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Mansfield Rising Allocated $1.5M Over Five Years

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved a five-year, $1.5M investment plan for Mansfield Rising projects during its February meeting. This year money was allocated to encourage downtown development, improve facades on existing businesses, increase the number of public facilities, public art, and free public Wi-Fi. Future investments are for wayfinding, linear parks and multi-use public spaces for gathering.   

 "The 5-year budget allows us to work with the Mansfield Rising Committee to formalize a road map of opportunity," Foundation President Brady Groves said. 

The vision is for Mansfield to become an optimal place to conduct business, gather and live. The plan has 39 projects and the Foundation is seeking collaborators and partners in all these projects. 

This is a plan for any organization, business, citizen, or group looking to get involved. In order to be successful, this must be a comprehensive effort. The execution phase needs to be just as collaborative as the development one.  

Costs range from sweat equity to millions of dollars. The Foundation will continue to lead, convene, guide, and fund efforts that support this plan. It will be implemented at various speeds and through various organizations with a result of a better downtown.    

Mansfield Rising projects funded by several organizations in 2019 were a community-wide branding effort and a mid-block crosswalk on West Fourth Street that included additional traffic calming measures. The Mansfield Rising committee knew community branding was the logical first step to take in order to move forward with all the other projects to follow. The committee meets monthly to review progress.

The funders for 2019 projects were the Foundation, the City of Mansfield, Destination Mansfield, Mechanics Bank, Richland Bank, OhioHealth, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, Richland County Commissioners and Richland County Regional Planning.

In 2018, the City of Mansfield passed a $5 license plate tax to fund projects in downtown Mansfield between Sixth and First Streets (north and south) and Adams and Bowman Street (east and west.) It is expected to raise about $220,000 annually over the next 12 years for a total of over $2.5M.  

To review the plan, go to /community-impact/mansfield-rising

February 11, 2020

Foundation approves over $2.3M in grants to nonprofits

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved grants totaling $2,315,102 during its February meeting. 

The Foundation will celebrate its 75^th Anniversary this year with free community events throughout Richland County. Grants were awarded to various nonprofit organizations to host free events.  Details on how to attend the free events will be released in April. 

The Board approved a five-year, $1.5M investment plan for Mansfield Rising projects. This year money has been allocated to encouraging downtown development, improve facades on existing businesses, increase the number of public restrooms, public art, and free public Wi-Fi. The Foundation is seeking partners to help fund and work on Mansfield Rising projects. To review the entire Mansfield Rising Plan click here: https://adobe.ly/2NssFMH

Four career technical education scholarships were approved for students to earn certifications and credentials at technical institutions. The Scholarship Committee implemented a rolling deadline for CTE scholarships to meet various enrollment deadlines. In 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.

The deadline for college scholarship applications is April 1.  

Three competitive grants were awarded:
Flying Horse Farms for Summer Camp for children with serious illnesses
Raemelton Equestrian Center for equine-based therapy scholarships
Women’s Fund for an endowment campaign 

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor-advised funds which allows individuals and families the opportunity to make grant suggestions to 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 Club of Mansfield
American Red Cross
Ashland University
Avita Health System Foundation
Capital Research Center
Catalyst Life Services
Catholic Charities
Domestic Violence Shelter
First Congregational Church
Friendly House
Harmony House
Humane Society of Richland County
Judicial Watch
Leadership Institute
Lifeline of Ohio
Lucas Community Center
Lucas Local Schools
Madison Summer Baseball League Inc.
Mansfield Area Y
Mansfield Art Center
Mansfield Christian School
Mansfield Rotary Club
Mansfield Richland County Public Library
Mid-Ohio Youth Mentoring
MIT Cambridge
Nature Conservancy
Neos
OhioHealth MedCentral Health System
Ontario Police Department
Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center
Richland Community Development Group
Richland County Habitat for Humanity
Salvation Army
Shelby Helpline Ministries
United Way of Richland County
Western Reserve Academy
Willard Church of the Nazarene

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 new suitable organizations.  

The following organizations received grants from donor-designated and agency funds:
AA/Mansfield Intergroup
American Guernsey Foundation
American Red Cross
Ashland University
Buckeye Council Boy Scouts of America
Catalyst Life Services
Center for Individual and Family Services
Children’s Dyslexia Center
Children’s Theatre Foundation
Clear Fork Valley Foundation
Community Action for Capable Youth
Discovery School
Domestic Violence Shelter
Downtown Mansfield Inc.
First Christian Church, Mansfield
First Congregational Church
Friendly House Association
Friends of Gorman Nature Center
Habitat for Humanity Richland County
Hospice of North Central Ohio
Kingwood Center Gardens
Lucas Local Schools
Malabar Farm Foundation
Mansfield Richland Public Library
Mansfield 1^st Evangelical Presbyterian Church
Mansfield Area Y
Mansfield Art Center
Mansfield Aviation Club
Mansfield Cancer Foundation
Mansfield Cancer Foundation – Pat Kracker
Mansfield Christian School
Mansfield City Schools
Mansfield Memorial Homes
Mansfield Playhouse
Mansfield Police Department
Mansfield Rotary Club Foundation, Inc.
Mansfield/Richland Public Library
Methodist Theological Seminary
North Central Ohio Alzheimer’s Association
North Central Ohio Land Conservancy
North Central State College
North Central State College Foundation
North End Community Improvement Collaborative
Ohio Bird Sanctuary
Ohio Genealogical Society
OhioHealth Foundation
OhioHealth Mansfield Hospital
Ohio State College of Medicine
Ohio State University – Mansfield
Ontario Local Schools
Ontario Police Department
OSU/NCSC Photo Arts Programs
Pioneer Career and Technology Center
Renaissance Performing Arts Association
Renaissance Theatre
Richard David Gardner Fund
Richland Academy of the Arts
Richland Carrousel Park
Richland County Children’s Services
Richland County Historical Society
Richland County Museum
Richland Newhope Center
Richland Newhope Industries
Richland Pregnancy Services
Salvation Army
St. John’s Church
The New Store
Third Street Family Health Services
Trapshooting Hall of Fame Inc.
United Way of Richland County
University Club
Volunteers of America
Women’s Fund
Y Aware

February 11, 2020

Mansfield Rising Branding Project Funded by RCF

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $524,558 in grants during its December meeting. 

As part of the Mansfield Rising Plan, the Foundation approved a grant to spearhead a community branding effort. The grant was awarded to Richland Community Development Group to hire Cubic Creative of Tulsa, OK to research and collect data to build an authentic brand story. The Mansfield Rising team determined a cohesive powerful and positive story will foster economic development efforts, tourism, talent attraction and build civic pride. 

Other organizations funding the branding project are Destination Mansfield, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, Mechanics Bank, Richland Bank, and the Richland County Commissioners. 

Mansfield Rising is a citizen led plan backed by the Foundation to continue the revitalization of downtown Mansfield. For more details go to richlandcountyfoundation.org and click the Community Impact tab. 

Other community grants approved by the board of trustees are:

Junior Achievement to expand its programs in Richland County schools

Domestic Violence Shelter to hire a development director

Salvation Army to provide emergency social services to low-income residents

The Board of Trustees also approved other grants to meet emerging needs to the following organizations:

Alzheimer’s Association of Northwest Ohio

Ashland Schines Theater

Blue Rose Mission

Boy Scouts of America, Buckeye Council

Catalyst Life Services

Catholic Charities Diocese of Toledo

City of Mansfield

Clear Fork Valley Foundation

Community Foundation of Otsego County

Cooperstown Food Pantry

Costeau Society

Crawford United Way

Discovery School

Domestic Violence Shelter

Family Planning of South Central New York

First Congregational Church

Friendly House

Friends of Gorman Nature Center

Funk Heritage Center

Galion Community Center YMCA

Galion Community Foundation

Harmony House

Healthnetwork Foundation

Humane Society of Richland County

Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio

Linden Road Presbyterian Church

Little Buckeye Children’s Museum

Love in the Name of Christ

Lucas Community Center

Malabar Farm Foundation

Mansfield Area Y

Mansfield Art Center

Mansfield Kiwanis Club

Mansfield Playhouse

Mansfield-Richland Area Educational Foundation

NAMI of Richland County

Nature Conservancy

North End Community Improvement Collaborative

NEOS

North Central Ohio Land Conservancy

North Central State College Foundation

Ohio Bird Sanctuary

Ohio Genealogical Society

Ohio Heartland Community Action Center

Ohio State University Foundation

Old Growth Forest Network

Ontario Police Department Fund

Pathfinder Village Foundation

Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center

Richland Community Development Group

Renaissance Performing Arts

Richland Academy of the Arts

Richland Carrousel Park

Richland County Humane Society

Richland Pregnancy Services

Salvation Army

Soldiers and Sailors Museum

Southwest Little League

St. Peter’s Music Series

Supporters of Delnor Wiggins Park Inc.

Taking Root Farms

The Brookwood School

The Family Service Association

The Ocean Conservancy

The Springbrook Foundation

Triple 777 Ranch and Equine Rehab Facility

United Way of Ashland County

United Way of North Central Ohio serving Crawford County

United Way of Richland County

Visual Bucket List

Waleska United Methodist Church

Wayne Center for the Arts

December 10, 2019

Women’s Fund Announces the Largest Grant in its History

The Women’s Fund of the Richland County Foundation is excited to announce it has awarded its largest grant ever; $25,000 to Richland County Youth and Family Council for a childcare initiative. The grant was announced during the annual grant award luncheon held on November 13. The “Childcare Support for Step Up to Quality” grant will provide resources to local centers and in-home childcare providers so they can meet Ohio’s new Step Up to Quality standards. The goal is to retain and grow available high-quality childcare in the community. Richland County Job and Family Services provided matching funds of $25,000 for this initiative.

In its strategic plan, the Women’s Fund has committed three years of investment in making quality childcare affordable and accessible to all women. They decided to focus on childcare following a community survey and focus groups.  

The total amount awarded by the Women’s Fund this year is $32,293.82. Grants were awarded to the following agencies and programs:
Mansfield Art Center “Families Rising”
North Central State College Foundation “Essentials for Women Program”
Ohio State University at Mansfield “Voices for Change: A Student Leadership Conference”
Richland Astronomical Society “Astronomy for Girls”
Shelby High School for “GOLD Middle School Mentoring Program”

The Women’s Fund was established in 1996 as a permanent endowment to support programs that benefit women and girls in our community. The fund has grown to over $1.4 million and has now awarded almost $411,000 in grants impacting hundreds of lives.

The Women’s Fund also announced the JoAnn Dutton Volunteer Community Service Award winner; Pam Siegenthaler. Siegenthaler served as the president of the Richland County Foundation for 16 years, retiring in 2010. She currently is the chairwoman for the Third Street Family Health Services Board. She served on the Mansfield City School Board and the Ohio State University Mansfield Advisory Board. She has led the downtown beautification project in Mansfield, volunteers at The New Store and is a literacy mentor at Hedges and Prospect Elementary Schools.

The award was named in honor of JoAnn Dutton, former executive director of the Mansfield YWCA. It celebrates and honors women who devote a significant amount of time and energy in a meaningful way to local charitable organizations.

November 13, 2019

Foundation Funds Community Projects and Emerging Needs

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $700,429 in grants to area nonprofit agencies during its October meeting.

The Ohio Bird Sanctuary received a grant to build a treehouse that will be accessible to students and visitors with physical disabilities. OBS will partner with Animal Planet’s Treehouse Masters to design and build the new outdoor classroom which will include a bridge into the tree canopy.

Other nonprofits that received grants for projects and programs from the community and field of interest funds that are impacting area residents include:

-Catholic Charities to provide individual assistance.

-Dayspring Assisted Living for an emergency exit ramp.

-Richland Public Health for fluoride treatment and dental health education.

The Board of Trustees approved additional grants from donor-advised funds to meet emerging needs to the following organizations:

Bellville Neighborhood Outreach Center

Community Action for Capable Youth

Catholic Charities

Crawford Partnership for Education and Economic Development

Children’s Cupboard

City of Mansfield Community Development

Dayspring

Downtown Mansfield Inc.

Fenimore Art Museum

Glimmerglass Festival

Gorman Nature Center

Grace Episcopal Church

Habitat for Humanity of Richland and Crawford Counties

Harmony House

Idea Works

Kingwood Center Gardens

Little Buckeye Children’s Museum

Lucas Community Center

Mankind Murals

Mansfield Area Y

Mansfield Art Center

Mansfield City Schools

Mid-Ohio Opera

North End Community Improvement Collaborative

Neos Dance Theatre

North Central Ohio Industrial Museum

Ohio Bird Sanctuary

Ohio Environmental Council

Ohio Genealogical Society

Ohio State University Foundation

Planned Parenthood of Greater Ohio

Richland Community Development Group

Resurrection Parrish

Richland Academy of the Arts

Richland Astronomical Society

Richland County Soil and Water Conservation District

Richland Newhope Industries

Rotary Club Foundation

Salvation Army

Shadowcliff Retreat Center

Shelby Helpline Ministries

The Trust for Public Land

Visual Bucket List Foundation

October 15, 2019

Board of Trustees Awards over $300,000 in Grants 

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $304,278 in grants to area nonprofit organizations during its August meeting. 

The board reviewed the $52,561 education grants for the upcoming school year to local teachers for their creative or supplemental programs not covered by school funding. The grants were given to K-12 teachers in public and private Richland County schools to encourage them to develop new programs, projects, or events for their classrooms.

The following teachers received grants:

Clear Fork Valley Schools:

Jessica Wend               Microscopes and Science Supplies

Rich Hoover                 Ohio State Reformatory Field Trip

Rebecca Clapp            Classroom Library

Crestview Local Schools:

Dwight Souder            Aeronautics STEAM

Robin Dawson             DNA Kits

Christy Walter             Read, Explore, Write!

Lexington Local Schools:

Alyssa Crist                  Classroom Library

Lindsey Brokaw           Lego’s and Building Blocks

Cara Pelphrey             Science Discovery Bins

Madison Local Schools

Cheryl Belcher            Lego Simple Machines

Craig Green                 Music Sight Reading

Christine Elder            VEX Robotics

Heather Reynolds        Behavior Management and Social Skills

Mansfield Christian School:

Craig Klotzbach           Surface Water Research

Mansfield City Schools:

Carmen Egner             Math Supplies

Cynthia Colvin             Arts Integration

Heidi Payne                 Classroom Library

Janet Weithman          Scholastic News

Jennie Norman            Gizmo Subscription

Kathy Edwards            Time for Kids and Scholastic News

Kathy Kranch               Social Studies Resource Boxes

Maria Aivaliotis           On-Site History Field Trips

Melissa Vogt               STEM and Literacy Library

Nancy Niedermier      Family Engagement Packs

Sarah Schonauer         Rhyme Time Hot Spot Station

Sherry Vaught             Science Seasons

Stephanie Uhde          Soil Test Kits

Thomas Blike              International Buffet

Wendy Doup               Class Library/Science Centers

Whitney Glorioso        KEEP Books

Robin Burkhardt          Fractured Fairytales

Edward Golden           African American Culture Study Book

Kathleen Heilman       Spanish World Cultures Music and Dance Supplies

Susan Johnson             Museum in a Box

Mansfield St. Mary:

Holly VanDyne            Lego Makerspace

Mid-Ohio Education Service Center:

Chris Jones                  Building Connections and Teamwork

Julie Pfeifer                 Classroom Library

Ontario Local Schools:

Autumn Barry             Feather Friends

Natasha Jolin               Scholastic Short Reads

Mindy Leach               Rooted in Reading

Zack Canfield              STEM Bins

Pioneer and Career Technology Center:

Dan Foss                      Cyber Patriot XII Competition

Robin Hager                Street Law I and II

Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools:

Nichole Carrier           Lego Robotic Kits

Richland School of Academic Arts:

Chelsey Talisse            Musical Instruments

Katelyn Mould             Social Studies Resource Boxes

Grace Larsen               Classroom Library

Kelsie Brooks               Maneuvering the Middle Math

Shelby City Schools:

Carol Mullett               Tower Garden

Callie Callender          Life Skills Activities     

Jami Gilger                  Math Workshop Manipulatives

Temple Christian School:

Betty Liebhart             Physical Education Supplies

Ed Snyder                    Woodshop Tools

Jenessa Jorgensen       Classroom Requests

Kimberly Running        Math Programs

Promise Robinson       Math Aids

Wendy Groff               Life Cycle of Chickens

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor advised funds to meet emerging needs at the following organizations:

American Red Cross

Artis-Naples, FL

Avow Hospice, Naples, FL

Boy Scouts of America – Buckeye Council

Brown University

Catalyst Life Services

Cleveland Clinic Foundation

Conservancy of SW Florida

Discovery School

Downtown Mansfield Inc.

Emma Willard School

Florida Sheriff Association

Grace Episcopal Church, Mansfield

Judicial Watch, Inc.

Kingwood Center Gardens

Mansfield Art Center

Mansfield Memorial Homes

Mansfield Rotary Club foundation

North Central State College Foundation

North End Community Improvement Collaborative

OhioHealth Foundation

Ontario Local Schools

Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center

Richland Community Development Group

Renaissance Theatre

Richland Veterans Mentor Program, Inc.

Rocky Mountain Repertory Theater

Salvation Army

St. Matthew’s House, Naples, FL

August 13, 2019

Scholarships are awarded to Local Students

The Richland County Foundation recently awarded $569,091 in scholarships to Richland County students. Scholarships are awarded based on a student’s financial need and grade point average.

RCF Scholarship Committee Chairwoman Jana Mulherin reported during the June Board of Trustees meeting that 256 students received scholarships from 65 various funds, of those, 86 students will attend a local college or university. The average scholarship amount increased this year to $2,223 over last year’s average of $1,446.   

In addition, the Foundation awarded scholarships to six students attending a trade school. The Board of Trustees earmarked additional money for trade school scholarships to better meet the needs of students and to build a stronger, well-trained local workforce. There is an additional opportunity for students to apply for a trade school scholarship. The online application is due August 1 at richlandcountyfoundation.org. 

If you are interested in learning more about how to set up a scholarship fund to benefit local students at the Richland County Foundation please call 419-525-3020.

June 11, 2019

Nonprofits Awarded over $2M in June

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $2,141,608 in grants to nonprofit organizations during its June meeting.

Projects at area nonprofit organizations that received grants from a combination of unrestricted, donor-advised and field of interest funds include:

The Village of Bellville to purchase playground equipment for Charles Palm Park.

Mansfield City Schools to train teachers to teach a social-emotional learning program in coordination with Mind Body Align.

Richland County Regional Planning for a Better Block Program in downtown Mansfield. This is a Mansfield Rising project.

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor-advised funds to meet emerging needs at the following organizations:

American Red Cross – Richland County

Ashland University

Avon Theatre Film Center, Inc.

Booth Museum of Western Art

Buckeye Council Boy Scouts of America

Children’s Cupboard

Denison University

Domestic Violence Shelter

Downtown Mansfield Inc.

Friendly House

Friends of Gorman Nature Center

Fun Center Chordsman

Harmony House

Lucas Community Center

Lucas Local Schools

Mankind Murals

Mansfield Area Y

Mansfield Art Center

Mansfield City Schools

Mansfield Memorial Museum

North End Community Improvement Collaborative

North Central State College

Ohio Bird Sanctuary

Ohio State University at Mansfield

People Helping People of North Central Ohio

Pioneer Career and Technology Center

Plymouth-Shiloh Local Schools

Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center

Richland Community Development Group

Reinhardt University

Renaissance Performing Arts

Richland Academy

Richland County Children’s Auxiliary

Richland County Youth and Family Council

Ronald McDonald House Charities of Central Ohio

Shelby Local Schools

St. Peter’s Parish

United Way of Richland County

 June 11, 2019

Summertime Programs and Humane Society are on the Grantee List   

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $449,876 in grants during its April board meeting.  

The Richland County Humane Society was awarded a grant to help with a plan to reorganize for sustainability of the organization. That plan includes a newly created position for a managing director to provide leadership in operations, including budgeting and fundraising activities.

The Richland County Foundation is supporting summertime programs focused on children.  The Summertime Kids Committee Co-Chaired by Foundation Board of Trustee members Julie McCready and Jotika Shetty along with members from the community awarded $53,321 in Summertime Kid grants. The grants of up to $2,500 were given to support creative, educational and fun-filled activities for hundreds of Richland County children. 

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor-advised funds which allows individuals and families the opportunity to make grant suggestions to 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:

April 9, 2019

Foundation Supports Children’s Summer Activities

The Richland County Foundation is supporting summertime programs focused on children.  The Summertime Kids Committee Co-Chaired by Foundation Board of Trustee members Julie McCready and Jotika Shetty along with members from the community awarded $53,321 in Summertime Kid grants. The grants of up to $2,500 were given to support creative, educational and fun-filled activities for hundreds of Richland County children. 

Blended Trails Girl Scouts, Day Camp

Blue Rose Mission, Home Repairs and Training

Camp Nuhop, Summer Camp

Children’s Cupboard, F.I.E.L.D. Strong Youth Program

City of Mansfield, Hooked on Fishing, Not on Drugs

Crestview Local Schools, Arts Enrichment

Crossroads City Center, Summer Reading Program

Culliver Reading Center, Camp Culliver

Friendly House, Summer Fun Program

Gorman Nature Center, Critter Camp

Hoops for Youth Foundation, Summer Zone

Hospice of North Central Ohio, Camp Hope

K-City Childcare,  Around the World in 55 Days

Kingdom Grace Fellowship Church,  Zoe’s Learning Center

Kingwood Center Gardens, Kids Day

LifeCare Alliance, Diabetes Camp

Little Buckeye Children’s Museum, Little Helper Program

Mansfield Area Y, Dig In!

Mansfield Playhouse, Madagascar Jr.

NECIC, Soil to Table

Ohio Bird Sanctuary, Friendly House Nature Camp

Prospect Elementary School, Special Summer Second Grade

Renaissance Performing Arts, Camp Broadway

Salvation Army, Summer Zone

Shelby City Schools, Camp Invention

Shelby City Schools, Safety Town

STK grants funded via Field of Interest Funds:

Clear Fork Unstoppables, Youth League

Recreation Unlimited Foundation, Residential Camp for Children with Disabilities

Richland Newhope, Campership Program

March 15, 2019

Foundation supports the Imagination District with $1M Grant

The Richland County Foundation pledged up to $1 million to the Imagination District Project during its February Board of Trustees meeting.

The Imagination District is a collaborative project of the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum (LBCM) and the Renaissance Performing Arts Association to renovate two adjacent buildings on Park Avenue West. It will provide multiple arts and education experiences and be a catalyst to connect the western edge of the city with the rest of downtown, strengthening the core of Park Avenue West for future development.

“The Imagination District meets the goals of the Foundation’s Mansfield Rising Plan which is an investment plan created by 15 local citizens to continue the revitalization of downtown.” said Richland County Foundation President Brady Groves.

LBCM and the Renaissance established an Imagination District fund at the Foundation restricted exclusively to the project. They committed to a joint capital fundraising effort to raise $6 million; $4.5 million for the new LBCM and $1.5 million for the Renaissance Education Center.  Tax-deductible donations can be made to the Foundation for the Imagination District.

Up to $500,000 of the grant award will come from the Leona M. Miles Fund which supports projects to benefit children with developmental disabilities in Richland County. The additional $500,000 will come from the unrestricted/community fund at the Foundation.

The Imagination District project will make the museum accessible to children of all physical abilities.

In 1998, the Foundation received a gift from the estate of Leona Miles to establish a field of interest fund. Miles taught school for 50 years in the Mansfield City Schools, 49 of them at the Grubaugh Elementary School on Western Avenue. She retired in 1979.

One of her proudest memories was being the faculty advisor of the “Western Wind-Up,” the school newspaper which was produced by the students for 43 years and sold for two or three cents a copy. The students gathered, wrote and edited the paper, which carried news, history, creative writing, games, and puzzles.

In a July 9, 1979, News Journal story about her career, Miles said, “Basically children are the same. They want to feel that they are important and they want to do what’s right.”

February 11, 2019

Foundation approves over $2.5M in grants to nonprofits in February

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved grants totaling $2,544,460 during its February meeting. A grant was awarded from the Community Fund and the Leona M. Miles Fund to the Imagination District to expand the Little Buckeye Children’s Museum and Renaissance Performing Arts.

Grants were awarded from Individual Assistance Funds to Mansfield Memorial Homes for Rotary Adult Daycare and Raemelton Equestrian Center for equine-based therapy scholarships.

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor-advised funds which allows individuals and families the opportunity to make grant suggestions to 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:

American Red Cross

Crawford County United Way

Cousteau Society

Discovery School

Domestic Violence Shelter

Friendly House

Galion Community Center YMCA

Galion Community Foundation
Harmony House

Humane Society

Idea Works

Lucas Local Schools

Mansfield Christian School

Mansfield City Schools

Mansfield Mehock Relays

Mansfield Memorial Homes

Mid Ohio Youth Mentoring

Nature Conservancy

New Store

Ocean Conservancy

Ohio Bird Sanctuary

OhioHealth MedCentral Health System

Ohio Heartland Community Action Center

Ohio State University Foundation

Plymouth Area Historical Society

Raemelton Therapeutic Equestrian Center

Richland County Habitat for Humanity

Shelby Helpline Ministries

United Way of Richland County

The board approved 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 new suitable organizations.  

The following organizations received grants from donor-designated and agency funds:

February 11, 2019

Mansfield Rising Plan approved by Foundation

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved a plan to invest in downtown Mansfield called Mansfield Rising during its December meeting.

The Foundation is spearheading the plan, previously known as SXSW419, based on its willingness to think about a civic investment strategy in a new and different way. The plan now will be presented to other organizations for adoption including Mansfield City Council, Richland County Commissioners, Richland Area Chamber of Commerce, Richland Community Development Group, Downtown Mansfield Inc., Destination Mansfield and Richland County Regional Planning.  It will be available to the public in February.

In 2017, the Foundation leadership took an unusual track to develop this investment strategy for Downtown Mansfield. Instead of a hiring a professional consulting firm, it had a citizen-led group create the plan.

With the assistance of Richland Area Chamber of Commerce President Jodie Perry and Idea Works President Jay Allred, Foundation leadership hand-selected a diverse and qualified group of 15 individuals to attend the South by Southwest Conference (SXSW) in Austin, TX. SXSW is a world-renowned thought and ideas festival that brings the sharpest minds in government, technology, business, and entertainment together in one place.

Immersed in a world of innovation and excellence, the SXSW419 team publicly documented their experience with blogs in partnership with local media. The core team experienced hundreds of in-person and digital conversations, presentations, and meetings. This information was crucial to develop the plan along with input and oversight from 28 advisors.

The Foundation engaged the Greater Ohio Policy Center to provide guidance for the plan. GOPC  develops and advances policies and practices that value urban cores and metropolitan regions as economic drivers and preserve Ohio’s open space and farmland.  Through advocacy, research, outreach, and education, GOPC strives to create a policy and political climate to allow communities to stabilize and thrive for statewide economic growth. 

The Board of Trustees also approved $396,759 in grants from donor-advised funds to meet emerging needs to the following organizations: 

Foundation Approves Grants for Community Projects

MANSFIELD – The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $568,627 in grants to area nonprofit agencies during its October meeting.

The Mansfield Art Center received a grant for its Art Rising campaign. The campaign includes funding to build a new arts education building, an events pavilion, renovations to the current building, an outreach program with Mansfield City Schools and support of a new marketing/development employee.

Other nonprofits that received grants for projects and programs from the community and field of interest funds that are impacting area residents include:

-Catholic Charities to provide individual assistance.

-Flying Horse Farms to send Richland County children with serious illnesses to camp.

-North Central State College Foundation to renovate classrooms to include smart technology.

The Board of Trustees approved additional grants from donor-advised funds to meet emerging needs to the following organizations:

Richland County Foundation awards over $1.2M in grants

The Richland County Foundation Board of Trustees approved $1,245,388.50 in grants to area nonprofit organizations during its August meeting.

The board approved a grant to Richland Community Development Group (RCDG) to continue its economic development efforts through 2021.

In 2015 the Foundation initiated a $1.1 million, five-year Economic Development Investment Plan. RCF funded RCDG to fulfill the Business Retention and Expansion, Workforce Development and Business Attraction aspects of the plan. The original plan was to scale-back funding in 2019.

However, in 2016 RCDG merged with the Richland Area Chamber of Commerce. The new partnership is expected to improve the metrics to attract new businesses, strengthen workforce, retain existing businesses and help other communities like Shelby, Ontario, and Bellville with economic development.

Richland County Job and Family Services provided $50,000 each year of the plan to help fund Workforce Development.

In addition to RCDG, the Foundation’s plan has provided funding for a scale-up program to help existing businesses grow, entrepreneurship-related services and a community website, Richland Vital Signs, which tracks local economic indicators.

The board reviewed the $57,493 in educational program grants for the upcoming school year to local teachers for their creative or supplemental programs not covered by school funding. The grants were given to K-12 teachers in public and private Richland County schools to encourage them to develop new programs, projects, or events for their classrooms.

The Board of Trustees approved grants from donor-advised funds to meet emerging needs at the following organizations:

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