The majority of grants are made to organizations in Lorain County or to organizations doing work that have direct outreach to or impact in Lorain County.

Grants are also made on a selective basis to organizations in areas where voting members of the Foundation reside.  These currently include Boston, MA; Columbia, SC; Cuyahoga County, OH; Denver, CO; and Penn Yan, NY.   

Please Note: The Foundation has launched a new Denver Youth Services & Well-Being Strategy. Organizations serving youth and families in Denver are encouraged to review the Denver strategy guidelines below, as funding priorities and opportunities in Denver may differ from the Foundation's traditional grantmaking approach.

Denver Youth Services & Well-Being Strategy

The Nord Family Foundation is launching a new strategy to strengthen the network of services that support Denver youth and their families. Through research, community listening, and engagement with local partners, the Foundation identified a need for stronger coordination among organizations serving youth across the continuum of care. Denver's youth-serving system is often fragmented, making it difficult for young people and families to access the support they need when they need it.

In response, the Foundation is working together to create a more coordinated ecosystem of support for youth. Rather than funding isolated programs, this initiative seeks to strengthen connections across youth-serving organizations and advance shared outcomes through collaboration, learning, and systems change.

The strategy recognizes that positive youth outcomes are influenced by a continuum of supports, including engagement and prevention, early intervention, crisis response, family stability, and systems-level coordination.

The Foundation is seeking organizations that are committed to collaboration, youth and family engagement, culturally responsive practices, and data-informed learning. Through this initiative, partners will work together to improve youth well-being, strengthen access to services, build protective factors, support families, and create a more connected and effective system of care across Denver.

Foundation Areas of Interest

The Nord Family Foundation grants to non-profit organizations qualified under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code and to selected public sector activities. Grants are awarded in the fields of Arts and Culture, Civic Affairs, Education and Health and Social Services. Most grants are made for program related activities, with some grants to support capital improvements and capital campaigns when special criteria are met.

Projects that are directed at the root causes of social problems are of special interest.

In general, the Foundation does NOT award grants in support of

  • Debt reduction
  • Academic research projects
  • Event sponsorships
  • Individuals
  • Fiscal Agents
  • Endowments

Grants are occasionally made for capital purposes when specific criteria are met:

  • The organization requesting support clearly serves a under-resourced population.
  • In instances where the Foundation’s support is likely to leverage much greater giving from other community sources such as government, corporations, individuals and other foundations.
  • Where it is clear that an effective local campaign, involving extensive citizen participation and grassroots leadership has been or will be mounted. Note: Program grants, which include requests for capital items such as furniture, computers, video recorders, etc., are not included within this general policy.