Learning to appreciate the natural world can begin anytime, at any age. Explore how Ribbit!, a free Columbus children’s magazine, is helping curious minds discover science and nature in their own backyards—inspiring the next generation to care for our planet.

In 1943, during the darkness of World War II, Columbus businessman Harrison Sayre envisioned a better future. Together with community leaders, he established The Columbus Foundation as a dynamic partnership with a singular purpose: to create a thriving city for generations to come.

While this past year brought many challenges, it also included signs of hope and kindness. We examine the 2020 Donor Advised Fund (DAF) grantmaking surge—here in central Ohio and across the United States—and how previous times of peril have seen similar increases in DAF grants.

The Columbus Foundation has announced that Cheryl Graffagnino, an experienced nonprofit and public sector professional with extensive expertise in community health systems and grantmaking strategies, has joined the organization as the Director of Community Health Grantmaking.

It was Brandy Jemczura’s two young children who initially inspired her idea to create Seeds of Caring back in 2016. As she thought about what she wanted her children to grow up and be like, she kept coming back to the same notion—the kind of people who, if they see something in their community they aren’t okay with, will do something.

Since 2012, Besa has been dedicated to connecting people to community service in Columbus. It collaborates with local nonprofits to help spread awareness of ongoing volunteer opportunities, as well as to help find volunteers to support specific service projects. In 2024, Besa partnered with 185 nonprofits and, since its founding, the organization has recruited more than 100,000 volunteers to support 13,000 service projects.