Community Foundation Awards $317K in Grants

YOUNGSTOWN, Ohio – The Community Foundation of the Mahoning Valley and its supporting foundations awarded $317,500 in grants to 38 nonprofit organizations in the third round of funding for 2023.

Through the CFMV’s general grant, fundholders awarded $197,000. The William Swanston Charitable Fund, which supports projects aimed at children in the Valley, awarded $85,000; the International Institute Fund, a component fund of the Community Foundation, awarded $30,500; and the Western Reserve Health Foundation awarded $5,000.

“These grant recipients are working on important projects across Mahoning and Trumbull counties, addressing critical issues like housing, skills development and education,” said Shari Harrell, president of the Community Foundation. “Several nonprofits also received support in the form of operations grants, which is part of our work to help them maximize their impact across the board and put their expertise to work in a way that works best for them.”

Grant opportunities and applications can be found HERE. The final grant deadline for this year is Oct. 15. Deadlines in 2024 are Jan. 15, April 15, July 15 and Oct. 15.

Here are the grants awarded in the third round of funding:

COMMUNITY FOUNDATION OF THE MAHONING VALLEY

• Beatitude House: $15,000 for the permanent supportive housing program.
• Betty’s Angels: $10,000 for operating support.
• Boardman-Youngstown Kiwanis: $5,000 for the Kiwanis Books for Kids program.
• The English Center of Youngstown: $10,000 for operating support.
• Girls Scouts of North East Ohio: $6,000 for the Youngstown Journeys program at Youngstown Metropolitan Housing Authority sites.
• Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries: $12,500 for the Super Kids after-school program.
• Honeycomb Arts & Wellness Collective: $5,000 for operating support.
• Leadership Mahoning Valley: $5,000 to support the relaunch of the program and to provide tuition assistance.
• Limitless Ambition: $6,000 for life skills programs for young women.
• Mahoning Valley Sojourn to the Past: $2,500 to support events during Ohio Nonviolence Week.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship: $5,000 for the Aspiring Entrepreneurs program.
• Our Community Kitchen: $2,500 for operating support.
• Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio: $20,000 for operating support for sites in Youngstown and Warren.
• Promise Community Hub: $5,000 for operating support.
• Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio: $10,000 for Helping Hands-Mahoning Valley.
• Safe Zones: $5,000 for the Beat the Streets community safety and revitalization program.
• The Salvation Army: $7,500 for the Trumbull County Mental Health Drop-In Center.
• Simply Slavic: $2,500 to support Old Scra Adult Tamburitzans musicians traveling to Zagreb, Croatia, for performances.
• Stambaugh Auditorium: $5,000 for the 2023-24 Youth Concert Band season.
• Thrive 10:10: $7,500 for the Getting Ahead In A Just Getting By World program.
• Trumbull Mobile Meals: $5,000 for a backup generator for its kitchen.
• Ursuline Sisters HIV/AIDS Ministry: $10,000 for operating support.
• Ursuline Sisters Mission: $7,500 for education programs.
• Warren Philharmonic Orchestra: $7,500 for operating support.
• Youngstown Blue Coats: $5,000 to distribute warming items at local homeless shelters and camps.
• The Youngstown Playhouse: $5,000 for the 2023-24 youth theater program.
• YSU International Student Welcome Committee: $2,500 for a “welcome” dinner for international students.
• Youngstown Symphony Society: $7,500 for 2023-24 season support.

INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTE FUND

• The English Center of Youngstown: $13,000 for operating support.
• Potential Development School: $500 for the Potential Development Goes Around the World program.
• Simply Slavic: $2,000 for the Old Scra Tamburitzans travel.
• Thrive Mahoning Valley: $3,000 for operating support, in-person language classes and Cinco de Mayo celebrations.
• Ursuline Sisters Mission: $5,000 for the Immigrant Outreach program.
• YSU International Student Welcome Committee: $5,000 for the “welcome” dinner.
• YWCA Mahoning Valley: $2,000 for International Women’s Day celebrations.

WILLIAM SWANSTON CHARITABLE FUND

• Akiva Academy: $10,000 for academic programs.
• Grace AME Church Nursing Guild: $5,000 for the annual Youth Day celebration.
• Heart Reach Neighborhood Ministries: $20,000 for Super Kids.
• Inspiring Minds Youngstown: $10,000 for youth programs.
• Network for Teaching Entrepreneurship: $10,000 for the Aspiring Entrepreneurs program.
• Vision to Learn: $15,000 to expand vision care services for local students.
• Welcome Baby USA: $10,000 for newborn and maternal well-being packages.

WESTERN RESERVE HEALTH FOUNDATION

• National Society to Prevent Blindness-Ohio: $5,000 for the HealthyEyes program.

Published by The Business Journal, Youngstown, Ohio.