Poverty & Safety Net
Article

Hundreds of Ohio nonprofits ineligible for millions in community development funds following federal rule changes

Community Solutions Team
Transforming data into progress
Additional Contributors
No items found.
April 29, 2024
Read time:
Download Fact Sheets
Register now
Share this resource
Subscribe to our Newsletter
By subscribing you agree to with our Privacy Policy.
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Download this as a PDF

Nonprofit organizations are now excluded from what has been an important source of federal funding for community development projects, according to congressional rules released on April 25, 2024. U.S. House Appropriations Committee Chairman Tom Cole (R-OK) released guidance and associated deadlines for Fiscal Year 2025 Community Project Funding requests, sometimes known as congressional earmarks.

Nonprofits are no longer eligible for funding from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services

Nonprofits are no longer eligible for funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Economic Development Initiative overall. The guidance for funding requests across multiple agencies’ eligible accounts for Community Project Funding can be found here. A specific and impactful change in the guidance that Chairman Cole highlighted is that nonprofits are no longer eligible for funding through the Department of Housing and Urban Development’s Economic Development Initiative (EDI). This is a significant and costly change that would have a detrimental effect on nonprofits, nationwide.

According to Politico, last year, nonprofit organizations received around $800 billion in congressionally-directed EDI grants.  

Community Solutions found at least $35 million in EDI funding for Ohio nonprofits

EDI funded projects span community development, foodbanks, domestic violence shelters and other nonprofits providing valuable services in the community.

None of these organizations, nor the dozens of other Ohio nonprofits receiving funding, would be eligible this year.  
  • YWCA of Northwest Ohio for Domestic Violence Shelter Renovation
  • YWCA of Greater Cleveland for Early Learning Center and Independence Place Safety Improvements
  • MidOhio Habitat for Humanity for construction operations and Workforce Development Center,  
  • Cuyahoga County nonprofits including Murtis Taylor, May Dugan
  • Mid-Ohio Food Collective Anti-Hunger Center
  • Cherry Street Mission Ministries Emergency Shelter Renovation
  • Girl Scouts of Northeast Ohio STEM Center of Excellence
  • Boys and Girls Club of Dayton for West Dayton Community Space Sharing and Renovation Project
  • Community Action Organization of Scioto County for East End Permanent Supportive Housing Development
  • Ashland Community Foundation for their Childcare Center
  • Boys and Girls Club of Washington County Teen Center and Music Program

We at The Center for Community Solutions, along with partners at the Human Service Chamber of Franklin County, the Human Services Chamber of Hamilton County and Advocates for Ohio's Future urge a reversal of this decision. Nonprofit organizations’ tax status should not be held against them when seeking funding to build thriving communities.  

We urge House Appropriations Chairman Tom Cole to reverse his decision rendering nonprofits ineligible from receiving Community Project Funding dollars in the Economic Development Initiative account. If unchanged, nonprofits across Ohio and the country providing food, shelter from domestic violence, housing, and other critical services would lose access to nearly one billion dollars worth of revenue at a time when the nonprofit sector remains strained.

Sign the letter!

Download Fact Sheets

Ohio Statewide Data

Download

Wood County

Download

Wyandot County

Download

Williams County

Download

Washington County

Download

Vinton County

Download

Wayne County

Download

Warren County

Download

Van Wert County

Download

Union County

Download

Tuscarawas County

Download

Stark County

Download

Summit County

Download

Trumbull County

Download

Shelby County

Download

Seneca County

Download

Scioto County

Download

Ross County

Download

Sandusky County

Download

Richland County

Download

Putnam County

Download

Huron County

Download

Portage County

Download

Preble County

Download

Pike County

Download

Pickaway County

Download

Perry County

Download

Noble County

Download

Paulding County

Download

Ottawa County

Download

Morrow County

Download

Muskingum County

Download

Morgan County

Download

Montgomery County

Download

Meigs County

Download

Monroe County

Download

Miami County

Download

Mercer County

Download

Marion County

Download

Madison County

Download

Medina County

Download

Mahoning County

Download

Lucas County

Download

Lorain County

Download

Logan County

Download

Licking County

Download

Lawrence County

Download

Lake County

Download

Holmes County

Download

Jackson County

Download

Knox County

Download

Jefferson County

Download

Hocking County

Download

Henry County

Download

Highland County

Download

Harrison County

Download

Hancock County

Download

Hardin County

Download

Greene County

Download

Geauga County

Download

Guernsey County

Download

Hamilton County

Download

Gallia County

Download

Fayette County

Download

Fulton County

Download

Franklin County

Download

Fairfield County

Download

Erie County

Download

Darke County

Download

Defiance County

Download

Coshocton County

Download

Delaware County

Download

Cuyahoga County

Download

Crawford County

Download

Columbiana County

Download

Clinton County

Download

Clermont County

Download

Clark County

Download

Champaign County

Download

Carroll County

Download

Athens County

Download

Ashtabula County

Download

Brown County

Download

Butler County

Download

Belmont County

Download

Auglaize County

Download

Ashland County

Download

Allen County

Download

Adams County

Download

Lake County

Download

Geauga County

Download

Cuyahoga County

Download

All Municipalities Geauga County

Download

All Municipalities Lake County

Download

All Municipalities Cuyahoga County

Download

Thompson

Download

South Russell

Download

Russell

Download

Parkman

Download
Thank you! Your submission has been received!
Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form.
Download report

Subscribe to our newsletter

5 Things you need to know arrives on Mondays with the latest articles, events, and advocacy developments in Ohio

Explore the fact sheets

Lorem ipsum dolor sit amet, consectetur adipiscing elit. Suspendisse varius enim in eros elementum tristique.

No Related Fact Sheets

Explore Topics

Browse articles, research, and testimony.