Lake Geauga Fund awards $325,000 to transformative projects in Lake and Geauga counties

AUGUST 18, 2026 – The Lake Geauga Fund of the Cleveland Foundation has awarded $325,000 to support organizations leading transformative projects in Lake and Geauga counties, marking a new era in the Fund’s 38-year history.  

The award represents the first round of grantmaking from the Fund following a two-year community planning process to access and maximize its impact into the future.   

The Fund now supports three focused impact areas: Capital projects for long-term transformation; projects targeting economic and workforce conditions for businesses and residents; and infrastructure and systems projects that help achieve impactful outcomes. 

“Lake and Geauga counties have unique community needs that require unique funding solutions,” said Richard J. Frenchie, chair of the Lake Geauga Fund Advisory Committee. “I’m proud of the community work over the past two years to make sure the Lake Geauga Fund is set up to support growth and capacity for vital nonprofits in our area for years to come.” 

By partnering with the Cleveland Foundation to steward the Fund, the seven-member Advisory Committee helps define the priorities of the Lake and Geauga communities, and Cleveland Foundation’s philanthropic and investment teams help to grow the assets of the Fund. 

Grantee organizations and projects include:

• Crossroads Health, to continue its work toward achieving Federally Qualified Health Center (FQHC) status to expand access to its behavioral and integrated healthcare services and comprehensive care for low-income, uninsured and medically vulnerable populations in Lake and Geauga counties. 

• Extended Housing Inc., for the completion of construction at Windermere Village, an eight-unit permanent supportive housing development for families with a disability and at risk of homelessness. 

• Lake County YMCA, to create an inclusion-focused, barrier-free playground environment featuring adaptive equipment, sensory-rich experiences and more to ensure children of all abilities can play, learn and build relationships together.  

• Lake County Free Clinic, for the launch of a Mobile Medical Unit program to bring free healthcare directly to uninsured and underserved children, adolescents, and young adults across Lake and Geauga counties, helping overcome barriers such as transportation challenges, provider shortages, and gaps in insurance coverage. 

• Lifeline, Inc., to expand its JumpStart Car Repair Program, which helps low- to moderate-income residents maintain reliable transportation, a critical factor in accessing employment, education, job training, and childcare. 

• West Creek Conservancy, to launch critical planning and assessment work for site remediation, ecological restoration and trail development that will transform 108 acres in Painesville Township into a publicly accessible riverfront destination, complementing the nearby Diamond Shamrock revitalization effort. 

• Ravenwood Mental Health Center, to create a sustainable internal training program that will strengthen the skills, confidence and effectiveness of employees by equipping them with expertise in areas such as crisis intervention, suicide prevention, trauma-informed care, client engagement, family support, and risk assessment, helping them better respond to increasingly complex community needs. 

Created in 1988, the Lake Geauga Fund exists to promote community philanthropy, conduct strategic grantmaking, and bring the unique resources available through the Cleveland Foundation to Lake and Geauga Counties. For nearly four decades, the Lake Geauga Fund has built a history of investing in new and catalytic projects, including Geauga Growth Partnership, DDC Clinic and Leadership Lake County. 

The Fund is led by a seven-person Advisory Committee of individuals who live and/or work in Lake and Geauga Counties.  

• Chair: Rich Frenchie, Retired CEO, University Hospitals Geauga  

• Angela Spalsbury, Dean, Kent State Geauga  

• Nicole Parker, Philanthropy Officer, The MetroHealth Foundation 

• Bill Patterson, Owner, Patterson Fruit Farms  

• Kevin Malecek, Director, Economic Development & International Trade, City of Mentor  

• Meredith Ashkettle, Executive Director, Leadership Geauga  

• Dione DeMitro, President & CEO, United Way of Lake County  

The grant process will reopen for applications in January 2027. Any 501c3 charitable nonprofit conducting meaningful work for and with residents of Lake and Geauga counties are eligible to apply. Learn more at Clevelandfoundation.org/grants (select “Other grant opportunities”).