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Columbus Nonprofit Grants 2026 is a grant from the City of Columbus, Ohio, that funds nonprofit organizations serving Columbus residents through two competitive programs: Summer Youth Program Grants and the Elevate! initiative. The Summer Youth Program Grants funded 105 organizations with a total of $7,490,500 to provide academic advancement, career readiness, youth development, and violence prevention programming for young people.
The Elevate! program awarded $10 million to 109 nonprofits in Columbus and Franklin County focused on strengthening capacity for organizations serving families below the ALICE income threshold who struggle to afford basic necessities. The combined grant cycle provided nearly $17.
5 million to 214 nonprofit organizations. Elevate! top recipients received a maximum of $200,000, and 35% of awardees received their full eligible allocation.
Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations serving Columbus residents. Application periods vary by program, with Elevate! applications typically opening in May.
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Columbus Announces 2026 Nonprofit Grants - City of Columbus, Ohio opens in new tab or window Columbus Announces 2026 Nonprofit Grants Published on March 23, 2026 T. R. Massey, trmasseyjr@columbus.
gov or 614-645-6456 City of Columbus Announces Grants for Youth Programming, Community Stability COLUMBUS, Ohio— The City of Columbus today announced nearly $17. 5 million in grant awards to 214 nonprofit organizations through the city’s competitive Summer Youth Program Grants and Elevate! grant initiative.
“At a time of real uncertainty across the nation, we continue to collaborate with trusted community organizations to keep our children engaged and safe, and to strengthen the stability and prosperity of our families,” said Mayor Andrew J. Ginther.
“By partnering with nonprofit organizations in every Columbus neighborhood, we can improve lives and community safety one summer camp, one job training program, one household at a time.
” Summer Youth Program Grants Summer Youth Program Grants have been a key part of Mayor Ginther’s youth engagement strategy since 2020, helping ensure that young people across Columbus have access to safe spaces, mentorship and opportunities to learn and grow during the summer months. This year, 206 organizations submitted grant applications to the city, collectively requesting $24,882,267.
The competitive application review process narrowed that field to 105 nonprofit organizations selected to receive $7,490,500 that will offer academic advancement, career readiness, youth development, violence prevention and other programming and activities to Columbus youth.
The Summer Youth Program Grants complement youth programming offered by City of Columbus departments, including the Department of Building and Zoning Services, Department of Neighborhoods, CelebrateOne, Office of Education and the Office of Violence Prevention, budgeted at $16. 4 this year.
In 2025, city-sponsored programs recorded more than 21,000 summer camp registrations, served more than 205,000 meals and engaged tens of thousands of young people through afterschool programming, sports leagues and outreach activities. Elevate!
is a competitive grant program focused on strengthening the capacity of established nonprofits serving Columbus and Franklin County households with incomes below the “ALICE” (Asset Limited, Income Constrained, Employed) threshold, a measure that identifies families who earn more than the federal poverty level but still struggle to afford basic necessities such as housing, child care, food and transportation.
This year’s program will award $10 million to 109 nonprofit organizations in Columbus and Franklin County. The Elevate! application period opened in May and closed in June 2025, generating 189 applications.
Funding decisions were based on each application’s relative performance in the city’s first-ever applicant-led peer review, allowing for scaled awards rather than requiring full funding of requested amounts. The top 10 recipients received the maximum $200,000 award, and 35 percent of awardees received their full eligible allocation. Thirty-nine organizations are new Elevate!
recipients, alongside continued investment in programs that have previously received funding. To view the full list of funded organizations click here Columbus is the 15th largest city in the United States and one of the fastest-growing metropolitan areas in the Midwest.
With a diverse economy and strong neighborhoods, Columbus is nationally recognized for its affordability, quality of life and proactive approach to fostering growth to benefit all residents. Under Mayor Andrew J. Ginther’s leadership, Columbus is building an equitable and prosperous future as America’s Opportunity City .
Based on current listing details, eligibility includes: Nonprofit organizations serving Columbus residents. Applicants should confirm final requirements in the official notice before submission.
Current published award information indicates Varies Always verify allowable costs, matching requirements, and funding caps directly in the sponsor documentation.
The current target date is rolling deadlines or periodic funding windows. Build your timeline backwards from this date to cover registrations, approvals, attachments, and final submission checks.
Federal grant success rates typically range from 10-30%, varying by agency and program. Build a strong proposal with clear objectives, measurable outcomes, and a well-justified budget to improve your chances.
Requirements vary by sponsor, but typically include a project narrative, budget justification, organizational capability statement, and key personnel CVs. Check the official notice for the complete list of required attachments.
Yes — AI tools like Granted can help research funders, draft proposal sections, and check compliance. However, always review and customize AI-generated content to reflect your organization's unique strengths and the specific requirements of the solicitation.
Review timelines vary by funder. Federal agencies typically take 3-6 months from submission to award notification. Foundation grants may be faster, often 1-3 months. Check the program's timeline in the official solicitation for specific dates.
Many federal programs offer multi-year funding or allow competitive renewals. Check the official solicitation for continuation and renewal policies. Non-competing continuation applications are common for multi-year awards.
Youth Climate Action Fund (City of Columbus) is sponsored by City of Columbus, Ohio (funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies). The City of Columbus, as a Bloomberg Sustainable City, received funds from Bloomberg Philanthropies to distribute as microgrants to youth groups. These microgrants are intended for youth-led organizations implementing new projects related to climate action in Columbus. Projects can focus on climate mitigation (reducing pollution), climate resilience (adapting to climate change impacts), or climate engagement (education and involvement). Projects must be new and located in the City of Columbus, and at least three youth (ages 15-24) must be involved in planning, proposal writing, and execution.
Columbus Youth Climate Action Fund is a grant from the City of Columbus, Ohio (funded by Bloomberg Philanthropies) that supports youth-led local sustainability projects. The fund distributes microgrants ranging from $1,000 to $5,000 to young people working on environmental initiatives in Columbus. Past projects have included rooftop gardens, tree planting, and pollinator gardens at schools and universities. Eligible applicants are groups led by young people aged 15 to 24 that are incorporated as 501(c)(3) nonprofits with a bank account. Projects must be new and located within the City of Columbus.
The Fund for Women & Girls Grant Program is sponsored by The Foundation for Enhancing Communities (TFEC). The Fund for Women & Girls, an initiative of TFEC, makes grants to local nonprofit organizations in specific South Central PA counties. The grants support projects that advance the lives of women and girls by providing opportunities to address basic needs, develop economic self-sufficiency, and strengthen health and safety needs.
VGF grants will be used to develop and/or support community-based entities to recruit, manage, and support volunteers. CNCS seeks to fund effective approaches that expand volunteering, strengthen the capacity of volunteer connector organizations to recruit and retain skill-based volunteers, and develop strategies to use volunteers effectively to solve problems. Specifically, the VGF grants will support efforts that expand the capacity of volunteer connector organizations to recruit, manage, support and retain individuals to serve in high quality volunteer assignments.Applicants that receive funding under this Notice may directly carry out the activities supported under the award, or may carry out the activities by making sub-grants to community-based entities, supporting volunteer generation at these entities.). Funding Opportunity Number: AC-05-25-21. Assistance Listing: 94.021. Funding Instrument: G. Category: O. Award Amount: $6.1M total program funding.