Application Process

Impact100 Cleveland awards grants to nonprofits in greater Cleveland that address the focus area stipulated in our Eligibility Criteria. Eligible nonprofits may apply for grant funding. We recommend reading our eligibility criteria before proceeding.

The Grant Committees ultimately select five finalists, one in each focus area, to compete for the available Impact Grants at our Annual Meeting.

Focus Areas:

• Arts & Culture: Cultural programs, participation in the arts, arts education

• Education: Educational opportunities for children and/or adults, especially those that address lingering educational disparities affecting our community

• Family: Strengthening and enhancing the lives of children and families, including seniors

• Health & Wellness: Improvement of people’s mental and/or physical well-being

• Environment, Preservation & Recreation: Conservation and preservation of natural resources; environmental justice; parks and recreation; agricultural sustainability; environmental education and climate action

Important 2026 Dates:

March 25, 2026 - Grant Funding Announced

April 9, 2026: Grant Writing Workshop & Letter of Intent Goes Live

April 30, 2026: Letters of Intent Due by 11:59pm ET

May 15, 2026: Grant Application Goes Live

May 19, 2026: Grant Application 101 Workshop

June 3, 2026: Grants Q&A

June 15, 2026: Grant Applications Due by 11:59pm ET

September 16, 2026: Finalist Announcement Meeting

October 4, 2026: Annual Meeting/Voting on Grant Winners “Million Dollar Sunday”

Eligibility Requirements

• Defined as a tax-exempt public charity under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code

• Organizations serving the counties in the Cleveland region (Cuyahoga, Lake, Geauga, Portage, Summit, Medina, and Lorain counties)

• In possession of at least three full years (36 months) of independently prepared, audited, or reviewed financial statements
  

Things to Know Before Applying

• It's not about who you know in Impact100 Cleveland!

  • It’s about the quality of your application, how well you describe your initiative and how it will make a difference in our community. Dozens of Impact100 Cleveland members serve on our review committees and participate in our impartial review process. Every grant application is viewed on its own merit and any reviewer’s bias is disclosed and managed accordingly.

• Impact100 Cleveland members are exposed to and educated about your nonprofit’s mission

  • Even if you are not selected as a current year grant award finalist or recipient, our Impact100 Cleveland committee members learn about your mission and programs for the first time through the application review process. This can lead to bringing new supporters – and potential donors – to your organization.

• Site visits are a key component of our review process

  • Our Impact100 Cleveland members relish the opportunity to have in person exposure to our potential grant recipients. It enhances their understanding of your mission and programs and increases their knowledge of the various needs in our community. Our nonprofits often remark that our process helps them ‘to be better’ and to clearly articulate their mission, goals and objectives.

• We offer tools and trainings for the grant application process

  • Impact100 Cleveland hosts information sessions and workshops for nonprofits to learn more about our model and mission, grant cycles, and application process. It is our goal to help all nonprofits in our 7 county region to know about us and have access to the tools necessary to submit the best application possible.

for more information email grants@impact100cleveland.org