Now is the time of year I would hope folks think about how thankful they are for some of the neighborhood organizations that enhance our quality of life here in our little neighborhood.
Many of these organizations like Northside Farmers’ Market, Happen, Inc., Caracole, NEST, Northside Youth Soccer, Northside Community Council, and a large handful of others make Northside that special place we all feel attached to in one way or another. Deciding which organization to financially support to can be perplexing because there are so many deserving non-profits. I think the Northside Community Fund (NCF) of the Greater Cincinnati Foundation (GCF) may be the avenue you’re looking for.
Since its inception in 2004, NCF has reached and surpassed our original goal of establishing a $100,000 endowment fund at the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. Currently standing at $175,000, GCF annually allocates a dividend amount available for spending in that current year, while at the same time assuring us the endowed amount will be maintained in perpetuity.
In 2024, NCF distributed $8,950 to the following Northside-based nonprofit organizations:
- NCC Safety and Livability Committee received its requested $1,000 for supplies and materials for the Great American Cleanup scheduled for April 27th.
- Northside Youth Soccer received its requested amount for funding for the replacement of goal posts and nets in the amount of $2,500.
- Heart of Northside (Food for Thought Cincinnati) received its requested amount of $1,000 for offsetting costs of providing public meeting space for Northsiders.
- NEST received their requested amount of $1,000 for kick-starting a phase two mural project within the business district.
- Caracole received their requested amount of $2,450 for sponsorship of the holiday tree sale that is returning to Northside as a fundraising tool this year.
NCF solicits grant applications in February and awards grants to Northside based Non-profits shortly thereafter. The amount of the annual distributions is determined by the Greater Cincinnati Foundation, which professionally manages NCF. For a complete list of awarded projects over the life of the NCF, please go to the NCF website: https://northside-communityfund.org/wordpress/funded-projects-date/
If you like what NCF does for our neighborhood, please donate now. Any amount helps.
This fund was built with the generosity of individuals in Northside demonstrating that they care about and understand the value nonprofits bring our neighborhood. With over $109,000 in funding allocated since its inception for 81 grants, we look forward to the future of Northside. The Northside Community Fund (NCF) of Greater Cincinnati is one of those little sweet treasurers that Northside non-profits have become familiar with since its’ inception in 2004, and we invite you to join or effort.
Tim Jeckering
President, Northside Business Association
Chair, Northside Community Fund
(Photo shows mural in progress by Lyric Morris-Latchaw at the Heart of Northside earlier this year, whose cost was offset by the NCF grant.)