Carroll Community Fund

The Carroll Community Fund, an affiliate of Stark Community Foundation, offers a grant program designed to provide flexible funding that allows Carroll County residents to make a positive and immediate impact within their community. This program is exclusively for Carroll County, supporting a wide array of projects and programs that address local issues. The overall mission alignment is to empower local initiatives and foster community development by providing essential financial support to organizations directly benefiting the county. The primary target beneficiaries are tax-exempt private agencies, 501(c)(3) organizations, and government entities located within or directly benefiting Carroll County, Ohio. Religious institutions are eligible if their program's purpose is primarily secular or civic, any religious activity is incidental or paid for by other sources, and services are provided without religious limitation. Private schools are considered for grants focused on non-religious educational activities, where the institution is non-sectarian, equipment purchases act as a catalyst for new programs, there are multiple funding sources, or the programs serve the disadvantaged or handicapped. The impact goals are to address local issues, support artistic diversity, promote recreational facilities with community support, and ensure the survival of key agencies or programs facing funding changes. The fund prioritizes projects and programs that are locally focused and demonstrate a clear benefit to Carroll County. While not explicitly stated as "strategic priorities" or a "theory of change," the types of projects that are generally not considered—such as operating expenses for well-established organizations, debt financing, annual community celebrations, annual fund drives, conferences/recognition dinners, and most endowment funds—reveal an emphasis on new initiatives, short-term critical support, and programs with a direct, tangible impact. The fund seeks to avoid supplanting existing operational budgets or covering past deficits, instead focusing on catalytic support and filling gaps where funding is critical. Expected outcomes include the successful implementation of diverse projects that address local needs, enhanced community well-being through supported arts and recreational programs, and the sustained operation of crucial agencies during periods of funding uncertainty. The emphasis on challenge grants or partial funding for arts proposals suggests an outcome of fostering broad community support and engagement. For recreational proposals, proof of ongoing maintenance capacity indicates a desire for sustainable community assets. The grant-making contingencies, requiring that grants be met within one calendar year or rescinded, suggest an outcome of timely and efficient use of funds to achieve immediate community impact.