Miami County Foundation

## How to Approach the Miami County Foundation

The Miami County Foundation operates as a classic community foundation with deep local roots spanning over 40 years in Piqua, Ohio. Their mission — "to inspire and support people helping people throughout all of Miami County with trust, care, and connection" — signals a strong preference for organizations that demonstrate direct community impact and collaborative spirit.

Key Strategic Considerations:

• Hyper-local focus is non-negotiable. The foundation exclusively funds organizations serving Miami County residents. Your proposal must demonstrate clear, measurable benefit to the county's communities including Piqua, Troy, Tipp City, Covington, Bradford, and surrounding townships.

• Relationship-driven culture. Under Executive Director Lisa Sargent (since July 2024), the foundation emphasizes personal connections between donors and community initiatives. Attending their grant award ceremonies at venues like Heritage Hall at Lost Creek Reserve shows engagement and builds visibility with board members and staff.

• Two bites at the apple. With spring and fall grant cycles, organizations can apply twice annually. If declined in spring, use the feedback to strengthen a fall application — and vice versa. First-time applicants are welcomed; recent cycles have included 3-8 new grantees.

• Start with needs, not budgets. The foundation's leadership has publicly emphasized basic human needs: "We all need to eat. We all need shelter and we all need health care and support. These organizations are lifting people up." Frame your proposal around fundamental community needs.

## Funding Patterns and Priorities

Financial Profile: - Total assets: $16.5 million (2024) - Annual grantmaking: $695,139 (2024), up from $623,976 in 2023 - Total granted since inception: Over $10 million - Typical grant range: $1,000–$12,000 per award - Grants per cycle: 60–76 organizations funded

Grantmaking Trends:

The foundation has shown steady growth in annual giving, increasing from approximately $248,000 per spring cycle in 2023 to $286,835 in fall 2025. Annual totals have climbed from roughly $500K to nearly $700K, reflecting growing endowment returns and donor engagement.

Priority Funding Categories (by frequency of awards): 1. Education — School technology (Chromebooks, tablets), musical instruments, special needs learning experiences, classroom supplies 2. Human Services — Food pantries, utility assistance, homeless services, disaster relief 3. Youth Development — Sports equipment, after-school programs, mentorship initiatives 4. Health & Mental Health — Mental health support services, medical equipment, health clinics 5. Public Safety — Fire and rescue equipment for volunteer departments 6. Capital Improvements — Facility repairs and renovations for nonprofits 7. Arts & Culture — Historic preservation, community arts programs

Scholarship Giving: Separately from community grants, the foundation awards approximately $108,000 annually across 12+ scholarship programs in fields including agriculture, public service, engineering, nursing/medicine, art, and trades.

Donor-Advised and Designated Funds: Beyond competitive grants, the foundation manages donor-advised funds (e.g., the John & Jean Dugan Family Fund) that make directed gifts to specific organizations, and humanitarian grants addressing basic needs for approximately 14 organizations including food banks and health clinics.

## Peer Foundation Comparison

The Miami County Foundation operates in western Ohio's corridor of rural community foundations. Here is how it compares to regional peers:

Key Takeaways:

• Asset parity with Darke County, but lower payout rate. Both foundations hold approximately $16.5M in assets, but Darke County distributes $1.12M annually versus Miami County's $695K — a 6.8% vs. 4.2% payout rate. This suggests Miami County has room to grow its grantmaking or is prioritizing endowment growth for long-term sustainability.

• Complementary relationship with Piqua Community Foundation. Both foundations serve overlapping geographies but at different scales. The Piqua Community Foundation focuses specifically on the city of Piqua with smaller grants, while Miami County Foundation covers the entire county. Organizations in Piqua can potentially receive funding from both.

• Shelby County is a different tier. At $79M in assets and $4.5M in annual giving, the Community Foundation of Shelby County dwarfs its Miami County neighbor. This reflects Shelby County's stronger corporate philanthropy base (Honda, Emerson) rather than a difference in foundation effectiveness.

• Miami County's strength is accessibility. With 60–76 grants per cycle at $1K–$12K each, the foundation spreads funding broadly across many organizations rather than concentrating on a few large grants. This makes it highly accessible to small and emerging nonprofits.

## Recent Activity and Developments

Leadership Transition (2024): Lisa Sargent became Executive Director in July 2024, succeeding Natalie Rohlfs, who departed for a role with local Catholic churches. Sargent brings a focus on strategic grantmaking, donor cultivation, and responsible stewardship of charitable assets. The board leadership includes President Angela Lewis and Director Justin Wurster.

Fall 2025 Grant Cycle: The foundation awarded $286,835 to local nonprofits, schools, and municipalities at a ceremony held at Heritage Hall at Lost Creek Reserve in November 2025. This represented an increase over the fall 2023 distribution of $253,000.

Fall 2023 Highlights: - Distributed $253,000 across 68 organizations - Welcomed three first-time grant recipients: Miami Valley Down Syndrome Association, Samaritan Works, and Troy Historic Preservation Alliance - Funded projects ranging from fire/rescue equipment to teen relationship education - Awarded 14 humanitarian grants for basic needs (food, shelter, transportation, medical support)

Spring 2023 Highlights: - Awarded $248,056 across 76 grants - Eight first-time recipients received funding - Notable grants included $11,150 to The New Path, Inc. and $4,489 to Piqua Catholic School

Website Redesign: The foundation launched a redesigned website (miamicountyfoundation.org) built on Wix, with updated information about grant applications, scholarship opportunities, and community impact. Grant applications have transitioned to online-only submission via fillable PDF.

Cumulative Impact: The foundation has now surpassed $10 million in total grants distributed since its founding approximately 40 years ago, a milestone reflecting sustained commitment to Miami County communities.

## Application Tips for Grant Seekers

Eligibility Requirements: - Must be a nonprofit organization, school, or municipality serving Miami County, Ohio - Applications accepted from nonprofit leaders, teachers, school counselors/administrators, and city/township officials

Application Process: 1. Visit miamicountyfoundation.org/grants for current guidelines 2. Download the fillable PDF grant application 3. Submit online by the posted deadline (typically late February/early March for spring, September for fall) 4. Mail submissions also accepted: PO Box 1526, Piqua, OH 45356 (or deliver to 317 N. Wayne St., Piqua, OH)

Tips to Strengthen Your Application:

1. Quantify community impact. The foundation funds 60–76 grants per cycle, meaning competition is moderate but grants are modest ($1K–$12K). Show exactly how many Miami County residents your project will serve and what measurable outcomes you expect.

2. Align with "people helping people." The foundation's mission centers on human connection. Proposals that show volunteers, community partnerships, or collaborative approaches will resonate more than purely institutional requests.

3. Budget realistically for the range. Most grants fall between $1,000 and $5,000. Requesting $3,000–$5,000 for a specific, well-defined project is more compelling than asking for $10,000+ for general operations.

4. Highlight first-time applicant status. The foundation has consistently welcomed new grantees (3–8 per cycle). If you are a first-time applicant, explicitly note this — the foundation appears to value expanding its reach.

5. Address basic needs directly. Executive Director Lisa Sargent has emphasized food, shelter, and healthcare as core priorities. If your project touches these areas, lead with that connection.

6. Apply to both cycles. You can submit applications for both the spring and fall rounds. Different projects or different phases of the same initiative can be proposed across cycles.

7. Contact the office early. Call (937) 773-9012 to discuss your project before applying. The staff is small and relationship-oriented — a brief conversation can help you understand fit and expectations.

8. Consider complementary funding. If you operate in Piqua, also apply to the Piqua Community Foundation. If your work spans multiple counties, explore the Darke County Foundation or Dayton Foundation as additional sources.