Best Madison County Grants for Nonprofits in Ohio

The Enbridge Community Grant aims to enhance the quality of life in North American communities through strategic donations and sponsorships. With funding ranging from $1,000 to $10,000, the grant supports organizations focused on safety, education, environmental stewardship, and Indigenous culture. Enbridge encourages early applications, with decisions typically made within eight weeks. The grant seeks to empower local initiatives that foster community strength, vibrancy, and sustainability.

The FirstEnergy Foundation Grant supports nonprofit organizations within FirstEnergy's service areas, aiming to enhance community quality of life, workforce development, and safety initiatives. Grants are directed towards local economic development and volunteer efforts aligned with corporate interests. However, the Foundation does not fund individuals, political activities, or certain organizations, ensuring support is focused on broad community benefits. Interested applicants should consult local FirstEnergy management before applying.

The Georgia-Pacific Foundation Grant supports organizations in the Metro Atlanta area, focusing on education, entrepreneurship, community enrichment, and environmental sustainability. Established in 1958, the foundation prioritizes investments that align with its mission and values, promoting long-term well-being within communities where Georgia-Pacific operates. Eligible applicants include 501(c)(3) nonprofits, public schools, and local government entities located within 30 miles of GP manufacturing sites.

The AES Ohio Foundation, a leading corporate foundation in the Dayton region, offers Community Impact Grants aimed at improving quality of life and fostering sustainability. With a focus on poverty reduction, workforce development, and promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion, the foundation supports initiatives that address basic community needs. Organizations seeking funding must align with these priorities while demonstrating measurable outcomes and a commitment to equity. The application deadline for 2024 is October 15, 2024.

Graduating high school seniors in Madison County, Ohio and nearby counties who are deaf or hard of hearing can apply for the Dorothy E. Ann Fund (D.E.A.F.) Scholarship, awarding more than US $10,000 for full-time post-secondary education. Administered by The Columbus Foundation, it supports attendance at U.S. institutions, with priority for specific colleges serving deaf students.

High school seniors from Madison or Franklin counties pursuing a full-time four-year bachelor’s degree can receive up to US $10,000 through the Columbus Roast Association Fund. The Columbus Foundation provides Madison County, Ohio students with scholarship support to attend U.S. colleges, helping those with financial need access and persist in higher education.

The altafiber Sponsorships and Donations Program is dedicated to enhancing community well-being by investing in initiatives that promote economic and social mobility. With a commitment to volunteerism and local partnerships, altafiber aims to give back to the communities where their employees and customers reside. This program exemplifies altafiber's mission to provide exceptional services while fostering positive change in the areas they serve, ensuring a lasting impact through strategic investments.

Nonprofits and other transportation providers in Madison County, Ohio that operate open-door shared-ride services for seniors and people with disabilities can receive operating assistance through the Specialized Transportation Program (5310). Focused on accessible transit, the Ohio Department of Transportation reimburses 50% of eligible day-to-day operating costs, with a required 50% local match from non-U.S. DOT sources.

The PNC Foundation aims to enhance the lives of individuals in local communities through partnerships with nonprofit organizations. Their focus includes promoting educational opportunities, particularly for early childhood education, and supporting economic development initiatives. Grants are available for organizations that benefit low- to moderate-income families and enhance community growth. The foundation prioritizes programs that foster sustainability and diversity, ensuring a lasting impact on the communities they serve.

Nonprofits and local agencies in Madison County, Ohio that provide open-door, shared-ride transit for seniors and people with disabilities can apply for contracted transportation service funding from the Ohio Department of Transportation. Section 5310 funds reimburse up to 80% of eligible capital costs when matched with a 20% non-U.S. DOT local share.

Greater Columbus Arts Council

Our mission: To champion and elevate the arts and cultural expression of Greater Columbus.

The Greater Columbus Arts Council supports artists and arts organizations through a spectrum of grant programs, workshops, networking events and services. GCAC also shares a host of resources such as calls for artists, job opportunities, nonprofit board openings and listings of spaces for rent.

GCAC provides marketing services that support artists and organizations through the ColumbusMakesArt.com event calendar, Artist Directory, and Public Art Database. We also produce the annual Big Arts Night recognizing business and individual contributions to the community and the Columbus Arts Festival, the city’s welcome to summer event that takes place each June.

Columbus Motion Picture Incentive

Purpose

The Columbus Motion Picture Incentive (CMPI) fuels the growth of the film industry in Central Ohio by encouraging productions to hire local talent, utilize regional resources, and film within the area—all while supporting local filmmakers and strengthening the creative economy.

The Columbus Motion Picture Incentive (CMPI) is open to any production company, whether local or international, that spends a minimum of $150,000 in Franklin and surrounding counties.

The Small City Program in Ohio allocates federal funds to small cities with populations between 5,000 and 24,999, not included in Metropolitan Planning Organizations. With an annual budget of $10.5 million, this program supports road, safety, and signal projects. The funding covers up to 80% of eligible construction costs, and a scoring system prioritizes projects based on various factors, ensuring effective use of resources and improved transportation infrastructure for eligible communities.

DOH 59808- Rural Health Transformation Program- Healthier Ohio Initiatives - Preventing and Addressing Chronic Disease- Track One

Project Background:

The Rural Health Transformation Program (RHTP) was authorized by the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (Section 71403 of Public Law 119-21) and empowers state to strengthen rural communities by improving healthcare access, quality and outcomes by transforming the current system. Five key strategic goals of the program, as defined by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid (CMS) are:

• Make Rural America Healthy Again
• Sustainable access
• Workforce development
• Innovative Care
• Technology Innovation

Ohio’s plan aligns with federal priorities to improve the health of rural residents by building an innovative movement to bridge medicine and preventive behaviors into a holistic and collective impact approach to improve chronic disease outcomes. This Request for Proposals (RFP) is designed to strengthen preventive and clinical care for improved blood glucose and hypertension indicators across Ohio’s 73 non-urban counties (See Appendix B. Applicants could be but not limited to the following:

• State-level associations that support implementation in multiple clinics, health centers, and/or hospitals.
• Regional collaboratives or health system with multiple locations.
• Individual hospitals, health centers and clinics

Project Objective:

Based upon data analysis from Ohio’s State Health Assessment, including a supplemental deep dive into Appalachian health, 2025 Summary Assessment of Older Ohioans, the Ohio Chronic Disease Atlas 2025, and other publicly available data, Ohio seeks to reduce the prevalence and mortality rates associated with chronic disease. The collective aim of the strategies is:

to reduce hemoglobin A1C for patients diagnosed with prediabetes and diabetes by 10% and

to manage blood pressure at clinically appropriate levels for patients diagnosed with hypertension.

Nonprofit and charity organizations in Madison County, Ohio can seek funding for education, community services, and environmental initiatives. Focused on creating long-lasting community investments, the Makulinski Family Foundation invites proposals, including those associated with Rotary, and may provide matching support in time or money based on beneficiary need.

Nonprofit organizations providing early childhood education and school-readiness programs in Madison County, Ohio can access funding through the PNC Foundation’s Grow Up Great initiative. Grants support work with children from birth to age five, including vocabulary development, social-emotional learning, math, science, and arts-focused activities that strengthen families and communities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations or those with a fiscal agent serving women and girls in Madison County, Ohio can access funding through the Women’s Fund of Central Ohio for programs advancing women’s rights, equality, and economic empowerment. Eligible projects use an intersectional gender lens to disrupt gender norms in areas like leadership, health, civic engagement, and wealth-building.

The Jean Griswold Foundation

The Jean Griswold Foundation (JGF) is a non-profit organization dedicated to supporting Caregivers through educational opportunities and scholarships. 

Our Mission

The mission of the Jean Griswold Foundation is to support Caregivers by providing educational scholarships* to enable them to further their training, enhance their careers, and better assist the clients they serve.

By offering educational scholarships*, our Foundation will not only make a positive impact on the Caregivers themselves, but also the clients they assist and the home healthcare agencies where they are employed, as well as help advance the overarching home-care industry.

Scholarships will be paid directly to the federally accredited educational institutions of the winning Scholars’ choosing.

Empowering Caregivers Through Education

The Jean Griswold Foundation Scholarship Program awards scholarships to deserving Caregivers who wish to further their education in a care-related field. Applicants do not have to be associated with Griswold in any way, and the funds will be paid directly to the institution where the caregiver will be receiving education.  

Our Winter 2026 Scholarship Application period is now open! Applications will be accepted until 11:59pm ET August 31, 2026. Join our email list to get the first notice of all Scholarship happenings.  

Where would we be without Caregivers? 

Their selflessness is astounding, yet they are often overlooked and underappreciated. 

The Jean Griswold Foundation is dedicated to supporting Caregivers, the backbone of the care industry. We provide educational scholarships so Care Professionals can further their training, enhance their skills, elevate their careers, and better assist the people they serve.

Public and charter schools in Madison County, Ohio serving at least 40% free and reduced-price lunch students can apply for Project Lead The Way’s PLTW Engineering New Program grant, awarding US $40,000 for launching and expanding PLTW Engineering courses. Funds cover participation fees, required technology, equipment, supplies, and PLTW Core Training costs.

Public and charter schools in Madison County, Ohio serving at least 40% free and reduced-price lunch students can receive US $20,000 to launch new PLTW computer science programs. With a mission to expand STEM education, Project Lead The Way and Burns & McDonnell fund fees, required technology, equipment, supplies, and PLTW Core Training over two years.

Friends of NRA

Friends of NRA is the National Rifle Association’s premier fundraising program, supporting the future of shooting sports. Since day one, Friends of NRA has been a 100% grassroots effort fueled by a united front to secure the Second Amendment and raise money for the shooting sports.

Committee volunteers are appointed to State Fund Committees to make recommendations for local grant funding in areas such as youth education, women-focused clinics, law enforcement training, hunter safety, range improvement, firearms and marksmanship training and safety. Recognizing the impact American youth has on the future of the shooting sports, State Fund Committees frequently recommend grants for youth programs, allocating the most significant portion of monies to this vital area.

Grant awards fund activities and support programs in the United States to promote firearms and hunting safety, to enhance marksmanship skills of those in the shooting sports, and to educate the public about firearms in their historic, technological and artistic context.

Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program - Ohio

The Friends of NRA State Fund Grant Program provides supplies, equipment, and financial support to a variety of qualified groups and programs at the local level; geared towards youth, women, law enforcement, veterans, the disabled, and the general public, including:

• General shooting programs
• Competitive shooting
• Education, training and safety
• Hunting and conservation
• Community outreach
• Historical education

Grant funding must be used to further a charitable purpose as defined by the Internal Revenue Code under section 501(c)(3) and accompanying rules, regulations, and other IRS law and materials.

Nonprofit, neighborhood-based organizations in Madison County, Ohio can seek funding to create or rehabilitate local football fields through the NFL Foundation Grassroots Program, delivered by Local Initiatives Support Corporation. Grants of up to US $250,000 support capital improvements that enhance the quality, safety, and accessibility of community football facilities.

Nonprofit 501(c)(3) organizations in Madison County, Ohio and AES Ohio’s 24-county service area can seek US $50,000 - US $100,000 Power Grants for innovative community-impact programs. Grants from AES Ohio Foundation help fund basic needs, health and human services, education and employment readiness, the arts, and affordable housing initiatives that advance diversity, equity, and inclusion.

Public and charter schools expanding PLTW computer science programs in Madison County, Ohio can receive US $10,000 to add courses, sections, or teacher training. With a mission to grow STEM and computer science education access, Project Lead The Way and Burns & McDonnell fund participation fees, required technology, equipment, supplies, and PLTW Core Training costs.

Madison County, Ohio 501(c)(3) nonprofits addressing food access, homelessness, or military and veterans services can access funding through the SpartanNash Foundation if they are within 30 miles of a SpartanNash store, office, or distribution center. Grants support local “Hunger, Heroes and Hope” initiatives in communities served by SpartanNash.

Howard T. Short and Burdette Augsburger Scholarship Fund of the Legacy Fund

The fund was established to benefit gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender students pursuing post-secondary education at a central Ohio college or university or Wilmington College in Wilmington, Ohio.

Award Amount:

• Minimum $500

Emergency response organizations in Madison County, Ohio can seek US $1,000 - US $10,000 to purchase safety equipment, provide professional training, or deliver safety education programs. With a mission to strengthen community safety, Enbridge provides fire departments, EMS, 9-1-1 centers, ambulance services, emergency management, and law enforcement near its operations with this support.

Spectrum Digital Education Grants support nonprofit organizations in educating communities about broadband benefits and usage. These grants aim to bridge the digital divide, particularly for seniors and those with disabilities or ethnically diverse backgrounds. Applicants must demonstrate community partnership, address specific needs, and provide measurable impact metrics. With a focus on financial feasibility and meaningful outcomes, this initiative ensures that underrepresented urban and rural communities gain access to essential digital resources, fostering long-term improvement in their lives.