How To Apply
The Youngstown Foundation is your community foundation. We work in partnership with nonprofit organizations to meet community needs. Applying is a multi-stage process and requires the use of our online grant portal:
- Create an organizational profile.
- Submit a full application.
The online portal reduces paperwork, increases transparency and makes organizing and submitting letters of inquiry, applications and support materials easier. Through the portal, nonprofits may check the status of applications, communicate directly with the Foundation and submit grant agreements, interim progress and final reports.
Get Acquainted Meetings
Please review our Eligibility and Grant Opportunities pages to learn about our funding priorities and determining if you are a fit. We welcome the opportunity to schedule a meeting in advance of your application preparation.
Application Deadlines
Proposals are considered three times a year by the Foundation’s Distribution Committee. Deadlines for submitting proposals for consideration are as follows:*
| Proposal Deadline | Committee Meeting | ||
| SUMMER MEETING | February 15, 2023 | June 2023 | |
| FALL MEETING | May 15, 2023 | September 2023 | |
| WINTER MEETING | August 15, 2023 | December 2023 |
*Dates may be subject to change.
Required Application Attachments
In addition to the written proposal, required documents will include budget form, organizational chart, most recent audited financial statements and a current board list.
Site Visit
A site visit may be part of the process. We will contact you to schedule.
Grant Agreement and Reporting
Approved applicants receive email notification and an electronic grant agreement for signature on the online portal. All payments are made by electronic check.
Final reports are an integral part of grantmaking at The Youngstown Foundation. Please make every effort to answer each question fully. Your follow-up reporting requirements are part of the grant agreement. For questions or technical issues, please contact our Grants Manager at 330-744-0320
Fiscal Sponsorship
Fiscal sponsorship refers to a relationship in which one organization that is tax-exempt serves as the official recipient of charitable donations for another organization that is not yet recognized as tax-exempt. In this relationship, the organization that has tax-exempt status is the "fiscal sponsor" and the organization that does not have tax-exempt status is the sponsored organization.
Fiscal sponsors are the actual applicants and must complete the application on the online portal. It is up to the fiscal sponsor to alert the sponsored organization as to the results of the grant decision and, if successful, help disperse grant funds to the sponsored organization. The fiscal sponsor is ultimately responsible to ensure the funds are spent and a report completed as outlined in the terms of grant agreement.