Proactive Grants

In 2020, Akron Community Foundation awarded $150,000 in proactive grants, above and beyond the community foundation’s quarterly reactive grantmaking that benefits hundreds of nonprofits throughout the community.

• Akron Urban League, to help increase the organization’s capacity to lead social justice efforts through the addition of a director of diversity and strategic initiatives, $100,000 (awarded over three years)
• ConxusNEO, to fully convert its training program to a virtual platform and provide innovative community outreach strategies to connect Black residents in Summit County to career opportunities and job preparation resources, $50,000 (awarded over three years)

In 2019, Akron Community Foundation awarded $225,000 in proactive grants, above and beyond the community foundation’s quarterly reactive grantmaking that benefits hundreds of nonprofits throughout the community.

• Direction Home Akron Canton, to help make Summit County a more livable and accessible community for people of all ages over the next five years, $100,000 (paid over three years)
• Greater Akron Chamber, to support the Elevate Greater Akron Initiative, which aims to create an inclusive economy in Greater Akron by intentionally advancing income and employment to address long term equity gaps, $100,000 (paid over three years)
• Women’s Network, to improve on the key findings from its Gender Equity & Women’s Leadership Study, a comprehensive local examination of women in leadership roles, which found that compared to the national average, local women are underrepresented in leadership, particularly women of color, $25,000