This morning, the Franklin County Commissioners have announced $2.7 million in grants to 88 local nonprofit agencies that serve low-income Franklin County residents. Many nonprofits have struggled mightily during the pandemic, during which they saw a greatly increased demand for services and greatly decreased donations.
“Throughout the pandemic, I have personally seen how our nonprofits and community partners are working tirelessly to serve the most impacted,” said Board President Erica C. Crawley. “It is our privilege to continue supporting these organizations with additional funding to replace lost revenue, expand much-needed services, and keep resources flowing. I’m so appreciative of the innovative ways these partners stretch each dollar to help every Franklin County resident thrive.”
The grants are awarded for amounts up to $50,000 for agencies meeting certain requirements, and eligibility was determined in part by whether the majority of an agency’s clients live in particularly low-income census tracts, as well as by the amount of increased expenses and decreased revenues that they have seen over the past two years.
“These grants are a strategic investment in the well-being of Franklin County residents,” said Commissioner John O’Grady. “We are proud to partner with these outstanding and hard-working organizations to bring immeasurable relief to our most vulnerable community members. Getting these dollars in the hands of our partners quickly and efficiently means helping more residents get the quality of care and services they so desperately need and deserve.”
The grant awards will be administered and monitored by the commissioners’ Community Partnerships agency which provides funding across the county to support the commissioners’ core principles of community safety, job creation and economic development, supportive health and human services, good stewardship of natural resources, efficient and responsive government, and racial equity. A further $2.3 million in grant funding from this resolution will be available in the coming months.
“Through an orchestrated collaboration to support local non-profit organizations my colleagues and I are able to significantly improve the lives of residents,” said Commissioner Kevin L. Boyce. “Providing this funding creates immediate relief that will be seen and felt throughout our neighborhoods and is another step forward to remediate poverty and heal from the impact of the pandemic.”
The grants are made possible by funding from the American Rescue Plan and were authorized by a resolution passed by the commissioners in September. A full list of grant recipients is below. Agencies interested in applying for future grants from this funding may visit the commissioners’ Community Partnership Program website to learn more.
Community Partner Contract Amount
3 Levels of Greatness $2,075
Action for Children $25,000
Actors Theatre of Columbus $23,163
Ascension Lutheran Church $22,500
Besa Community Inc. $50,000
Big Brothers Big Sisters of Central Ohio $50,000
Bottoms Up Diaper Drive $32,040
Boys & Girls Club of Central Ohio $50,000
Breathing Association $50,000
Bridgeway Academy $25,000
Catholic Social Services, Inc. $50,000
Central Community House $50,000
Children’s Hunger Alliance $28,715
Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resources Center $6,250
Clintonville Farmers Market $4,755
Columbus Coalition for the Homeless $7,500
Columbus Council on World Affairs $25,000
Columbus Diaper Bank $14,850
Columbus Early Learning Centers $50,000
Columbus Literacy Council $20,825
Community Development for All People $50,000
Community Kitchen, Inc. $50,000
Community Properties Impact Ohio $13,241
Community Shares of Mid-Ohio $19,123
Compdrug $50,000
Concord Counseling Services $4,250
Creative Living, Inc. $25,000
Directions for Youth and Family $50,000
DAEAP-Dublin Area Emergency Assistance Program $4,816
Economic and Community Development Institute, Inc. $12,500
Equitas Health $25,000
Faith Mission, Inc. $50,000
Femergy $18,360
First Baptist Church Hilliard $7,961
Franklin County Historical Society (COSI) $50,000
Freedom a la Cart $50,000
Friends of the Conservatory $50,000
Fugees Family, Inc. $30,383
Furniture Bank of Central Ohio $50,000
Gateway Film Foundation $25,000
Habitat for Humanity $24,903
Harmony Project Productions, Inc. $25,000
Healing Broken Circles, Inc. $21,160
Hope Hollow $25,000
Halt Violence $25,000
Jefferson Center for Learning & The Arts $6,250
Josephs Coat of Central Ohio, Inc. $8,750
Junior Achievement of Central Ohio $25,000
King Arts Complex $50,000
Kingdom Image Arts $17,500
Lifecare Alliance $50,000
Live Again $7,216
Local Matters $50,000
Lutheran Social Services of Central Ohio $42,742
Marburn Academy, Inc. $25,000
Maryhaven, Inc. $50,000
Mental Health America of Ohio, Inc. $25,000
Metropolitan Community Services, Inc. $50,000
Mothers in Arms $4,101
Muslim Family Services of Ohio $26,125
My Project USA $50,000
National Church Residences Foundation $50,000
New Directions Career Center $50,000
NNEMAP $15,000
Ohio Hispanic Coalition $50,000
Otterbein University $25,000
Our Helpers $25,000
Parsons Avenue Redevelopment Corporation $45,000
Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio $50,000
Refuge, Inc. $50,000
Rehoboth Temple Church of Christ $24,990
Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central OH, Inc. $28,500
Ruling our Experiences, Inc. $25,000
Southeast, Inc. $13,040
St. Vincent Family Center $50,000
Star House $50,000
Stonewall Columbus, Inc. $25,000
The Center for Healthy Families, Inc. $50,000
The Homeless Families Foundation $50,000
United Way of Central Ohio $50,000
US Together $50,000
Warriors Karate Academy $25,000
We Amplify Voices $25,000
Westside Free Store Ministries $5,348
Women’s Small Business Accelerator $38,722
YMCA of Central Ohio $50,000
Youth Yoga Project $25,000
YWCA Columbus $6,250