The Dayton Foundation

Quick Stats

Annual Giving: $124.1 million (FY 2023)
Success Rate: Not publicly disclosed
Decision Time: 2 weeks for Greenlight Grants; varies for Discretionary Grants
Grant Range: $500 - $75,000 (discretionary grants $7,500-$75,000)
Geographic Focus: Greater Dayton region (Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Darke, Preble, and Warren counties), Ohio
Total Assets: Over $1.3 billion

Contact Details

Address: 1401 S. Main Street, Suite 100, Dayton, Ohio 45409

Phone: (937) 225-9977

Website: www.daytonfoundation.org

Office Hours: 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., Monday - Friday

Grant Application Portal: https://daytonfoundation.my.site.com/GrantApplication/s/

Key Contact for Grants:

Tania Arseculeratne, Senior Community Engagement Officer
Phone: (937) 225-9966
Email: tarseculeratne@daytonfoundation.org

Basic Human Needs Grants Contact:

Karen Gruenberg, Community Engagement Program Officer
Phone: (937) 225-9928

Overview

The Dayton Foundation, established in 1921, is the region's oldest and largest community foundation, with over $1.3 billion in assets under management and more than 4,400 funds. In fiscal year 2023, the Foundation and its fund holders awarded a record-breaking $124.1 million in grants and scholarships. Since its founding, more than $1.5 billion has been awarded to charitable organizations locally and around the world. The Foundation serves as a trusted partner for individuals, families, companies, and organizations to fulfill their charitable goals while addressing critical community needs in the Greater Dayton region. Under the leadership of President Michael M. Parks, CFRE (since 2002), the Foundation has grown from $214 million in assets to become one of the top 4% of more than 800 community foundations nationwide. The Foundation operates under the tagline "We Help You Help Others" and manages over 3,700 separate funds, including discretionary grants, component funds, and donor-advised funds.

Funding Priorities

Grant Programs

Discretionary Grants: $7,500 - $75,000

Awarded three times a year to 501(c)(3) organizations
Cannot exceed 25% of overall project costs under $300,000
Focus on launching new projects or supporting special efforts of established nonprofits
Application deadlines: January 5, June 29, and October 2 (annual cycle)
Applications submitted through online portal

Greenlight Grants: $500 - $7,500

Quick, small grants for special projects, program expansions, capital improvements, or capacity building
Awarded quarterly
Decision notifications within two weeks of deadline
Application deadlines: March 3, June 2, September 2, and December 1 (annual cycle)

Basic Human Needs Grants: Up to $7,500

Awarded quarterly to organizations focusing on food, shelter, healthcare, clothing, and other basic physiological needs
Must benefit citizens who are homeless, poor, or hungry in the Dayton Region
Requires demonstrated systemic collaboration with other human needs service providers
Application deadlines: February 3, May 8, August 14, and November 13 (annual cycle)

Component Funds with Separate Grant Programs:

African-American Community Fund (AACF): Over $10 million in assets, supporting education, social services, arts, health, and wellness
Centerville-Washington Foundation: Benefits residents of Centerville and Washington Township
Charles D. Berry Foundation: Supports performing and visual arts, community enrichment, education access, underserved populations, and health outcomes
Community Foundation for Kettering: Benefits residents of Greater Kettering area
Various other component funds with specific focus areas and separate application processes

Priority Areas

Discretionary Grants Support:

Social service organizations
Arts and culture initiatives
Health programs
Environmental projects
Capacity building for nonprofits
Capital improvements
New projects addressing unmet community needs
Innovation and special efforts

Specific Focus Areas Across All Funds:

Education and literacy
Basic human needs (food, shelter, clothing, healthcare)
Youth development and mentoring
Health and wellness
Arts and cultural programming
Animal welfare
Community development and housing
Nonprofit organizational strengthening

What They Don't Fund

Discretionary Grants Exclusions:

General organizational operations, ongoing programs, or operational deficits
Reduced or lost funding (replacement funding)
Matching grants (unless local dollars are needed to fulfill a state or federal grant condition)
Cultural arts productions (except costs for creating original works)
Computer hardware (desktop computers, printers)
Multi-year or large-dollar requests (unless approved by Grants Committee or Governing Board)

Donor-Advised Fund Restrictions:

Private, non-operating foundations
Political campaigns or lobbying purposes
Dinners, entertainment, golf tournaments, event tickets, or other benefits of substantial value

Grant Amount Restrictions:

Discretionary grants must be more than $7,500
Cannot exceed 25% of overall project costs for projects under $300,000

Governance and Leadership

President: Michael M. Parks, CFRE

In position since 2002
Under his leadership, the Foundation has grown from $214 million to over $1.3 billion in assets
Frequent national speaker and writer on nonprofit and philanthropy issues
Featured on PBS's The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer

Senior Leadership Team:

Barbra Stonerock, Vice President, Community Engagement
Michelle L. Lovely, CFRE, Senior Vice President, Development and Donor Services
Nakia Lipscomb, Senior Director of Development (joined with nearly three decades of banking, finance, and wealth management experience)
Marianne Requarth, Director of Development

Governing Board Chair: Janice L. Culver, CPA

Retired Chief Fiduciary Officer, KeyBank NA
Serving a two-year term as chair
Governing Board member since 2017

Board Member: Alonzo Patterson (recently appointed to five-year term)

The Foundation's leadership emphasizes being "here to help you help others, whether that be creating a lasting charitable legacy, pursuing funding for a special effort, applying for a scholarship or more."

Application Process & Timeline

How to Apply

Discretionary Grants:

Ensure your organization meets eligibility requirements (501(c)(3) status, minimum two years established, track record of sustainability)
Watch the Discretionary Grants Orientation video (recommended but not required)
Review Foundation guidelines for discretionary grants
Download the courtesy worksheet to collect answers before entering them online
Submit application through the electronic grant application portal at https://daytonfoundation.my.site.com/GrantApplication/s/
Upload supporting documents through the portal
Track application progress online

Note: A Letter of Intent is no longer required to apply for discretionary grants (eliminated as of recent portal updates).

Before Applying: Contact Tania Arseculeratne at (937) 225-9966 to discuss your project.

Greenlight Grants:

Apply quarterly through the same online portal
Application process designed to be quick and streamlined

Basic Human Needs Grants:

Apply quarterly through the online portal
Contact Karen Gruenberg at (937) 225-9928 for more information

Previous Grant Recipients: Organizations that have received previous Foundation grants must submit a final report on grant usage before applying for new funding.

Decision Timeline

Greenlight Grants: All applicants notified within two weeks of the deadline

Discretionary Grants: Timeline varies by cycle; the Foundation publishes grant awards in spring, summer, and fall cycles

Basic Human Needs Grants: Decisions announced quarterly following application deadlines

Example Timeline from Component Fund: The Brighter Tomorrow Foundation (component fund) has a two-month application period (mid-September to first Friday in November) with grant decisions made in January, representing approximately 2-3 months review period

Success Rates

The Dayton Foundation does not publicly disclose specific success rates or approval statistics for its grant programs. The size and number of grants awarded varies for each grant cycle, directly related to the amount of money available and the restrictions donors place upon certain funds.

Recent Grant Activity:

Spring 2024: $438,991 awarded in discretionary grants to 9 organizations
Spring 2024: $57,984 awarded in Greenlight Grants to 15 organizations
December 2024: $120,650 awarded in Basic Human Needs Grants to 23 organizations
During fiscal year, the Foundation facilitated 12,699 grants to 3,551 different organizations from 1,283 funds

Reapplication Policy

The Foundation does not publish specific reapplication policies or waiting periods for unsuccessful applicants. With three annual cycles for discretionary grants and quarterly cycles for Greenlight and Basic Human Needs grants, multiple opportunities exist throughout the year. For specific guidance on reapplication, contact Tania Arseculeratne at (937) 225-9966.

Application Success Factors

Geographic Alignment: The Foundation prioritizes projects serving Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Darke, Preble, and Warren (north) counties. Ensure your project clearly benefits residents in these specific counties.

Innovation Over Operations: The Foundation explicitly focuses on "new projects not addressed by existing organizations" and "special efforts of established nonprofits" rather than ongoing operations. Applications should emphasize innovation, new initiatives, or special one-time projects.

Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion: Organizations must demonstrate commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion in strategic plans, policies, or other documents such as an equity statement. This is not optional—it's a stated eligibility requirement.

Right-Sizing Grant Requests:

Discretionary grants cannot exceed 25% of overall project costs for projects under $300,000
Consider whether Greenlight Grants ($500-$7,500) might be more appropriate for smaller needs
The Foundation awards grants at various levels—recent discretionary grants ranged from $24,991 to $75,000

Collaboration and Sustainability: For Basic Human Needs Grants, organizations must demonstrate systemic collaboration with other human needs service providers and have a track record of sustainability (minimum two years established).

Recent Funding Patterns Show Strong Support For:

Arts organizations addressing post-pandemic recovery (Dayton Contemporary Dance Company: $64,000)
Facility improvements and capital needs (Dayton Live: $75,000; Dayton Metro Library Bookmobile: $75,000)
Community infrastructure (North Star Community Association park renovation: $50,000)
Matching funds for federal grants (Culture Works: $50,000 for NEA match)
Equipment upgrades that reduce long-term costs (Human Race Theatre Company: $50,000)
Basic human needs infrastructure (Good Shepherd Ministries kitchen appliances: $7,500)

Complete Previous Grant Obligations: Organizations with outstanding final reports from previous Foundation grants will not be considered for new funding until those reports are submitted.

Use the Portal Effectively: The Foundation invested in a new electronic portal to make the process "quicker and easier." Applications can be started, saved, and completed over time, with document uploads and progress tracking available.

Consider Component Funds: With over 20 component funds under the African-American Community Fund alone, and multiple geographic-specific funds (Kettering, Centerville-Washington), research whether a specialized fund better aligns with your project than general discretionary grants.

Key Takeaways for Grant Writers

New application cycle changes create more opportunities: The Foundation recently added a third discretionary grant cycle annually and eliminated the Letter of Intent requirement, making the process more accessible.
Focus on innovation, not operations: The Foundation is explicit about funding new projects and special efforts rather than general operating costs or ongoing programs. Frame applications around what's new, innovative, or special about your request.
Diversity, equity, and inclusion is non-negotiable: This isn't a nice-to-have; it's a stated eligibility requirement. Have concrete documentation ready.
Geographic specificity matters: Clearly demonstrate how your project benefits residents in the six primary counties (Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Darke, Preble, and Warren).
The Foundation is highly responsive: With assets over $1.3 billion and record-breaking grantmaking of $124.1 million in FY 2023, this is an active, engaged funder distributing significant resources annually.
Multiple pathways exist: Don't overlook Greenlight Grants for smaller needs, Basic Human Needs Grants for fundamental service provision, or the 20+ component funds that may align with your specific mission or community.
Contact program officers before applying: The Foundation encourages applicants to discuss projects with staff before submission—take advantage of this guidance from Tania Arseculeratne or other program officers.

References

The Dayton Foundation official website: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/ (Accessed January 4, 2026)
The Dayton Foundation Discretionary Grants page: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/discretionary-grants (Accessed January 4, 2026)
The Dayton Foundation Grant Opportunities: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/grant-opportunities (Accessed January 4, 2026)
The Dayton Foundation Our People & Leadership: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/our-people-and-leadership (Accessed January 4, 2026)
The Dayton Foundation Annual Report 2023: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/annual-report-2023 (Accessed January 4, 2026)
"The Dayton Foundation Announces New, Quicker Grantmaking Portal and Updates to Discretionary Grants Process": https://www.daytonfoundation.org/The-Dayton-Foundation-Announces-New-Quicker-Grantmaking-Portal-and-Updates-to-Discretionary-Grants-Process (Accessed January 4, 2026)
Recent Discretionary Grants - Spring 2024: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/Recent-Discretionary-Grants-Spring-2024 (Accessed January 4, 2026)
Greenlight Grants information: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/Greenlight-Grants (Accessed January 4, 2026)
Basic Human Needs Grants: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/basic-human-needs-grants (Accessed January 4, 2026)
African American Community Funds: https://www.daytonfoundation.org/african-american-community-funds (Accessed January 4, 2026)
Charity Navigator Profile for Dayton Foundation Depository (EIN 31-1044298): https://www.charitynavigator.org/ein/311044298 (Accessed January 4, 2026)
ProPublica Nonprofit Explorer - The Dayton Foundation (EIN 31-6027287): https://projects.propublica.org/nonprofits/organizations/316027287 (Accessed January 4, 2026)
WYSO News: "Dayton Foundation reaches record level of giving" (March 25, 2024): https://www.wyso.org/news/2024-03-25/dayton-foundation-reaches-record-level-of-giving (Accessed January 4, 2026)
Inside Philanthropy - Dayton Foundation profile: https://www.insidephilanthropy.com/find-a-grant-places/ohio-grants/dayton-foundation (Accessed January 4, 2026)