About our Investments in Northwest Ohio

Through our grantmaking, we will strengthen community access to essential building blocks, from stable housing and nutritious food to quality educational opportunities for youth. We will champion solutions that get to the root causes of community challenges, not just the symptoms. Our support will foster partnerships that build shared power and accountability, and promote proactive, long-term strategies that cultivate well-being, stability, and generational opportunity.

Upcoming Opportunity:

2027 Growth & Resilience

  • 501(c)(3) organizations in Northwest Ohio dedicated to our priority areas of housing stability, food security, and youth education.

    Both current grantees and new applicants are encouraged to review the guidelines and begin preparing their materials in advance of the application opening dates.

  • Applications for Growth & Resilience grants will open in February 2027.

    Growth & Resilience applications may request up to $30,000 for one-year grants to support program operations and expenses as well as small capital purchases that advance organizational growth, program expansion, or resilience in the face of challenges.

    Applicants will be asked to submit:

    • Financial information, including your current organizational budget and recent financial statements.

    • Letter of Support from any community partners that support the work.

    • Narrative responses describing the project or program and its alignment with Foundation priorities, the population and need it serves, expected goals and outcomes, and the organizational strengths and partnerships that support its success.

    • The application will open in February 2027. Awards will be announced in May 2027.

    • Please note that this is a competitive grant cycle. We receive more strong requests than we're able to fund, so submitting an application does not guarantee an award.

    • Final grant amounts are determined at the discretion of the John Henry Eldred Jr. Foundation Board.

    • All eligible applications will be reviewed by a committee of community leaders and foundation staff with the following criteria: project feasibility and organizational capacity; potential impact and reach of the request; demonstration of community engagement and collaboration; and alignment with the Foundation’s priorities.
      For past grantees only: Previous performance on a Foundation sponsored project.

    • Applications must be submitted online through our grantmaking platform.

    • To ensure an equitable review process, late or incomplete applications cannot be accepted, and deadline extensions will not be granted.

  • If you have any questions, please reach out to us at info@jhefoundation.org

Other Opportunities

CAPCITY BUILDING

Specifically designed for small and midsize organizations, one year grants to strengthen internal infrastructure, such as fundraising, marketing, technology, evaluation or strategic planning.

Details about 2027 Capacity Building applications will be available in May 2027.

OPERATIONAL SUSTAINABILITY

Operational, multi-year grants by invitation to returning grantees with demonstrated impact, strong leadership, and measurable success. These grants are intended to provide reliable support for organizations advancing systemic change.

At this time, Operational Sustainability investments are offered by invitation only.