Best Jefferson County Grants for Nonprofits in Ohio

About Us

The Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal, based in Reynoldsburg, is the oldest office of its kind in the United States. Its mission is to protect people, property, and the environment from fire and related hazards through education, investigation, and enforcement.

Fire Department Equipment Grant

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal (SFM) is pleased to announce the availability of 2027 Fire Department Individual and Joint Equipment Grant for qualifying fire departments and local government entities. Allowable equipment grant requests include personal protective clothing, SCBA, communications equipment and other miscellaneous equipment. Eligible fire departments must serve a population of less than 25,000, be in compliance with the Volunteer Firefighters’ Dependents Fund outlined in Ohio Revised Code 146, and have submitted incident fire reports for the previous calendar year. The State Fire Marshal is accepting Individual and Joint Equipment Grant applications online only. The Fire Department Equipment Grant application packets are being provided as a worksheet guidance document (Individual and Joint) only. This will allow you to gather all of the necessary information prior to submitting the grants online. Grant award notifications up to $15,000 will be made in the spring.

The Division of State Fire Marshal offers the Fire Department Equipment Grant to qualifying fire departments to buy protective clothing, breathing apparatuses, communications gear, and other equipment. Applications open in winter.

About Us

The Ohio Division of State Fire Marshal, based in Reynoldsburg, is the oldest office of its kind in the United States. Its mission is to protect people, property, and the environment from fire and related hazards through education, investigation, and enforcement.

Fire Department Training Reimbursement Grant

The Ohio Department of Commerce Division of State Fire Marshal is pleased to announce we are now accepting electronic applications for the Fire Department Training Reimbursement Grant for eligible classes completed in calendar year.

Fire Departments that provide primary fire protection to an area with a permanent population of 25,000 or less qualify for the grant. Reimbursement is available for specific fire training classes, including the cost of training manuals and student workbooks up to the maximum amount that is authorized. Training grants awards are subject to availability of funds. Applications are available mid-December through mid-January annually.

The Fire Department Training Reimbursement grant application packet is being provided as a worksheet guidance document. This will allow you to gather all the necessary information prior to submitting the grants online.

Fire departments that provide primary fire protection to an area with a permanent population of 25,000 or fewer may qualify for training reimbursement. Reimbursement covers approved training classes and associated training manuals and student workbooks, up to the authorized maximum.

VOCA/SVAA Grants for Advocates

The Crime Victims Services section is responsible for the administration of the State Victims Assistance Act (SVAA) and the federal Victims of Crime Act (VOCA) grant programs. The funds are provided to eligible crime victims assistance programs operating in public and non-profit agencies throughout the state of Ohio.

The State Victims Assistance Advisory Board and Ohio Attorney General staff make funding recommendations, which are submitted to the Attorney General for final consideration.

Women, Infants and Children (WIC) Administration Continuation Solicitation

Up to 74 grants may be awarded for a total amount of $58,129,373. The maximum funding that will be awarded to each designated service area listed in the FY2027 Local Project Funding and Caseload Plan, Appendix B, in the FY27 Total NOA column. Federal WIC funding may not cover all costs incurred by a Local Agency to administer or operate the WIC Program.

No grant award will be issued for less than $30,000. The minimum amount is exclusive of any required matching amounts and represents only ODH funds granted. Applications submitted for less than the minimum amount will not be considered for review.

The Specialty Crop Block Grant Program provides funding for projects to enhance the competitiveness of crops such as fruits, vegetables, nuts and nursery crops. Grant Proposals must enhance the competitiveness of Ohio specialty crops in either domestic or foreign markets by leveraging efforts to market and promote specialty crops, assisting producers with research and development relevant to specialty crops, expanding availability of and access to specialty crops, and addressing local, regional, and national challenges confronting specialty crop producers. Specialty crops are fruits, vegetables, tree nuts, dried fruits, and horticulture and nursery crops (including floriculture). 

Youth and young adults with developmental disabilities often experience a loss of services and support as they move from school-based systems into adult life. This transition can be especially difficult for individuals in underserved communities, where access to services is limited and navigation is complex. Families may not know where to turn, and many individuals fall through the cracks.

This project addresses these challenges by funding community-based organizations that are committed to outreach, equity, and inclusion. Programs will be expected to identify individuals who are not currently connected to services and help them access individualized supports and adapted community resources. Services must be designed to meet the needs of diverse populations and delivered in partnership with local systems, including County Boards of Developmental Disabilities. 

About BlackRock

We’re a global asset manager and technology provider dedicated to helping more and more people experience financial well-being. We help millions of people invest to build savings that serve them throughout their lives. The BlackRock Foundation which funds and partners with organizations that strengthen financial security for more people,

BlackRock Future Builders

BlackRock Future Builders is a $100 million philanthropic initiative funded by The BlackRock Foundation to expand economic opportunity and power the next generation of America’s skilled trades workers. Through this Request for Proposals (RFP) process, The Foundation seeks to support U.S. nonprofit organizations (i.e., registered 501(c)3 organizations) delivering or supporting high‑quality skilled trades training.

This competitive grant opportunity operates in parallel to other BlackRock Future Builders partnerships and is intended to surface additional, regionally grounded solutions across the skilled trades ecosystem. Organizations may propose direct worker training programs or capacity‑building efforts that enable systems to function more effectively and at greater scale. This first round RFP will be administered by Jobs for the Future (JFF), a national nonprofit that transforms U.S. education and workforce systems.

Focus Areas and Solutions

Applicants may propose worker training or capacity‑building solutions aligned to skilled trades workforce development.

• Worker training interventions may include direct service proposals such as pre-apprenticeship or career navigation programs, workforce training programs, apprenticeship programs, or wraparound participant supports that are supportive of training persistence and completion.
• Capacity-building interventions are organizational and system-focused, rather than in direct service of participants, and may include, but are not limited to, proposals such as ecosystem-building, demonstration projects, technology or tool adoptions, or research, among others.

2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance Grant Program (JAG)

OCJS and JAG

The Ohio Office of Criminal Justice Services (OCJS) is a division of the Ohio Department of Public Safety. By statute, OCJS is the lead justice planning and assistance office for the state, administering millions of dollars in state and federal criminal justice funding every year. OCJS also evaluates programs and products, develops training, resources, and best practices for criminal justice professionals and communities. OCJS has been designated by Governor Mike DeWine to administer the FY 2026 Edward Byrne Memorial Justice Assistance (JAG) Grant Program.

Proposed to streamline justice funding and grant administration, the JAG Program allows states, tribes, and local governments to support a broad range of activities to prevent and control crime based on their own local needs and conditions. JAG blends the previous Byrne Formula and Local Law Enforcement Block Grant programs so that agencies can prioritize their funding needs and choose where to place justice funds.

In 2024, OCJS implemented its strategic plan (PDF). The action items included identifying priority areas for funding and encouraging projects to use evidence-based practices in their funded programs. The “Goals, Priorities and Requirements” section of this document outlines these priorities, and references evidence-based practices for OCJS funding areas. Fiscal year 2026 applicants must continue to follow these most recent guidelines.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Untapped Potential

People with I/DD and their family members will have access to services and resources so they can participate fully in their communities.

Annually, key stakeholders will receive information on the benefits and resources to hire people with disabilities. This will allow employment and self-employment outcomes to improve for people with disabilities.

In Ohio, state policymakers are committed to ensuring individuals with developmental disabilities have greater opportunities for employment and advancement of their careers. Individuals with developmental disabilities can use their strengths and talents to increase their income, have a sense of accomplishment and create their own social identity. Employer engagement is essential to furthering this progress.

Hiring people with disabilities is good for business. However, many employers are not aware of this untapped resource or how to effectively recruit, retain and advance people with disabilities.

Business associations in Ohio promote the growth and prosperity of a specific community, region, sector or function of business, by supporting businesses, attracting new investment, and creating jobs. They offer various services like networking opportunities, advocacy, and resources to help businesses grow and thrive within the community. They act as a voice for the region or community and work to improve the local economy. These can include Chambers of Commerce, economic development organizations, safety councils, manufacturing associations, Ohio Means Jobs Centers etc.

Business associations could be a valuable resource in reaching employers who are not aware of this untapped resource. The Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council (ODDC) will fund a project to reach business associations across Ohio to inform them of the benefits of hiring people with disabilities.

ODDC will support activities that build capacity and systemic change through outreach, training, research, technical assistance, supporting and educating communities, interagency collaboration and coordination, demonstration of new approaches, informing policymakers and eliminating barriers, and system design and redesign.

ODDC will provide funding as outlined below for each year of the project. Proposals should address each year of the project. Proposals should address, if necessary: transportation, accessibility, use of technology, replication, sustainability, if the project reaches entire state or a specific region, cross-disability, and cultural diversity.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Strengthening Advocacy in Ohio

Advocacy: People with I/DD, their family members and others will participate in and have information about a broad range of leadership and advocacy development opportunities

Annually, council will provide support to strengthen a state advocacy organization led by individuals with I/DD, opportunities for people with disabilities to provide other people with disabilities training and expand participation in cross-disability and culturally diverse leadership.

The DD Act, as reauthorized, includes a requirement that every Developmental Disabilities Council address these three areas:

(I) establish or strengthen a program for the direct funding of a State self-advocacy organization led by individuals with developmental disabilities;

(II) support opportunities for individuals with developmental disabilities who are considered leaders to provide leadership training to individuals with developmental disabilities who may become leaders; and

(III) support and expand participation of individuals with developmental disabilities in cross-disability and culturally diverse leadership

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

27PP01FA27: Statewide Legislative Advocacy Training and Engagement (SLATE)

This project will be responsible for conducting an annual, large-scale grassroots advocacy event at the Ohio Statehouse during Developmental Disabilities Awareness Month to connect people with disabilities, their families, and stakeholders directly with legislators and staff.

The project will also be responsible for hosting regular legislative briefing sessions throughout the year to ensure lawmakers and staff have the knowledge and context to make informed policy decisions that benefit people with developmental disabilities.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

UPWARD for Youth: Unlocking Potential with Advocacy, Resources and Development for Youth

(K) (i) DEMONSTRATION OF NEW APPROACHES TO SERVICES AND SUPPORTS. The Council may support and conduct, on a time-limited basis, activities to demonstrate new approaches to serving individuals with developmental disabilities that are a part of an overall strategy for systemic change. The strategy may involve the education of policymakers and the public about how to deliver effectively, to individuals with developmental disabilities and their families, services, supports, and assistance that contribute to the achievement of the purpose of this subtitle.

Advocacy: People with I/DD, their family members and others will participate in and have information about a broad range of leadership and advocacy development opportunities

People with I/DD will learn self-advocacy and leadership skills each year and put the skills into practice

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Leadership in Action

Advocacy: People with I/DD, their family members and others will participate in and have information about a broad range of leadership and advocacy development opportunities.

People with I/DD will learn self-advocacy and leadership skills each year and put the skills into practice.

H.B. 33 states:

• “(B) If the appointing authority is a board of county commissioners, appoint at least two individuals who are eligible for services provided by the county board or are immediate family members of such individuals. The board of county commissioners shall, whenever possible, ensure that one of those two members is an individual eligible for adult services or an immediate family member of an individual eligible for adult services and the other is an immediate family member of an individual eligible for early intervention services or services for preschool or school-age children;
• (C) If the appointing authority is a senior probate judge, appoint at least one individual who is an immediate family member of an individual eligible for residential services or supported living”

By passing Ohio H.B. 33, Ohio will increase the number of people with developmental disabilities serving as members of county boards of DD. In order to ensure members of county boards of DD have an understanding of the DD system and can meaningfully participate, the ODDC funded People First of Ohio to complete an assessment of the needs of current and past members (when available) that participated on executive boards, including County Boards of DD.

• Develop and implement a curriculum and/or tools for people with disabilities to increase their knowledge and meaningful participation on Executive Boards.
• People with disabilities will be involved with the development and implementation of curriculum and/or tools for people with disabilities to increase their knowledge and meaningful participation on Executive Boards.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Regional Self-Employment Teams

Access People with I/DD and their family members will have access to services and resources so they can participate fully in their communities.

Annually, key stakeholders will receive information on the benefits and resources to hire people with disabilities. This will allow employment and self-employment outcomes to improve for people with disabilities.

In June 2024 the Community Life Engagement Team at the Ohio Department of Developmental Disabilities initiated the Self Employment Think Tank.

The Self-Employment Think Tank meets to explore self-employment opportunities to advance economic independence and competitive integrated employment options for people with disabilities in Ohio by bringing together entrepreneurs with and without disabilities, regional business development resources, cross system state agency representatives, and professionals and families supporting people with disabilities.  Through collaboration, participants share insights, business ownership pathways, identify gaps, explore funding opportunities, and key resources, as well as connect with existing networks that promote education and support self-employment.

ODDC will support activities that build capacity and systemic change through outreach, training, research, technical assistance, supporting and educating communities, interagency collaboration and coordination, demonstration of new approaches, informing policymakers and eliminating barriers, and system design and redesign.

ODDC will provide funding as outlined below for each year of the project. Proposals should address each year of the project. Proposals should address, if necessary: transportation, accessibility, use of technology, replication, sustainability, if the project reaches entire state or a specific region, cross-disability, and cultural diversity.

• Develop Regional Self-Employment teams in each of the DODD regions.
• Educate people with disabilities, those supporting them and other stakeholders of resources in the community.
• Support people with disabilities to progress in their self-employment.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Money at Work Grant

(7) with education and support, communities can be accessible to and responsive to the needs of individuals with developmental disabilities and their families and are enriched by full and active participation in community activities, and contributions, by individuals with developmental disabilities and their families; (C) include activities related to interagency coordination and systems integration that result in improved and enhanced services, supports, and other assistance that contribute to and protect the self-determination, independence, productivity, and integration and inclusion in all facets of community life, of individuals with developmental disabilities.

Access: People with I/DD and their family members will have access to services and resources so they can participate fully in their communities.

Annually, people with I/DD will have additional tools to improve employment outcomes as well as make informed decisions to live the life they want.

• Development of methods to increase and improve people with disabilities knowledge and use of the state and federal benefits available to them.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Planning for a Successful Future Grant

(F) providing training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education and rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of, an individual with developmental disabilities.

Independence: People with I/DD will have tools and skills needed to lead self-determined lives.

By expanding support and resources annually, people with I/IDD living alone for the first time and involved in future planning will have improved outcomes.

Development of a method to support people with developmental disabilities and their family members in the Future Planning process.

Notice of Funds Available (RFP): Ohio Developmental Disabilities Council

Empowering Independent Living Grant

(F) providing training or technical assistance for professionals (including individuals providing education and rehabilitation services), employers, or other individuals who provide services to, employ, or are otherwise substantially involved in the major life functions of, an individual with developmental disabilities.

Independence: People with I/DD will have tools and skills needed to lead self-determined lives.

By expanding support and resources annually, people with I/IDD living alone for the first time and involved in future planning will have improved outcomes.

Develop methods to improve the support and resources for those living away from family for the first time.

The National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases (NIAMS) is inviting applications for the Clinical Trial Cooperative Agreement Program. This funding opportunity supports investigator-initiated, interventional clinical trials at various phases. Initial funding will facilitate the preparation needed to start trials, with successful milestones leading to further support. NIAMS emphasizes hypothesis-driven trials that promise significant clinical impact within its research mission.

The FY26 Bone Marrow Failure Research Program's Resource Development Award aims to create a multiomic atlas from human bone marrow failure samples. This resource will be open-access, providing essential data for researchers and clinicians to enhance their understanding of bone marrow failure diseases. A comprehensive Data Resource Sharing Plan is required to ensure timely availability of the developed resource, fostering collaboration within the scientific community.

The DoW Kidney Cancer Early-Career Scholar Award is a unique initiative by the Academy of Kidney Cancer Investigators, established in FY19. It aims to foster innovative kidney cancer research through a mentoring program that pairs early-career scholars with experienced mentors. This program not only enhances research capabilities but also builds a robust network of kidney cancer researchers. By supporting promising scholars, the initiative aspires to advance the field and improve treatment outcomes for kidney cancer patients.

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program Investigator-Initiated Research Award supports innovative, multidisciplinary research projects aimed at advancing the understanding and treatment of Parkinson’s disease. The award encourages collaboration among multiple principal investigators, requiring preliminary data and allowing clinical trials to enhance research outcomes. This initiative is vital for fostering impactful discoveries within the four specified focus areas of the program, ultimately improving patient care and management.

The FY 2027 DoN HBCU/MI Program aims to enhance the research capabilities of Historically Black Colleges and Universities and Minority Institutions. This initiative promotes innovative solutions to naval science challenges while engaging students and faculty in STEM fields. Key objectives include strengthening research infrastructure and fostering collaborative efforts across institutions. White papers are due by September 18, 2026, and should clearly outline the proposed advancements in naval-relevant science and technology.

The FY26 Kidney Cancer Research Program's Idea Development Award supports innovative research that enhances understanding of kidney cancer, aimed at improving patient outcomes. Proposals should feature a strong hypothesis and a detailed research plan, with team members experienced in kidney cancer research. A unique aspect is the Partnering Principal Investigator option, fostering collaboration between two investigators, ensuring comprehensive project development while allowing for distinct submissions. This award emphasizes impactful partnerships to drive advancements in the field.

The FY26 Parkinson’s Research Program (PRP) Early Investigator Research Award supports early-career researchers in Parkinson’s disease (PD) research. It offers two funding levels: Level 1 for fellows requiring a Mentor and Level 2 for independent investigators. The PI must show potential in PD research, with Level 1 emphasizing mentorship and Level 2 needing preliminary data. Research must align with one of the four FY26 PRP Focus Areas, excluding clinical trials.

The Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP), established by Congress in 1988, aims to fund organizations to combat discriminatory housing practices. The Education and Outreach Initiative (EOI) educates stakeholders about their rights under fair housing laws. Key components include the National Media Campaign, which promotes fair housing awareness nationally, and local programs that support community-based outreach. HUD oversees the process, ensuring compliance and monitoring of funded initiatives to enhance fair housing practices.

TheOhio Department of Health (ODH), Bureau of Health Improvement and Wellness, Violence and Injury Prevention Section, announces the availability of grant funds

Any award made through this program is contingent upon the availability of funds for this purpose. The First-tier subrecipient agency  must be prepared to support the costs of operating the program until receipt of grant payments.

The following criteria must be met for grant applications to be eligible for review:

• The Applicant does not owe funds to ODH and has repaid any funds due with 45 days of the invoice date.
• Applicant has not been certified to the Attorney General’s (AG’s) office.

An award from the George and Viola Hoffman Fund may be made annually for student research toward a master’s thesis or doctoral dissertation on a geographical subject in Eastern Europe. Eastern Europe includes the countries of East Central and Southeast Europe from Poland south to Romania, Bulgaria, and the successor states of the former Yugoslavia. Topics may be historical or contemporary, systematic or regional, limited to a small area or comparative.