Grants
Apply for a Grant
The Community Foundation of Lorain County has various funding opportunities for non-profit organizations that serve Lorain County residents. Non-profits can apply for our grant cycles: Community Grant Cycles, Affiliate Fund Cycles, and a Monthly Rolling Mini-Grant Cycle. Our focus areas across our grant cycles are Arts &Culture, Education & Youth Development, Health & Human Services, and Strengthening Lorain County. Our grant applications are available through our online grant portal.
All applications are due by 11:59 PM on the due date, regardless if it is a weekend or holiday. If applying online is a barrier, we encourage you to contact us, and we will work with you to ensure you can submit a grant request.
Current Grant Cycles
Focus Areas
2023 Grant Opportunities
The deadline for all grant cycles is 11:59 PM on their scheduled due date, regardless of whether the day falls on a weekend or holiday. To apply, you must log in to our online grants portal.
| GRANT | DESCRIPTION | NTEE Codes | CYCLE OPENS | DEADLINE | Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Health & Human Services Community Grant Cycle | General operating and project support for organizations serving Lorain County through Health & Human Services. | E, F, G, H, I, J, K, L, M, N, and P | January 1 | February 1 | May |
| Education & Youth Development Community Grant Cycle | General operating and project support for organizations serving Lorain County through Education & Youth Development. | B and O | March 1 | April 1 | July |
| Arts & Culture and Strengthening Lorain County Community Grants Cycle | General operating and project support for organizations serving Lorain County through Arts & Culture and Strengthening Lorain County. | A, R, S, T, U, V, W, and X | June 1 | July 1 | October |
| African American Community Fund | Support for projects that improve the quality of life for the African American community of Lorain County. | All | October 15 | November 15 | January |
| Hispanic Fund | Provides grants to programs committed to improving and promoting socioeconomic and educational opportunities within the Hispanic community. | All | April 30 | May 31 | July |
| Women’s Fund | Award grants to organizations supporting social, educational, and artistic projects by, for, and delivering to women and children. | All | August 1 | September 1 | October |
| Youth Fund | Provides grants to teachers that have created a program that is not only part of their curriculum but also provides a service to the community. | Grants for Lorain County teachers | October 1 | November 1 | December |
| Lakeland Community Foundation Mini-grants | Awards $500 mini-grants to non-profit organizations based in Lorain County. | All | Beginning of each month | End of Month Deadline | Monthly Rolling Decision |
Priorities
- The Board is interested in innovative programs that are responsive to community needs, partnerships, and collaborative efforts. Lower priority is given to capital and equipment requests, mandated services, and duplication of existing services.
- The Community Foundation of Lorain County has four primary funding areas: Arts and Culture, Education and Youth, Health and Human Services, and Strengthening Lorain County.
Eligibility
- For the Community Grant Cycles, grant seekers may only apply once per calendar year. Grant Seekers are welcome to apply for additional Affiliate Fund Grants.
- Organizations must be located in or provide services to residents within Lorain County. Grant seekers outside Lorain County must provide information on Lorain County residents served.
- Grant awards will only go to tax-exempt organizations classified as 501(c)(3) charities by the Internal Revenue Service. Please complete the Fiscal Sponsor Information Form if your program does not have a tax-exempt ruling from the IRS.
- Reporting requirements from prior grants must be fulfilled before submitting a new application.
- Grants will not be given to individuals for debt reduction, loans, for-profit businesses, tickets for benefits, annual appeals, tours, telephone solicitations, political campaigns, or religious activities. Only accredited educational institutions will pay scholarships (no payments to students).
- The Board is very concerned about the accountability and sustainability of programs. Organizations should have a diversified funding base.
If you experience any technical difficulties, please contact our office at foundation@peoplewhocare.org or 440.984.7390.
