2018 Grant Recipients
The people behind ComFest believe that we ought to work for the collective good and support cooperation and collective activity. One way in which we actualize that is through our grants program, which has awarded more than $300,000 to deserving community organizations since 2006. To that end, we are proud to give assistance to the following central Ohio groups who most share our values:
The mission of Ethiopian Tewahedo Social Services (ETSS) is to be the focal point of integration for immigrants, refugee families, and low income individuals in Central Ohio. The Survivor Support Group provides assistance for foreign born survivors of domestic violence, human trafficking and sexual assault. The ComFest grant will assist ETSS and Survivor Support with supplies for meetings, including: financial literacy activities, gift cards, bus passes, culturally appropriate food, and printing and copying services.
Restoring Our Own Through Transformation (ROOTT) is seeking grant funding to collaborate with The Center for Humane Options In Childbirth Experiences (CHOICE) as a means to improve outcomes in infant mortality as it affects the Black community. This project addresses the need for Black-led education in antenatal, perinatal and postpartum education, with particular focus on combating the effects of structural and institutional racism, and reducing the rate of infant mortality in the Black community. Our grant will go towards training materials, books, diagnostic instruments, and printing costs for curriculum books.
The Hubbard Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) serves the families and students of Hubbard Mastery School, a Columbus City School serving students in pre-K through 6th grade. The Playground Project will utilize volunteer labor from families and community groups to convert a portion of their asphalt playground to a green natural play space for recreation and outdoor learning. Our grant will assist with purchase of trees, plants, wood chips, and natural play materials.
The mission of Striving to Achieve Real Success (STARS) is to find talented teens that seek successful careers in the music, video and/or graphic arts industries, and to develop them into knowledgeable, noteworthy adults. The Emerging Young Musician Outreach Program helps at-risk Ohio teens develop the technical, engineering, and artistic skills necessary for successful careers. Our grant will assist with the purchase of musical instruments for use by students.
The Sunbury Urban Farm strives to educate and inspire its community as to the importance of agriculture, nutrition, sustainability, and the environment. The program hopes to expand its day camp to nine weeks in 2018. The ComFest grant will go towards supplies, equipment, and financial assistance to campers.
Radio 614 serves to educate the public about audio, video, internet and broadcast technologies, as well as to help individuals find ways to use these technologies to enrich local culture in the Central Ohio Region. Radio 614 Live will produce high-quality live remote broadcasts of music-related community events and seek to work with artists and musicians who are underserved by local media. The grant from ComFest will assist with the purchase of equipment for live broadcasts.
IMPACT Safety has served the central Ohio community for more than 20 years by developing and teaching interpersonal safety skills to a wide range of populations, including women, youth, the elderly, professionals in the workplace, and individuals living with disabilities. The purpose of the Bystander Intervention Training is to empower people by teaching them self-defense and assertive communication skills that will help them protect themselves, their neighbors, and their communities. Funding from the ComFest Community Grants will support IMPACT Safety program fees and interpretation costs to provide four bystander intervention trainings.
Actors’ Theatre of Columbus is a local performing arts troupe celebrating their 37th year. Access Shakespeare is the group’s outreach program that allows the company to work with residential care facilities, community groups, schools, and incarceration centers. The goal of the program is to allow people who have limited access to theater and performance arts to experience live theater and participate in performances.
- Heaven Sent Community Garden – Breaking Chains Ranch
The purpose of Heaven Sent Community Garden is to create Healthy Habits & Healthy Habitats. They are establishing a Community Garden in partnership with Heaven Sent Children’s Academy. The ComFest grant will help pay for an artist’s mural and wooden signage, as well for a shed, table, shade, and plants.
