The Nord Family Foundation Grants

The Nord Family Foundation is a private philanthropic organization that awards grants to qualified non-profit organizations under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, as well as to selected public sector activities. While the Foundation has a national profile through its trustees, it prioritizes its giving to organizations based in or directly benefiting Lorain County, Ohio. Additional funding is selectively extended to organizations located in communities where voting members of the Foundation reside, including Boston, Massachusetts; Columbia, South Carolina; Cuyahoga County, Ohio; Denver, Colorado; and Penn Yan, New York. The Foundation’s grantmaking covers several key program areas: Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Education, and Health and Social Services. It focuses primarily on program-related activities and occasionally funds capital improvements or capital campaigns when specific criteria are met. Projects addressing the root causes of social problems are of particular interest, reflecting the Foundation’s commitment to long-term community impact. The Foundation generally does not fund debt reduction, academic research projects, event sponsorships, endowments, fiscal agents, or grants to individuals. Capital grants are considered only when the applicant serves an under-resourced population, when the Foundation’s contribution could leverage significant additional funding from other sources, and when the initiative involves strong grassroots leadership and citizen participation. Program grants may include requests for capital items such as equipment, but these are not restricted by the capital grant policy. Applications must be submitted through the Foundation’s online grant portal, beginning with the creation of an account and completion of an Eligibility Quiz to confirm basic compliance with funding guidelines. Upon passing the quiz, applicants complete the full online application, which includes sections on organizational background, project description, community need, expected impact, challenges, sustainability, and financial information. Required attachments include a cover letter, IRS determination letter, list of governing board members, and both organization and project budgets. The Foundation has three annual application deadlines: April 1 for decisions in June, August 1 for decisions in October, and December 1 for decisions in February. If a deadline falls on a weekend, applications will be accepted until 5:00 p.m. Eastern Time on the following Monday. Applicants are encouraged to contact the Foundation staff to discuss proposal ideas or request assistance with the application process. Applications can be saved and returned to before submission, and an email confirmation will be sent upon successful submission. While no specific evaluation rubric is published, the required narrative and budget information suggest that proposals are assessed on alignment with funding priorities, community impact, sustainability, and organizational capacity. The Foundation also offers support by answering applicant questions during the process, ensuring that prospective grantees can present strong proposals.