community foundation of lorain county

What community foundation of lorain county does

The Community Foundation of Lorain County is a 501(c)(3) public community foundation established in 1980 and headquartered in Elyria, Ohio, that manages charitable endowment funds on behalf of individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofit organizations. As of 2025, the foundation administers 761 endowment funds with combined assets of $168M+ and distributes approximately $5.50M in grants and scholarships annually, having given more than $100M in cumulative grants and scholarships since its founding. Its core service offering is structured philanthropic vehicles — Donor Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Community Responsive Funds, Agency Funds, Scholarship Funds, and School Endowments — supplemented by five affiliate funds (African American Community Fund, Hispanic Fund, Women's Fund, Youth Fund, LGBTQ+ Fund) and the affiliated Fund for Huron County.

The foundation's technology stack is not proprietary and is described in source data as "Not applicable"; it relies on third-party platforms including Grant Interface for the Grants Portal and an fcsuite.com donor portal for fundholder access. Distribution occurs through an online grants portal, an online donation platform for fund contributions, direct donor-relationship management by named Development Officers (Laura Malone, Colleen Walts), and an affiliate fund network with independent advisory boards. Marketing and community engagement are driven by the website (peoplewhocare.org), email/newsletter, social media (Facebook, LinkedIn, YouTube), local press coverage, and signature events including the annual Connect to a Cause 12-hour crowdfunding campaign, which raised $459,026 in 2025.

The foundation's go-to-market motion is community-led: it acts as a philanthropic hub connecting donors with causes, nonprofit grantees seeking funding, and local students seeking scholarships, with grant cycles focused on Health and Human Services, Education and Youth Development, Arts and Culture, and Strengthening Lorain County. The organization was the first community foundation in the United States to receive accreditation under the National Standards for U.S. Community Foundations in 2005 (re-confirmed in 2017), holds Charity Navigator's four-star rating and Candid's Platinum Seal of Transparency (2025), and is led by President and CEO Cynthia Andrews, who succeeded Brian Frederick in 2017 following his 19-year tenure during which assets grew from $56M to $122M.

Name

community foundation of lorain county

Legal name

Community Foundation of Lorain County

Website

https://peoplewhocare.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1980

Operating status

Operating

Short description

The Community Foundation of Lorain County is a 501(c)(3) public foundation established in 1980 that manages 761 charitable endowment funds and over $168M in assets, distributing approximately $5.50M annually in grants and scholarships to nonprofits and students across Lorain and Huron counties in Ohio.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Community Foundation and Philanthropic Services

NAICS

Grantmaking Foundations (813211), Grantmaking and Giving Services (81321)

SIC

Services-Social Services (8300)

akta.pro primary industry

Community Foundations (BPAGAKAB)

akta.pro secondary industries

Education Grantmaking Foundations (BPAGAKAK), College Access, Scholarships & Student Success Nonprofits (BPAGADAE), Scholarship & Fellowship Foundations and Trusts (EDADAHAC)

Keywords

• Community foundation services
• Charitable fund management
• Donor advised funds
• Grant administration
• Scholarship administration

Headquarters

HQ city

Elyria

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Others

Revenue model

1. Endowment Fund Management: The foundation manages endowed, non-endowed, and pass-through funds established by individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits. Earnings from invested assets provide ongoing grant support to nonprofit organizations.
2. Charitable Donations: Receives gifts from donors including appreciated stock, cryptocurrency, real estate, life insurance, retirement plans, artwork, jewelry, grain, and other assets. Manages Donor Advised Funds where donors recommend grants.

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

The Community Foundation of Lorain County manages endowed, non-endowed, and pass-through charitable funds established by individuals, families, businesses, and nonprofits, and redistributes those funds as community grants to nonprofit organizations and scholarships to students in Lorain and Huron Counties. It runs community programs (Connect to a Cause, The People's Project, Lorain County Imagination Library, Neighbor Up Lorain County) and five demographic affiliate funds (African American Community Fund, Hispanic Fund, Women's Fund, Youth Fund, LGBTQ+ Fund) to channel targeted philanthropy.

Product overview

The Community Foundation of Lorain County offers a suite of philanthropic services organized around fund management and community giving. The core offerings include Donor Advised Funds, Designated Funds, Field of Interest Funds, Community Responsive Funds, Agency Funds, Scholarship Funds, and School Endowments—all structured to serve different donor intent and community needs. Five affiliate funds (African American Community Fund, Hispanic Fund, Women's Fund, Youth Fund, LGBTQ+ Fund) extend targeted support to specific populations. Community initiatives including Connect to a Cause, The People's Project, Lorain County Imagination Library, and Neighbor Up Lorain County drive engagement. An online Grants Portal and donor portal (fcsuite.com) provide digital access to services. The organization is not a software product company but a charitable foundation managing over 761 endowment funds with $168M+ in assets.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Donor Advised Funds A charitable fund vehicle that allows donors to participate in the funding process by suggesting grants to nonprofit organizations, supporting various charities over time through one initial donation.
• Designated Funds Funds that support one or more nonprofit organizations chosen by the donor, ensuring continuous gifts to perpetuate the donor's charitable goals.
• Field of Interest Funds Funds that support a broad cause like education, the arts, or youth services, allowing donors to make a lasting impact through targeted grantmaking.
• Community Responsive Funds Unrestricted funds offering the greatest flexibility in responding to the community's changing needs, allowing the Foundation to address emerging issues.
• Agency Funds Funds created by an agency or donor to give longevity and financial support to an organization; once the fund reaches $10,000, a distribution is given to the organization or reinvested into the endowment.
• Scholarship Funds Funds that help students pursue academic goals with merit or need-based criteria, designated to assist students from certain schools, communities, or those entering specific fields of study.
• School Endowments Funds supporting students and educators by providing funding for non-traditional educational opportunities such as field trips, arts programs, and scholarships; the Foundation established the first school endowment fund in the U.S.
• Community Grants Program Competitive grantmaking program for Lorain County nonprofit organizations in focus areas: Health & Human Services, Education & Youth Development, Arts & Culture, and Strengthening Lorain County; applied for via the Grant Interface online portal.
• African American Community Fund An affiliate fund that supports services and programs for the African American population of Lorain County with its own advisory board.
• Hispanic Fund An affiliate fund that funds services and programs for the Hispanic population of Lorain County.
• Women's Fund An affiliate fund supporting projects for and by women and children of Lorain County; current initiative 'Change the Cycle' combats period poverty through affordable access to period products.
• Youth Fund An advisory board of high school students from across Lorain County who learn about philanthropy, advocate for causes, and recommend grants.
• LGBTQ+ Fund An affiliate fund improving quality of living for LGBTQ+ individuals throughout Lorain County, launched amid funding and legislative challenges.
• Fund for Huron County An affiliate fund established in 1997 as a community-backed endowed fund to support charitable causes in Huron County, Ohio.
• Connect to a Cause An annual 12-hour community crowdfunding campaign connecting donors with local Lorain County nonprofits, with the 2025 campaign raising $459,026.
• The People's Project A community initiative focused on neighborhood empowerment and engagement in Lorain County.
• Lorain County Imagination Library A program providing free books to Lorain County children ages birth through five years enrolled in the program.
• Neighbor Up Lorain County A neighborhood engagement initiative for Lorain County.
• Legacy Society A legacy giving program offering estate and planned giving options for donors wishing to establish multi-generational charitable impact.

Quantifiable outcome

• 761 endowment funds managed in 2025
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers6 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• BVU (Boards, Ventures, Unissons)coreImplementation/ SI/ Consulting Partner · 13 August 2026BVU provides board engagement and nonprofit leadership training sessions. The Community Foundation hosts BVU sessions for nonprofit organizations on topics like engaging boards in fundraising.
• Fund for Our Economic FuturecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2004Brian Frederick serves as chair of the Fund for Our Economic Future board of directors, providing Lorain County presence in the regional economic sector collaboration since its creation in 2004.
• Midwest Community Foundation VenturesminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFour-state collaboration for innovation in community philanthropy. Brian Frederick is a founding member.
• Center for Community Foundation ExcellenceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrian Frederick teaches Community Foundation Fundamentals for the Center for Community Foundation Excellence.

Scale indicators8 records

Recent moves8 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Cleveland Foundation: Ohio-based community foundation also serving a regional geographic footprint (Greater Cleveland) with endowment fund management, donor-advised funds, scholarships, and community grantmaking. Directly comparable operating model and donor base to the Lorain County foundation.
• Columbus Foundation: Ohio community foundation managing a large endowment pool with donor-advised funds, competitive grant cycles, and scholarship programs. Same product set, structure, and accreditation framework as the Lorain County foundation, but at materially greater scale.
• Greater Cincinnati Foundation: Multi-county Ohio community foundation offering donor-advised funds, competitive grants, scholarships, and affiliate fund structures. Closely comparable model and product suite to the Community Foundation of Lorain County.
• The Dayton Foundation: Ohio community foundation serving a single metropolitan region with endowed funds, grant cycles, scholarships and affiliate fund initiatives. Directly comparable geographic-concentrated operating model.
• Akron Community Foundation: Northeast Ohio community foundation managing donor-advised, designated and scholarship funds with similar grantmaking areas. Geographic and operational proximity make it a strong direct peer.
• Toledo Community Foundation: Ohio community foundation providing endowed fund management, scholarships and competitive grants across northwest Ohio. Same business model and donor/customer segments.
• Grand Rapids Community Foundation: Mid-sized regional community foundation of comparable AUM tier that operates endowed funds, scholarships and place-based grant cycles. Useful AUM/scale benchmark for a Lorain-County-sized foundation.

Broad incumbents

• Silicon Valley Community Foundation: Much larger U.S. community foundation serving as a broad incumbent in the community foundation category. While it operates at vastly greater scale and a different region, it competes for nationally mobile DAF dollars and demonstrates the upper bound of category economics.

Others

• Fund for Our Economic Future: Northeast Ohio multi-donor collaborative fund where the Community Foundation of Lorain County's CEO (Brian Frederick) serves as board chair. Operates as a partnership collaborator rather than a competitor, but uses the same pooled-fund structure to deploy philanthropic capital.
• Foundation Source: Commercial provider of private foundation administration services including donor-advised funds and back-office grantmaking. Represents an alternative operating model (fee-for-service) that competes for the same donor relationships as community foundations.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/user/ConnectCareMatter
• Facebookfacebook.com/the-community-foundation-of-lorain-county
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/community-foundation-of-lorain-county

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles5 records

Subsidiaries10 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

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M&A

Investments

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Frequently asked questions about community foundation of lorain county