Discretionary grants are approved by the Foundation’s Governing Board to promote efforts in the areas of arts and culture, health, education, human services, philanthropy and other community-building endeavors in Greater Dayton. The foundation made $388,500 in discretionary grants to assist the following organizations:
• AIDS Resource Center Ohio, Inc. ($30,000) to assist in building a dental clinic to serve individuals diagnosed as HIV-positive.
• Aullwood Audubon Center and Farm ($10,000) to help expand the STEMing Science into Conservation Action and the Adventures School Program in Dayton Public Schools.
• Brukner Nature Center ($14,000) to aid in renovating the Interpretive Building’s main floor to better educate visitors about the Center’s mission of wildlife conservation.
• CityWide Mortgage Credit Counseling Program ($7,500) to help develop a community improvement strategy to create a safer and more united Westwood neighborhood in Dayton.
• Dayton Metro Library ($35,000) to enhance the Main Library’s Imagine! portal with hands-on activities and engaging technologies and programming for children.
• Dayton Performing Arts Alliance ($25,000) to expand the Q the Music tuition-free, after-school string orchestra program for Dayton’s at-risk children.
• Discover Classical WDPR ($25,000) to help build a community recording, broadcast and performance space.
• 4C for Children ($20,000) to help implement a management and financial stability program for early childhood centers.
• Learning Tree Farm ($20,000) to help build a nature-based preschool for children.
• Life Enrichment Center ($10,000) to expand the Nonprofit Shared Services Center to allow additional office space for new and small organizations.
• Life Essentials ($15,000) to offer vital guardianship services to Greene County adults who are mentally incapacitated.
• Muse Machine Inc. ($27,000) to support a pilot, arts-based literacy program for students and teachers at River’s Edge Montessori School and Edison Elementary School. Partners in the program include Dayton Art Institute, Dayton Contemporary Dance Company, Dayton Philharmonic Orchestra and the Victoria Theatre Association.
• Pink Ribbon Girls ($15,000) to assist in expanding the Simply Fight and No Age No Stage programs into Preble, Darke and Miami counties for women battling breast cancer and other reproductive cancers.
• Reach Out of Montgomery County ($20,000) to help establish a collaborative wellness center in Jefferson Township in partnership with the Township’s Fire Department and Reach Out’s Free Health Clinic.
• Rebuilding Together Dayton ($15,000) to assist in recruiting and training volunteers to install Fix-It Kits to help low-income senior citizens improve the safety and energy efficiency of their homes. CityWide Development serves as a partner in this effort.
• Sinclair Community College Foundation ($100,000) to support the construction of a Health Science Center, integrating programs currently located in nine buildings into one, with state-of-the-art labs and new clinical spaces to provide care to the underserved.