Grants
Apply for a Grant
The Community Foundation of Lorain County has various funding opportunities for non-profit organizations that serve Lorain County residents in Arts and Culture, Education and Youth, Health and 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.
Currently Accepting Applications
Grant Cycle Calendar
Beginning in 2021, the deadline for all grant cycles is 11:59 PM on their scheduled due date regardless if the day falls on a weekend or holiday. To apply, you must log into our online grants portal.
| GRANT | DESCRIPTION | CYCLE OPENS | DEADLINE | BOARD DECISION | PREVIEW APPLICATION |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| February Community Grant | General operating and project support for organizations serving Lorain County. | January 1 | February 1 | Late July | |
| July Community Grant | General operating and project support for organizations serving Lorain County. | June 1 | July 1 | Late December | |
| African American Community Fund | Support for projects that improve the quality of life for the African American community of Lorain County. | October 15 | November 15 | Late January | |
| Hispanic Fund | Provides grants to programs that are committed to improving and promoting socioeconomic and educational opportunities within the Hispanic community. | April 30 | May 31 | July | |
| Women’s Fund | Awards grants to organizations that support social, educational, and artistic projects by, for, and delivered to women and children. | August 1 | September 1 | Late October | Preview Application |
| Youth Fund Service Learning Grants | Service Learning links community service to curriculum areas. Available to Lorain County teachers grades K-12. | October 1 | November 1 | Late November | |
| COVID-19 Response Fund | Deploys much-needed resources to organizations that work with people and communities that are adversely impacted by COVID-19. | To be announced | Rolling Deadline | Rolling Decision | |
| Lakeland Community Foundation Minigrants | Awards $500 minigrants to nonprofit organizations based in Lorain County. | Beginning of each month | Rolling Deadline | Rolling Decision | Preview Application |
| Racial Equity Fund | Provides funds to organizations that support the transformation of structures and systems with the goal of providing access and equal experiences | To be announced |
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 (February/July grant cycles). 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. If your program does not have a tax-exempt ruling from the IRS, please complete the Fiscal Sponsor Information Form.
- Reporting requirements from prior grants must be fulfilled before submitting a new application.
- Grants will not be made to individuals, for debt reduction, loans, for-profit businesses, tickets for benefits, annual appeals, tours, telephone solicitations, political campaigns, and religious activities. Scholarships will only be paid to accredited educational institutions (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.
