Delaware County Foundation’s Community Grants

The Delaware County Foundation, established in Ohio in 1995, is a philanthropic institution committed to inspiring generosity and strengthening the Delaware County community through charitable giving. Operating as a community foundation, it connects donors with the causes they care about and channels funding into high-impact local initiatives. With a dedicated grantmaking program, the Foundation supports a wide array of nonprofit and governmental entities addressing pressing community needs across Delaware County, Ohio. The Foundation's Community Grants program is the core mechanism through which funding is distributed. This program is supported by donor-advised funds and guided by a committee that aligns distribution decisions with donor intent and identified community priorities. The program offers grants in a wide variety of focus areas including animal welfare, arts and culture, basic needs, education, economic opportunity, the environment, and more. The Foundation gives preference to proposals addressing urgent or strategic issues such as recovery, housing, mental health and healthcare, nutrition and food insecurity, utilities, English as a Second Language and community inclusion, violence prevention and human trafficking, and workforce development. Grants are open to nonprofit organizations with IRS 501(c)(3) status, governmental entities, and programs operating under a qualified fiscal sponsor. Individual applicants are not eligible. Ineligible expenses and activities include religious instruction, academic or medical research, endowment creation, political campaigns, fundraising events, and payment of legal debts or settlements. The grant cycle for 2025 opens on June 15 and closes on July 31. All applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s online portal. No paper applications will be accepted. Successful applicants will be notified in mid-December, and funded projects should ideally be completed within six months of award, although a 12-month period is allowable. Applicants are required to provide both an organization budget and a detailed program or project budget. Award amounts typically range from $2,500 to $20,000, and funding is distributed in three waves, depending on fund availability. While the Foundation does not explicitly state the total amount of funding available or the number of expected awards, applicants are advised to tailor their requests to the stated range and scope. Additionally, the Foundation maintains a commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion, and retains the right to review applications with community agencies or other stakeholders for evaluation purposes. Contact information for the Foundation is as follows: Delaware County Foundation, 110 Riverbend Avenue, Suite 101, Powell, OH 43065. Phone inquiries may be directed to 614.764.2332. While no specific contact person or email is listed, applicants are encouraged to use the online portal and review the downloadable documents such as the Grant Announcement, FAQs, and application questions to prepare their submissions effectively.