The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation

We believe that a thriving, equitable Cleveland can lead the way for other communities.
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The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation’s focus on Cleveland arises not just from our history, but our belief that Cleveland has a range of challenges, needs, assets, and opportunities, and is an ideal incubator for solutions to the critical problems that threaten urban centers globally.

– codrington foundation, est. 1955

What We Believe

Cleveland is home to The Codrington Foundation, as it was for our founder.  The Foundation’s focus on Cleveland arises not just from our history, but our belief that Cleveland has a range of challenges, needs, assets, and opportunities, and is an ideal incubator for solutions to the critical problems that threaten urban centers globally.  We believe that a thriving, equitable Cleveland can lead the way for other communities.

Codrington grant for music

Since 1955, we’ve been investing in Cleveland and its people. Over the past few years, we’ve noticed with increasing alarm the devastating impacts of four persistent challenges:

  • Entrenched inequality, particularly racial inequality
  • Inequitable access to opportunities for high quality education, personal
    development and enrichment
  • Weakened democratic values and uninformed public discourse
  • Continued weak economic growth

How We Work

Investing

We are committed to addressing these persistent challenges by investing in enterprising individuals, pioneering institutions, and innovative ideas.

Partnership

We will seek out funding partners who share our concerns and our commitment to justice, diversity, equality, and inclusion.

Listen & Learn

We will strive to listen and learn from our funding and grantee partners and the community-at-large in order to maximize our impact and effectiveness.

Focus Areas

Commencing in 2023, we’ve organized our grantmaking to support organizations making meaningful impact in the following areas:

Fostering inclusive economic prosperity

Cultivating and uplifting an inclusive creative culture

Promoting equitable access to educational opportunity

Nurturing informed civic engagement and effective community leadership

Grants for the community - art

Grants will generally be awarded in the following amounts: $10,000, $25,000, and $50,000 and primarily focus on operating support.

Grant Application

The Codrington Foundation serves Greater Cleveland. Its mission is to foster inclusive economic prosperity, cultivate an inclusive creative culture, promote equitable access to educational opportunity, and nurture informed civic engagement and effective community leadership.

The George W. Codrington Charitable Foundation is a community trust. Community trusts are designed to serve the charitable and educational needs of tax-exempt organizations in a local community. As such, our scope of activities is limited to organizations that carry an IRS designation of 501(c)3.

History

Cleveland

The Codrington Foundation was established in 1955 by Mr. Codrington for the purposes of dedicating a portion of his wealth to the care of the sick, aged, needy and disabled, the assistance and guidance of youth, the advancement of education, the promotion of public health and recreation, the furtherance of research for the advancement of human knowledge and the alleviation of human suffering.

FAQs

How Do I apply?

See the Apply Now section.

What is the grant process?

  • Apply online
  • The board meets and considers all pending grants.
  • You’ll receive a letter indicating one of the following: (a) grant is awarded, (b) request is deferred, or (c) declination (denial) of request.

Is my organization a good “fit”?

See Focus Areas.

Who qualifies for a grant?

  • Must be a 501(c)(3) charitable organization.
  • It is The Codrington Foundation’s policy to make only annual grants.  If the organization received a grant in this calendar year, please apply next year.
  • Funding requests must directly and significantly impact Cuyahoga County.

What amount should I ask for?

The minimum grant award amount is $10,000.

How often does the board meet?

The Board meets three to four times each year.

How do I schedule a meeting with the foundation?

Send us an email with a detailed description of your request.

When will I know if my organization is awarded a grant?

You’ll be notified within two weeks of the board meeting.

Does The Codrington Foundation consider multi-year grants?

Multi-year grant requests may be considered. If approved, the grantee will be required to submit an annual request for support.

Can I contact board members directly?

Send us an email with the description of your request.

What if I am having trouble with the website?

Contact support.

Does the Codrington Foundation consider capital requests?

Yes. Capital requests will be considered in Q4 each calendar year.

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