Area of Impact Funds
The Delaware County Foundation’s mission to strengthen our communities by connecting people through charitable giving is expanded by our Area of Impact Funds. We work between the public and private sectors to inspire dynamic investments and effective partnerships for social change and opportunity.
Arts & Culture
Supporting arts and cultural activities that enrich the lives of individuals, promote interactions among residents, and build community
Strategies:
- Support art experiences for students both in and outside of school, with focus in low-income communities.
- Provide opportunities for all residents to experience culturally diverse arts programming led by professional teaching artists and arts educators.
- Strengthen arts collaborations between businesses, schools and community arts organizations.
Basic Needs
Investing in approaches that combat food insecurity, provide affordable housing, and remove barriers to transportation, childcare, and education for low-income residents
Basic Needs Strategies:
- Prioritize securing affordable permanent housing for low-income families.
- Support programs targeted to provide food and necessities to those in need.
- Support organizations that remove barriers to education, childcare, and transportation to work.
Animal Welfare
Promoting the proper care of animals and the many ways they bring quality to our lives
Animal Welfare Strategies:
- Support promising models, programs and practices that improve the quality of care for animals.
- Improve human-animal connections.
Education
Promoting excellence in education by supporting innovative programs for all ages
Education Strategies:
- Support organizations which ensure that low-income students have the resources needed to thrive in school.
- Provide professional development of early learning providers, teachers and administrators to ensure local schools benefit from best practice research.
- Collaborate between the education system and the business community to retrain adults in new, high-demand skills.
Economic Opportunity
Investing in the workforce of tomorrow by funding programs that build prosperity, create jobs, and enhance the quality of life in our communities
Economic Opportunity Strategies:
- Build interest and awareness in high schools around opportunities in the skilled trades and their earning potential.
- Support collaborative programming between local businesses and technical colleges/Career Centers focused on earn-while-you-learn courses and apprenticeships.
- Assistance to low-income adults pursuing their GED and post-secondary education. Connecting them with affordable childcare, academic counselors, and technology.
Environment
Funding solutions that contribute to a healthier, cleaner, and more sustainable Ohio
Environment Strategies:
- Invest in organizations cultivating and strengthening environmental stewardship.
- Build better relationships between industry and environmental protection organizations.
- Research the impacts and promote awareness of climate change in the county.
Community Crisis Fund
During a community emergency, we will partner with local efforts to ensure that food, housing, and childcare are available to those who have lost the resources on which they depend.
The legacy of the pandemic will extend far past the immediate impacts on public health. Covid-19 presents a challenge of unprecedented complexity and duration for many nonprofit organizations. Our nonprofit partners are challenged with increased demand for their services, increased costs, and lost revenue due to closures and cancellations.
Funding Priorities
Near-term: Initially, grant funding will support nonprofit organizations, which daily address basic human needs and the economic obligations of impacted individuals in Delaware County (e.g., food pantries, homelessness and housing, and utility assistance).
Long-term: As the crisis abates, the Fund will provide grants to nonprofit organizations strained by the increased demand for services or lost revenue due to canceled events or programs.
How will funds be distributed?
To remain responsive to emerging needs, there will not be a formal request for proposal (RFP) process for organizations seeking funds during the outbreak. The Delaware County Foundation board will proactively identify potential partners, solicit guidance on proposed projects from community stakeholders, and recommend awards.
Following the immediate crisis, a formal request for funding will be developed for funds focused on building resilience and capacity in Delaware County nonprofits.
Fund Structure
Grants are limited to 501(c)(3) nonprofit organizations, groups fiscally sponsored by a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, or other charitable organizations able to receive a tax-deductible contribution, such as schools, faith-based organizations, and other public entities.