MANSFIELD – The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved grants totaling $2,067,053 during its February meeting.

Competitive, field of interest and donor-advised fund grants approved by the board included the following grants:

Wayfinders Ohio, the local homeless shelter, received a grant to renovate a building at 661 Park Avenue East to create a larger shelter. The current shelter at 124 West Third Street accommodates 58 people daily, while the new shelter will house 75 people daily. Last year, Wayfinders assisted approximately 700 individuals. A larger shelter would not only serve more people but also enhance their quality of life.

Catholic Charities received a grant to provide community emergency and adult advocacy services. Nearly one in four households in Mansfield and over 13.5% in Richland County live at or below the poverty level. More than 21% of Richland County renters are severely cost-burdened paying over 50% of their income for rent and utilities.

The Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio received a grant for its Helping Hands program. The grant will offset the cost to house Richland County families at the Ronald McDonald House while their severely ill children are receiving care at Nationwide Children’s Hospital. The cost to house one family per night is $100 per room and families are asked to donate $20 per night to help cover costs. However, the average donation in 2023 was $4.70 per night.

The City of Mansfield received a grant to renovate the historic 1937 Works Progress Administration (WPA) bath house at Liberty Park. The goal is to transform the bathhouse into a pavilion that will serve as a multi-functional community space. The renovated bath house will feature ADA-compliant restrooms, accessible parking, a catering kitchen, outdoor grills, picnic tables, and a small club room for rental and storage.

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor-advised funds which allow individuals, families, and corporations the opportunity to make grant suggestions to their favorite charities. Donor-advised funds are a flexible and convenient alternative to a private foundation. It is also a way to keep charitable contributions anonymous, at the preference of the donor.

The following organizations received grants from donor-advised funds:

Altrusa International Mansfield

Alzheimer’s Association, Northwest Ohio Chapter

Buckeye Imagination Museum

Catholic Charities

Community Foundation of Otsego County, Inc.

Crawford County United Way

Discovery School

Domestic Violence Shelter

Family Planning of South-Central New York

Family Service Association

Fenimore Art Museum

Friendly House Association

Galion Community Center YMCA

Glimmerglass Festival

Grace Episcopal Church

Hartwick College

Heartwood

Helios Care

Highlands Nature Sanctuary

Holy Comforter Episcopal Church

Island Safe Harbor Animal Sanctuary Inc.

Killbuck Water Shed Land Trust

Lucas Local Schools

Make A Wish Foundation

Mansfield Art Center

Marietta College

Morgan Art of Papermaking Conservatory & Education Foundation

Music Academy of Karate & Empowerment

Nature Conservancy

North Central Ohio Land Conservancy

North Central State College Foundation

North End Community Improvement Collaboration

Nuhop Center for Experiential Learning

Ohio Bird Sanctuary

Ohio Environmental Council

Ohio Heartland Community Action Center

Ocean Conservancy

Pathfinder Village Foundation, Inc.

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio

Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center

Red Clay Ranch Equine Rescue & Sanctuary

Red Cross East Central Ohio

Renaissance Performing Arts

Richland Community Development Group

Rubies Women’s Group

Salvation Army

Sierra Club Ohio

Springbrook Foundation

St. Paul Outreach

St. Peter’s Parish

The Accomplis Collective, Inc.

The New Store

Third Street Family Health Services

United Way of Ashland County

United Way of North Central Ohio

United Way of Richland County

The board allocated grants from donor-designated and agency funds. Agency funds are established by charitable organizations and can be endowed or non-endowed. The agency benefits from the Foundation’s professional asset management, which allows the agency’s staff and board to focus on providing services to their constituents.

Designated funds provide annual support to the charities selected by the donor. They offer the added benefit that if the organization ceases to exist the Foundation has the responsibility to ensure that the donor's original intent is met in seeking a new suitable organization.

The board approved grants from donor designated and agency funds to the following organizations:

American Red Cross

Ashland University

Buckeye Council Boy Scouts of America

Catalyst Life Services

Catholic Charities - Mansfield

Children’s Dyslexia Center

Children’s Theatre Foundation

Clear Fork Valley Foundation

Domestic Violence Shelter

First Christian Church, Mansfield

First Congregational Church of Mansfield Ohio

Friendly House Association

Friends of Richland County Park District

Habitat for Humanity Richland County

Kingwood Center Gardens

Mansfield Richland Public Library

Mansfield 1st Evangelical Presbyterian Church

Mansfield Art Center

Mansfield Cancer Foundation

Mansfield City Schools

Mansfield Playhouse

Mansfield Rotary Club Foundation, Inc.

Mansfield/Richland Public Library

Methodist Theological Seminary

North Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association

North Central State College

North Central State College Foundation

Ohio Bird Sanctuary

Ohio Genealogical Society

OhioHealth Foundation

OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital

Ohio State University – Mansfield

Ontario Local Schools

Renaissance Performing Arts Association

Richland Academy of the Arts

Richland County Children Services

Richland County Children Services – The New Store

Richland County Historical Society

Richland Pregnancy Services

Salvation Army

Shelby Helpline Ministries

St. John’s Church

Third Street Family Health Services

Trapshooting Hall of Fame Inc.

United Way of Richland County

Volunteers of America

Wayfinders Ohio

YMCA of North Central Ohio

Career Technical Education Scholarships

The Board of Trustees awarded 18 scholarships to students attending a career technical education school. The Scholarship Committee implemented a rolling deadline for CTE scholarships to meet various enrollment deadlines. Aligning with Ohio’s Attainment Goal, the Foundation wants to help fill the gap between job openings and certified employees as well as lead the way to support workforce development through CTE scholarships.

Special Grants:

YWCA Childcare Resource & Referral

Report for America

About the Richland County Foundation

The Richland County Foundation, a not-for-profit 501c3, 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 wisely so that grants can be made to improve the quality of life for all the county’s citizens. Collaborating with donors, the Foundation meets important needs today and plans for a strong future.

CONTACT: Maura Teynor, chief advancement officer, 419-525-3020 mteynor@rcfoundation.org

Jennie James