its donors have helped strengthen the central Ohio community by awarding grants to support programs and nonprofit organizations that are making a difference. In 2011, Giving Strength, the Foundation’s competitive grantmaking program, supported funding opportunities throughout the year in three major areas: Community Improvement, Innovative Operations, and Targeted Needs. These grants address community needs and invest in solutions to strengthen and improve central Ohio in a variety of impact areas.
The following is a list of organizations, grant purposes, and amounts approved:
COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT
(Includes Neighborhood Revitalization)
Campus Partners for Community Urban Redevelopment, Inc.—$56,000 to support a part-time position to coordinate the neighborhood revitalization efforts in Weinland Park.
INNOVATIVE OPERATIONS
(Includes Arts & Culture, Capacity Building & Leadership Development, Continuous Improvement, Financial Innovation)
Mental Health America of Franklin County—$11,745 to support costs associated with the implementation of a shared services plan for four mental health organizations.
TARGETED NEEDS
(Includes Basic Needs, Developmental Disabilities, Disadvantaged Children, and Small & Specialized Grants)
Basic Needs
Columbus Housing Partnership—$65,000 to hire a full-time support service manager to provide direct services and to implement an evaluation component.
Community Development Collaborative of Greater Columbus—$35,000 to strengthen the capacity of community development corporations for the development of affordable housing and community building initiatives.
Community Kitchen, Inc.—$20,300 to provide nutritious, hot noon meals five days per week to low-income and homeless residents in the 43203 and surrounding ZIP codes.
Community Shelter Board
— $24,880 to support a transitional work program with Community Housing Network, the Center of Vocational Alternatives, and Concord Counseling as collaborators.
— $55,000 to support the Volunteers of America of Greater Ohio’s housing locator position, part of a new direct housing model to move homeless families into permanent housing.
— $25,000 to support the Central Point of Access by funding a driver to transport homeless persons to area shelters.
— $55,520 to support a transitional work program with Goodwill Columbus and Donatos as collaborators.
— $110,000 for operational support.
Furniture Bank of Central Ohio—$15,000 to provide basic furniture to an additional 400-800 families in 2012 while reducing waiting times and increasing attendance at appointments.
Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio—$20,000 to support a much larger food pantry on the west side of Columbus with expanded Ohio Benefit Bank services.
Westerville Area Resource Ministry (WARM)—$17,500 to provide free job-readiness and placement services to help underemployed and unemployed residents of the Westerville School District gain employment.
YWCA of Columbus—$25,000 to support youth programs and services of the YWCA Family Center, which serves all homeless families seeking assistance in Franklin County.
Developmental Disabilities
Heritage Day Health Centers—$20,000 to establish a health and wellness program adapted to the developmentally disabled young adults served in the Transitions Program.
O.S.U. Chabad House—$35,000 to support operations at LifeTown, a simulated town where life lessons are taught to school children with developmental disabilities.
Ohio Special Initiatives by Brothers and Sisters—$5,000 to provide a weekend retreat for 15 youth with disabilities and their siblings to help them understand school-to-adult life transition.
Ohio State University Foundation—$35,000 to support the Next Chapter Book Club to enhance literacy and lifelong learning experiences for members and non-members.
Recreation Unlimited Foundation—$31,000 to fund the purchase of new multi-sensory equipment that will serve individuals with severe/profound developmental disabilities.
Disadvantaged Children
Boys and Girls Clubs of Columbus, Inc.—$25,000 to support youth development activities.
Columbus Urban League, Inc.—$40,000 to fund Project Survival, a comprehensive life-skills training, substance abuse prevention, and healthy lifestyle decision-making curriculum for middle school students.
I Know I Can—$50,000 to coordinate and expand local college access network efforts.
Otterbein University—$32,000 to fund the Ubuntu group mentoring program increasing self-awareness, civic responsibility, character development, and learning of Otterbein and urban high school students.
United Negro College Fund, Inc. (Cols.)—$10,000 to support minority students from Columbus City Schools who wish to go to college for the purpose of studying science, technology, engineering, and math.
Small & Specialized Grants
Animal Welfare
LifeCare Alliance—$8,000 to support the Senior Pet Care Program.
Ohio Federation of K9 Search Teams—$2,500 to provide training and certification workshops for search and rescue dogs and their handlers.
Education
CATCO-Phoenix Inc.—$2,000 to support a one-day residency at Columbus School for Girls and the Wellington School.
Health
National Society to Prevent Blindness – Ohio Affiliate—$2,200 to support access to comprehensive eye care for homeless and medically indigent children and adults.
North Community Counseling Centers—$9,000 to support drug and alcohol services with a high school dropout prevention program.
PBJ Connections Inc.—$5,000 to provide individual and family equine-assisted psychotherapy sessions to families in central Ohio.
Planned Parenthood of Central Ohio Inc.—$11,500 to engage 10 teenage women as peer educators.
Young Men’s Christian Association of Central Ohio (YMCA)—$25,000 to provide screening and linkage for children who have mental health concerns, to assist their families, and to provide training to community providers.
Social Services
Columbus Early Learning Centers—$6,540 to create developmental kits to help parents with toddlers and infants discover how they can best prepare their children for kindergarten.
YWCA of Columbus—$10,000 to support parent education at the Family Center.
Special Populations
Mount Carmel Health System Foundation—$10,768 to support a senior falls prevention exercise program on the near west side of Columbus.
About Giving Strength
The Columbus Foundation’s Giving Strength grantmaking program seeks to impact a broad spectrum of community needs to improve the quality of life for central Ohioans. The program focuses on vulnerable and underserved populations; increasing the quality of effectiveness, and viability of nonprofit organizations and leaders; developing and testing new, creative community solutions; and promoting problem solving that supports partnerships and collaboration. For more information about Giving Strength, please visit GO! GrantsOpportunites at www.columbusfoundation.org or contact Lisa Courtice at 614/251-4000, or lcourtice@columbusfoundation.org.
About The Columbus Foundation
The Columbus Foundation is the trusted philanthropic advisor® to more than 1,800 individuals, families, and businesses, who have created unique funds to make a difference in the lives of others through the most effective philanthropy possible. Serving the region for 68 years, The Columbus Foundation is the tenth largest community foundation in the United States today. The Foundation’s new and improved online resource, PowerPhilanthropy®, makes it possible for donors and the community to be informed and access valuable information about our community nonprofits. For more information, visit www.columbusfoundation.org or call 614/251-4000.
