Fall 2025 — Issue 39

ACF distributes $4.4 million in quarterly grants

Akron Community Foundation announced $4.4 million in quarterly grants and distributions, benefiting many nonprofits in our community and beyond, including for our recent Civic Affairs grant cycle. Nearly $650,000 was awarded to support programs that advance the economic growth and civic engagement of area residents, including urban beautification, rehabilitation, home repairs and more. A grant to the Youth Success Summit will support the Summer for All initiative that activates Akron's civic and cultural assets to help build essential skills for youth and strengthen community engagement.

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Join the Black Giving Collective to celebrate the impact of eight local philanthropists

Join us for an unforgettable evening of celebration, inspiration and community as we kick off The Soul of Philanthropy Akron with the inaugural The Soul of Philanthropy Akron Awards. This elegant evening will honor eight local Black philanthropists whose generosity, leadership and love for community embody the spirit of giving. As the opening event for The Soul of Philanthropy national exhibit's Akron debut, this awards celebration sets the stage for a powerful season of storytelling, reflection and transformation around the rich legacy and future of Black philanthropy in Greater Akron.

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Congratulations, honorees!

Before you ring in the new year, make sure you're on track to meet your charitable goals for 2025

The end of the year is one of the busiest times for giving, but gifts of cash are not always your best option. Ensure your giving is advantageous for you and the causes you care about by checking out our Year-End Giving Guide and bringing it along on your next meeting with your advisors.

Looking for more information or guidance? Contact Laura Lederer, vice president and chief development officer, at 330-436-5611 or llederer@akroncf.org.

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DONORS & NONPROFITS:
A word of caution about GoFundMe donation pages

You may have seen reports that GoFundMe recently created donation pages for 1.4 million nonprofits – many without their knowledge or consent. While GoFundMe says this was intended to make giving easier, these automatically generated pages have raised concerns about transparency, donor data, and whether funds are routed as nonprofits expect.

Donors: To ensure your charitable gifts go directly where you intend, we recommend you always donate to nonprofit organizations directly through their website or approved donation platforms. Giving directly helps organizations receive your full contribution quickly, protects your personal information, and ensures your support is recorded and acknowledged properly.
Nonprofits: If your organization is now listed on GoFundMe's platform and you would like to remove it or claim ownership of the page, learn more about next steps here.

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Five reasons to call Akron Community Foundation

In an economic and legislative environment full of unpredictability, we encourage you to tap our knowledgeable staff. Whether you're looking to get ahead of the year-end crunch or you're concerned about recent cuts to funding for local nonprofits, our staff is here to assist you.

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David & Cheryl Venarge receive Polsky Award

Thank you to the 400 attendees who joined us for our Bert A. Polsky Humanitarian Award event on Tuesday, Oct. 14, 2025, at the DoubleTree by Hilton Akron Fairlawn. If you weren't able to join us, make sure to check out our upcoming issue of Foundations Magazine to learn more about David & Cheryl Venarge and their extraordinary impact on our community.

ACF welcomes six new funds

Akron Community Foundation recently welcomed six new charitable funds to our growing family, including a donor-advised fund established to support clinical and academic activities in the field of orthopedic surgery.

View Our New Funds