Grants Committee

Purpose

In 2005,  The Community Festival established a formal grants program.  Each winter, the committee reviews applications from community organizations for projects throughout the city.  We fund a wide range of organizations and initiatives.  Awards are celebrated and distributed during our annual membership meeting, which is held in the Goodale Park shelter house.

Learn More

We are proud to announce the following 2010 ComFest Grants Recipients!  In total, they will receive $15,000 in project grants.

Iuka Park Ravine Association to purchase native trees, shrubs, wildflowers, and ferns to enhance the wildlife habitat and increase species diversity and the environmental health of Iuka Ravine located in the heart of the University District;

Earthtouch for supplies including seeds, soil, containers, and lighting for their Giving Garden Program.  GG helps build urban gardening skills and provides people in the city with better nutrition and connection to the earth and the source of their food.  Cafe Bella in the Old North Campus area is a GG partner.  This grant will help Earthtouch partner with food pantries to expand this program;

The Center for Humane Options in Childbirth Experiences (CHOICE) for teaching aids and birthing equipment for childbirth classes, educational outreach programs, prenatal care, homebirth support, and a free community lending library;

Pedal Instead  to build a bicycle-powered lighting system.  This will enable PI to operate at night without the use of generators that run on fossil fuels which offset the environmental benefits of biking;

Columbus Aids Task Force  to purchase safer sex supplies to be distributed to the community through outreach events;

Third Hand Bicycle Cooperative to create two bike trailers that will function as a mobile adaptation of their shop.  One trailer will be a general tuning station with tools and commonly needed parts for educational repair workshops.  The second will house an outreach center featuring literature, membership materials, and 3rd Hand wares;

The Charles School at Ohio Dominican University to help this charter school establish a daily breakfast program to provide the basic nutrition young adults require to meet the demands of a challenging school day;

Westminster-Thurber Community  to support the Eden Alternative program bringing the elderly together with children, plants and pets;

The Peach District to build a prototype juke box out of recylced computer parts that will play local music and be placed in a local coffee shop.  Free Geek will help with the construction and The Columbus Music Co-op will receive the proceeds;

Clintonville-Beechwold Community Resource Center for the Extended Table Program.  Through this program, Local Matters will help the CRC provide classes and demonstrations on the preparation of fresh foods.  CRC staff will work with clients to identify and share family recipes that build on these lesson.

We'll honor these organizations at our annual ComFest membership meeting on May 4th at 7:30PM in the Goodale ParkShelterhouse.  All are welcome. 

The following is a list of organizations that have received funding from The Community Festival.

2006 Friends of Alum Creek Impact Safety
Ohio Patient Network
Friends of Lower Olentangy Watershed
Columbus Institute for Contemporary Journalism
Simply Living Radio Station - WCRS
Friends of the Homeless
Friends of the Ravines
SIDS (Short North Improvement District)

2007
Simply Living Radio Station - WCRS
Friends of Lower Olentangy Watershed
Columbus Children's Theater
WCBE
Cols Institute for Contemporary Journalism (Free Press)
Free Geek
Friends of the Ravinces
Camp Sunrise
Adena Brook Ravine

2008
Free Geek
Impact Safety
Graham School
Clintonville Beechwold Community Resource Center
Friends of the Homeless
Camp Sunrise
Third Hand Bike Co-op

2009

The Center for Human Options in Childbirth Experiences
Native American Indian Center
Historic Peace Churches of Ohio
University Area Enrichment Association (Pedal Instead)
Third Hand Bicycle Cooperative
WCRS / Simply Living
Westminster-Thurber Community
Columbus AIDS Task Force
Friends of the Lower Olentangy Watershed

Get Involved

The grants committee is made up of 9 active members of the Community Festival.  Committee members are nominated by their peers and determined by a consensus of the General Planning Group.  Each member serves a three-year term with three new members selected each year.  Our next openings will occur in summer 2009, so if you are an active member of ComFest and would like to be a part of the Comfest Grants Committee, please check back after the 2009 festival.