Boots on the Ground Fund awards $702K to nonprofits

Greater Cincinnati Foundation and the City of Cincinnati are distributing more than $700,000 to dozens of grassroots nonprofits working on issues ranging from housing stability and youth development to violence prevention and mental health services.

The organizations awarded funding through the 2026 Boots on the Ground Fund received a combined $702,500 in grants, including $397,000 provided by the city. The fund supports smaller neighborhood-based nonprofits that often struggle to access traditional grant opportunities.

This year’s recipients include organizations focused on workforce development, food access, healthcare, mentoring and community programming across Cincinnati neighborhoods.

“These small, grassroots nonprofits are essential to the strength and vibrancy of our city,” Cincinnati Vice Mayor Jan-Michele Lemon Kearney said in a statement. “They are shaping the lives of young people, supporting resilient residents, and helping create thriving neighborhoods across Cincinnati.”

Supporting organizations that lift up communities

Among the organizations receiving the largest grants of $25,000 were Cincinnati Black Theatre Company, GRAD Cincinnati, Imani Family Center, Little Brothers – Friends of the Elderly, Visionaries and Voices and The Matthew Mangine Jr. One Shot Foundation. 

Other grants included $20,000 awards to organizations such as Queen City Kitchen, Welcome Home Collaborative and Mentoring Young Minds, along with $15,000 grants for UpSpring, Generation NOW and My Brother’s Keeper Cincinnati. 

Smaller grants were also awarded to organizations including Revive Black, Xcellence Ignited and Fernside – A Center for Grieving Children. 

GCF officials said the initiative is designed not only to provide funding, but also to help strengthen long-term sustainability for smaller nonprofits through workshops and technical assistance focused on fundraising, governance, compliance and program evaluation.

Since its inception in 2022, the Boots on the Ground Fund has invested more than $2 million in grassroots organizations.

“This dedicated funding ensures that community-based organizations—many of which are led by and serve historically under-resourced communities—have access to the critical support they need,” said Tiffany Brown, chief opportunity officer at the City of Cincinnati. 

GCF is the region’s community foundation serving eight counties across Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, distributes grants and philanthropic support to nonprofits and community initiatives throughout the region.

As part of the grant process, more than 120 people participated in the capacity-building workshops offered through partnerships with Pro Bono Partnerships of Ohio, Association of Fundraising Professionals – Cincinnati Chapter and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

“These nonprofits are often closest to the challenges and opportunities in our neighborhoods, and their proximity allows them to respond with solutions that are both meaningful and effective,” Brown said.