More than 30 nonprofits across Greater Cincinnati will share $1.5 million in new funding to help strengthen operations, build partnerships, and plan for long-term stability as financial pressures grow.
The grants come through the Better Together Fund, a collaborative effort by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, bi3 Fund, BT RISE, Interact for Health and United Way of Greater Cincinnati.
The annual program aims to provide regional organizations with flexibility to navigate a shifting funding landscape, whether by strengthening leadership, improving internal systems or investing in regional partnerships.
For this round, 34 organizations received awards. Those publicly announced so far include:
Brighton Center, Inc.; Camp BYOC; CASA for Clermont Kids; Catholic Charities Southwestern Ohio; Center for Closing the Health Gap in Greater Cincinnati; Center for Great Neighborhoods of Covington; Children’s Law Center; Cincinnati Preschool Promise; Clovernook Center for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Council on Child Abuse (Talbert House); Dress for Success Cincinnati; Elementz; Greater Cincinnati Behavioral Health Services; Housing Opportunities Made Equal (HOME); Impacting Tomorrow; Kennedy Heights Arts Center; Lincoln Heights Outreach, Inc.; Meals on Wheels Southwest Ohio & Northern Kentucky; Ohio River Way; Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries; Ohio Women’s Alliance; Produce Perks Midwest, Inc.; Recovery Center of Hamilton County, Inc.; RefugeeConnect; Stepping Stones, Inc.; and The Gaskins Foundation.
GCF is holding off on announcing eight recipients while they finish plans with their boards and stakeholders.
“Our nonprofit partners are providing critical – often life-saving – services; strengthening families and neighborhoods; and acting as a cornerstone for cultural vibrancy and economic vitality,” said Rasheda Cromwell, chief impact officer at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. “This funding helps ensure they have the capacity and support needed to continue serving people with dignity, today and for the long term.”
How the funding helps
The Better Together Fund supports three main types of initiatives. Capacity-building grants of up to $25,000 help organizations strengthen leadership, financial planning, strategic direction, and core systems. Shared-services grants of up to $50,000 support joint staffing, co-location, and shared technology, reducing administrative costs. Larger grants of up to $100,000 enable organizations to pursue formal collaborations, mergers, and other integrated partnerships designed to cut duplication and improve outcomes.
While funders have not released details on individual grant amounts or how each organization will use the funding, Ohio Valley Goodwill Industries shared its plans. The organization said it will use its award to expand its Opportunity Center model, which connects individuals and families to housing, workforce development and support services under one roof. The funding will also help OVGI do more to guide families through childcare options, which is one of the biggest hurdles to finding work and achieving economic stability.
“The Better Together Fund represents exactly what we believe in: that when organizations work together with shared infrastructure and aligned goals, we can create greater impact for the people and communities we serve,” said Gladys Ahovi, OVGI’s vice president of community impact and investment. “We’re honored to be part of this inaugural cohort.”
In addition to grant dollars, participating organizations receive consulting and technical support from regional partners, including RevJen, Leadership Council for Nonprofits, OneSource Center for Nonprofit Excellence and Pro Bono Partnership of Ohio.
For Jill Miller, bi3’s president and CEO, the initiative reflects a shared commitment among funders to support the organizations that anchor the region’s health and well-being.
The grant cycle drew strong interest, with 310 nonprofits applying.
“This is a moment to show up for our nonprofit partners and each other,” Miller said. “Through the Better Together Fund, we are mobilizing resources, partnering in the spirit of service, and fostering opportunities for capacity building, innovation, and growth.”
While specifics on 2025 grants are still being worked out, the Better Together Fund partners are already looking ahead. They’ve already started planning the next funding cycle, which will launch later this year.
“When we invest in community, we strengthen health, belonging, and quality of life for everyone who calls this region home,” Miller said.
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