Our vision at Foellinger Foundation is to help Allen County residents increase their self-reliance by moving from dependence to independence, to helping build community through recognition of their interdependence.

We do this by providing grants, leadership training, conferences, workshops and thought-leading speakers to strengthen organizations that serve children and families—particularly those with the greatest need and least opportunity.

We readily support organizations through operating grants—a practice that seems to be limited in the grantmaking world.

Operating support grants are important because they provide nonprofits the means to sustain day-to-day operations. If nonprofits can’t do that, they are unable carry out their missions.

These grants make significant contributions to nonprofit organizations that continue to be challenged by an ever-changing financial landscape. They allow an organization the flexibility to make decisions to fulfill its mission in a timely manner, rather than creating unaligned programming in pursuit of project support.

Operating support allows nonprofits the opportunity to:

• build a strong infrastructure;

• be innovative;

• deepen moments of reflection;

• focus staff time on programs; and

• relieve a bit of the pressure of fundraising.

Nearly 60% of Foellinger Foundation’s annual grants are for operating support—a percentage higher than the foundation average. We hope, through this support, nonprofit organizations continue to do their most important work: serving our community. And because we award grants to organizations whose missions and visions align with ours, we’re working toward a common goal, building a better future for Allen County.

To learn more about Foellinger Foundation grants and our grantmaking schedule, click here.