The Cleveland Foundation makes most of its grants to tax-exempt agencies classified as 501(c)(3) organizations (public charities as defined by the Internal Revenue Service) in Cuyahoga, Lake, and Geauga counties. Some grants are also made to government agencies and churches. Grants to organizations fall within two categories:

1. Responsive: About one-third of our flexible grantmaking dollars are given in response to direct requests from the community. In general, we give priority to those projects that improve access to services and programs for vulnerable and underserved populations; strengthen nonprofit organizations; test new ideas and different partnerships; and support policy and advocacy.
2. Proactive: About two-thirds of our flexible grantmaking dollars are awarded proactively in areas judged most vital to Greater Cleveland’s future. Grants in these areas are generally made to our long-term partners with the goal of creating significant, widespread impact.

You can find a listing of recent grants here. Also, sign up for our e-newsletter, where you will get the latest foundation news, including recent grants, delivered directly to your e-mail inbox. You can subscribe to our e-newsletter via the button at the bottom of this page.

There are four basic steps to applying for a grant:

1. Get a username and password for our online system
2. Complete your organization's profile.
3. Submit a grant inquiry online.
4. Once the inquiry is reviewed, you may be invited to complete the full grant application.

Grants from donor-advised funds are made to nonprofit organizations based on the donor’s areas of interest. Therefore, applications are not necessary. Your profile can be reviewed by staff working with donor funds, which is why it is a good idea to keep your profile updated regularly.  

We generally do not have deadlines as grant applications are reviewed as they are received. Our Lake-Geauga Fund and Affiliated Funds do have individual deadlines, so be sure to check our website for those dates.

Contact Grants Management at 216-615-7254 or email.

We do not provide assistance with writing proposals. However, we suggest you contact Candid, which frequently conducts workshops on proposal writing, among other services. Visit its website to find a location near you. 

A good resource for both individuals and organizations is Candid. It does not provide funding, but it is well equipped to provide online resources to help grantseekers identify appropriate funders and develop targeted proposals. Visit its website to find a location near you.

Once your application is received, a program officer or director is assigned to review your request and can answer any questions and provide guidance regarding the timetable for making a decision. Grant applications that request significant amounts of funding, those that deal with complex or new programs, or those that have significant unanswered questions will likely require longer review times. In these cases, you should allow eight to 10 weeks for full review of your proposal from submission of the grant inquiry to decision.

You can log in to Grants Gateway to review the submission status of your application or email Grants Management.

We do not set a limit on the number of times an organization can apply for funding. Generally we prefer that organizations use discretion and submit requests only for top-priority projects and programs.

While program officers have specific areas of interest and experience, they are all available to help you through the application process. Meet the members of the community responsive grantmaking team.

Yes, each application is considered on its own merits.

Our preference is that you apply first. It's always easier to discuss a project or program once your ideas are written. The grant inquiry serves as an introduction and summary of your project. It's a good way to get a quick reaction to your idea. Staff may contact you if a meeting or more information is necessary.

There is a wide range in the dollar amounts of grants awarded. Organizations should request the amount actually needed to successfully complete the proposed project.