MANSFIELD – The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved setting up a new fund and $1,475,213 in grants to area nonprofit organizations during its October meeting.
A Gift of Grain Fund was established by the Board to accept donations from area farmers, and it provided an initial $15,000 to seed the fund. Farmers looking to minimize their tax liability and contribute to their community can donate crops to the Foundation at a local elevator. The Foundation will work in partnership with local farmers to award grants to agriculture related nonprofit organizations such as 4H and FFA. Farmers should consult with their tax advisor to determine whether a donation of commodities is appropriate to their tax situation. For details on how to make a Gift of Grain, go to the “Giving” tab on richlandcountyfoundation.org. The Board awarded a grant to partially fund a senior housing complex planned by the Area Agency on Aging District 5. The funds used for this grant were the Community Fund and the Gorman Fund. The Ritter’s Run project on Ohio Street in Mansfield is a ranch-style apartment complex designed to serve low-income adults ages 55 and older. The handicap accessible development will include support services, affordable rent, utilities, appliances, and off-street parking.
The Board approved a grant from a donor-advised fund to Catholic Charities for two of its programs; the 3E program, Empower, Encourage and Engage, and Adult Advocacy Services. The 3E program assists individuals to overcome barriers to employment. Adult Advocacy Services provides guardianship services to older adults who have been deemed incompetent, have a diagnosed incapacity, and do not have family members to advocate on their behalf to protect them against abuse, neglect, or exploitation.
The Board of Trustees approved additional grants from donor advised funds to meet emerging needs to the following organizations:
American Red Cross
Area Agency on Aging District 5
Backcountry Concerts, Inc.
Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo
Crestview Local School District
City of Mansfield
Forgotten Felines of Richland County
Friends of the Richland County Park District
Heaven’s Gait Therapeutic Riding
Humane Society of Richland County
Idea Works
Kingwood Center Gardens
Little Buckeye Children’s Museum
Lucas Community Center
Madison Adult Education
Madison Local School District
Make-A-Wish Foundation
Mansfield Area Y
Mansfield Art Center
Mansfield City Schools
Mary McLeod Bethune Intervention and Enrichment Center
Mid-Ohio Civic Opera
Mid-Ohio Educational Service Center
Monroe Township
North End Community Improvement Collaborative
Ohio Bird Sanctuary
Ohio Genealogical Society
Ohio State University – Mansfield
Pioneer Career and Technology Center
Plymouth Area Historical Society
Project One
Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center
Reinhardt University
Renaissance Performing Arts
Resurrection Parish
Richland Academy of the Arts
Richland County Soil and Water Conservation District
St. Peter’s Parish and School
Shelby YMCA
Soldiers and Sailors Museum
Village of Bellville
Waleska United Methodist Church
About the Richland County Foundation
The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501(c) (3) organization, was established in 1945 as a way for individuals to pool and invest their gifts for the long-term good of Richland County and its residents.
The Foundation helps people in Richland County give back to their community by investing their gifts for charity wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county’s citizens. Working together with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future.