Toledo Walleye Transportation Fund

The Mud Hens-Walleye Transportation Fund is an initiative of the Greater Toledo Community Foundation, a public charitable organization established to enhance the quality of life for residents in northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Through its various grant programs, the Foundation supports nonprofit and educational entities committed to making cultural, educational, and recreational experiences more accessible to underserved communities. This particular fund focuses on reducing transportation barriers that prevent youth and community groups from participating in enriching sports experiences. The fund supports transportation-related costs for accredited schools and nonprofit agencies that seek to attend a Toledo Walleye hockey game or a Toledo Mud Hens baseball game. Its core objective is to provide financial assistance to organizations that otherwise lack the means to transport their constituents to these events. The fund recognizes that the cost of travel can be a significant barrier, especially for schools and nonprofits serving low-income populations, and aims to address this gap by covering essential transportation expenses such as bus rentals. Eligible applicants include accredited schools—whether public, private, charter, or parochial—as well as 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations operating within northwest Ohio and southeast Michigan. Each eligible entity may receive one grant per team, per year, meaning they can apply once for a Mud Hens game and once for a Walleye game annually. Grants range from $100 to a maximum of $1,000 and must be used specifically for field trips to attend games at the Huntington Center or Fifth Third Field. The grants can only be used for expenses directly tied to transportation, including school bus rentals and charter vehicles. Reimbursements for mileage or travel in non-commercial vehicles are not allowed, and all grantees must provide an invoice and final report before disbursement. Applications must be submitted through the Foundation's online application system. The Toledo Walleye proposal deadline is October 1, with award notifications issued by October 18. A report and transportation invoice must be submitted within two weeks of the game attended, and payments are made within one month of receipt of the report and invoice. Only online submissions will be considered, and the Foundation's staff will thoroughly review all completed applications. Proposals must include a summary of the request’s purpose and need, an estimate of the number of participants to be served, and an explanation of how lack of transportation has prevented attendance at these events in the past. Applicants must also detail the specific use of funds and include a timeline for the field trip as well as any supplementary funding sources, such as fundraising or parent contributions. Interested applicants with questions or seeking clarification are encouraged to contact Lori Quartermaine, Grants Manager, at the Greater Toledo Community Foundation. She can be reached via email at lori@toledocf.org or by phone at 419.241.5049. All completed proposals for the Toledo Walleye event must be received online no later than 11:59 PM on October 1.