Applying for Funding

All OTF grants require the following:
  • 501(c)(3) status: Applicant organizations must have a 501c3 tax designation in good standing. An organization without the necessary tax designation may be invited to apply if it has an eligible fiscal agent organization.
  • In Ohio: Organizations’ work must be based in the state of Ohio. The OTF supports both urban and small town constituencies.
  • Embody who you serve: The OTF is committed to supporting community-based organizations whose leadership and staff represents and/or meaningfully engages communities that are directly impacted or disproportionately affected by the existing criminal justice system.

Rapid Response Grants up to $10k

**Our rapid-response funds are depleted for this year. We will not be accepting any more rapid-response funding requests through the end of 2020.**
In the future, OTF may accept requests for up to $10,000 for focused proposals that are:
  • Strategic: The action promotes the advancement of criminal justice reform in Ohio and is aligned with OTF's theory of change; and
  • Unanticipated and/or time urgent: The specific event or situation your organization is responding to was unanticipated and/or the action must happen quickly to be effective.
OTF does not make rapid-response grants simply for the regular, ongoing expenses of an existing program or overall organization.

Larger Grants

RFP for an employer organization for a campaign coordinator. On 11 November 2020, OTF released a request for proposals from Ohio non-profit organizations interested in becoming the employer for a campaign coordinator that would work closely with OTF on the Compassion Over Cages campaign. Please see this RFP document for the background on this campaign and all the application details. The deadline for applications is Wednesday 2 December 2020 at 5:00 PM.
OTF does not have any other open funding opportunities at this time. Please email us with any questions.