We’ve awarded over $12 million in grants the past 5 years.
Grants Approved
Adoption Network Cleveland – $15,000 for the Permanency Champions Mentoring program
Alta House – $10,000 for the Senior Service program
American Red Cross – $34,250 for technology upgrades
America SCORES Cleveland – $20,000 for after‑school health and literacy programming in the CMSD
Applewood Centers, Inc. – $35,000 for technology upgrades
Baldwin Wallace University – $35,000 for the Baldwin‑Wallace Scholars program for CMSD students
Beech Brook – $18,630 for Passage to Independence, a program to help teens transitioning out of foster care to develop life skills and supportive relationships
Bellflower Center for Prevention of Child Abuse – $20,000 for the Kinship Care Home Visitation program
Boys & Girls Clubs of Cleveland -$20,000 for after‑school and summer Academic Success Programs
Boys Hope Girls Hope – $15,000 for Hope Prep, an outreach program for middle school students
Building Hope In The City – $17,300 to expand tutoring sites for urban youth
BVU: The Center for Nonprofit Excellence – $7,500 for capacity building for nonprofit organizations
Care Alliance – $35,000 for the electronic dental health records initiative
Catholic Charities Corporation – $20,000 for the annual appeal
Center for Arts‑Inspired Learning – $25,000 for Art is Education, an arts‑integrated program within the CMSD
Community Initiatives – $25,000 for groundWork, a statewide initiative to increase funding for early care and education
Centers for Families and Children – $25,000 to implement electronic medical records for the behavioral health program
Citizens’ Academy – $25,000 for the Dean of External Affairs position at Citizens’ Leadership Academy
City Mission – $32,000 for transportation
City of Cleveland – $7,500 to create murals to revitalize and beautify Cleveland neighborhoods
City Year Cleveland – $20,000 for programming in CMSD schools
Cleveland Botanical Garden – $15,000 for the Green Corp Urban Youth program
Cleveland Film Society – $7,000 for FilmSlam 2012, an educational program for students aged 12‑18
Cleveland Hearing and Speech Center- $48,000 for technology components in the new facility
Cleveland Housing Network – $20,000 for the lease purchase homeownership program
Cleveland Kids in Need Resource Center – $7,500 for capacity building
Cleveland Mediation Center – $30,000 for the Homeless Prevention program
Cleveland Metropolitan School District – $15,000 for All‑City Arts, an arts‑infused, performance‑based after‑school program for 6‑12th grade students
Cleveland Play House – $15,000 for the Classroom Matinee Touring program
Cleveland Public Theatre – $10,000 for education programming
Cleveland Rape Crisis Center – $30,000 for case management services
Cleveland Tenants Organization – $10,000 for a shared Development Director for Cleveland Tenants Organization, Environmental Health Watch, and Housing Research and Advocacy Center
College Now Greater Cleveland – $50,000 for advisory services in the Garfield Heights, Maple Heights and Warrensville Heights school districts
Community Care Network – $61,500 for technology upgrades
Council Gardens – $33,000 to install an outdoor exercise trail system
Council on Foundations – $6,418 for membership renewal
Cuyahoga Community College Foundation – $13,000 for the Youth Technology Academy
Cuyahoga County Office of Early Childhood – $34,800 for Invest in Children programming
Cuyahoga County Public Library – $23,400 for the new Career Center located at the Fairview Branch
Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization – $25,000 for the Westside Housing Center, providing foreclosure prevention and educational program development
East Cleveland Neighborhood Center – $30,000 to operate a Children’s Defense Fund Freedom School, a literacy‑based summer program, in partnership with Harvard Community Services Center
East Side Organizing Project Inc. – $20,400 to develop strategic and leadership succession plans
Enterprise Community Partners, Inc. – $25,000 for the Cuyahoga County Housing First Initiative
Esperanza, Inc. – $20,000 for bilingual education services
Exponent Philanthropy – $1,000 for 2012 operating support
Family Connections – $15,000 for Family‑School Connection, a program to improve the transition to kindergarten among families in the Cleveland Heights‑University Heights school district
Family Promise of Greater Cleveland – $40,000 for program support for homeless families
Foundation Center Cleveland – $5,500 for program support
Free Medical Clinic of Greater Cleveland – $40,000 for the Dental Clinic
Friends of Breakthrough Schools – $35,000 for start‑up of the Cleveland Urban Teacher Residency program
Gordon Square Arts District, LLC – $65,000 for Phase II of the Gordon Square Arts District
Great Lakes Museum of Science Environment And Technology – $10,000 for educational programming
Great Lakes Theater – $12,500 for the school residency program
The Greater Cleveland Food Bank, Inc. – $40,000 for the Mobile Pantry program
Greater Cleveland Volunteers – $12,000 for volunteer recruitment and placement activities
Hathaway Brown School – $10,000 for the Aspire program
Hattie Larlham Foundation – $25,000 to renovate space for vocational training/supported employment opportunities for individuals with disabilities
Help Foundation, Inc. – $20,000 for summer programs for children and young adults with developmental and medical disabilities
ideastream – $10,000 for programming
Jesuit Retreat House – $20,500 for recovery retreats
Jewish Family Service Association – $25,000 for technology upgrades
Joseph’s Home – $20,000 for transitional services for homeless men
Julie Billiart School – $11,400 to hire a Behavioral Therapist to provide teacher training
Junior Achievement of Greater Cleveland, Inc. – $12,000 for after‑school and summer programming
L’ Arche Cleveland – $20,000 to purchase 2 vans to provide transportation for community members
Lakewood Community Services Center – $46,750 for short‑term rental assistance for displaced families
The Legal Aid Society of Cleveland – $15,000 for the Housing Law Advocacy Project
The Literacy Cooperative of Greater Cleveland – $20,000 for STEP, a volunteer‑based tutoring initiative
Lutheran Metropolitan Ministry – $20,000 for afterschool programming
May Dugan Center – $20,000 for case management services
Mental Health & Addiction Advocacy Coalition – $10,000 for operating support
Merrick House – $20,000 for the youth program
The Metanoia Project – $15,000 for the Hospitality Center
Minds Matter – $25,000 for program support
Musical Arts Association – $12,500 for the Cleveland Orchestra education concerts
The Nature Center at Shaker Lakes – $10,000 to provide environmental education to Head Start classrooms
Near West Theatre, Inc. – $10,000 for spring and summer programming
Neighborhood Health Care, Inc. dba Neighborhood Family Practice – $25,000 for interpreter services for non‑English speaking patients
New Avenues to Independence, Inc. – $23,000 for the Vocational Services Program
New Directions – $20,000 for technology costs associated with restructuring and consolidating New Directions and Crossroads
North Coast Health – $47,000 to achieve recognition as a Patient‑Centered Medical Home through the National Council for Quality Assurance
Open Doors, Inc. – $20,000 for program support
Playhouse Square Foundation – $10,000 for CMSD students to attend performances
Positive Education Program – $75,000 for safety upgrades and training
The Presidents’ Council Foundation Inc. – $10,000 for the PC Scholars program, to provide enrichment and college preparation skills to students
Professional Flair dba Dancing Wheels – $12,500 for the apprentice/training program
Progressive Arts Alliance – $15,000 for arts‑integrated residency programs at 2 CMSD schools
Project Learn – $25,000 for Get on Track, a program to provide literacy and GED training to low level offenders referred by the Cleveland Municipal Courts
Roots of American Music – $10,000 for arts‑integrated programming at 3 CMSD schools
Saints Mary and Joseph Home for the Aged – $16,000 for equipment
The Salvation Army – $25,000 for the Zelma George Emergency Family Shelter
Scenarios USA, Inc. – $15,000 to train middle and high school teachers to integrate the Scenarios curriculum into language arts, social studies, health and drama classes
Scranton Road Ministries Community Development Corporation – $30,000 for the Youth Jobs Partnership program at Lincoln West and James F. Rhodes high schools
Seeds of Literacy – $25,000 for adult literacy programs
Senior Citizen Resources, Inc. – $10,000 for the senior health and wellness program
St. Malachi Center – $16,000 for after‑school programming
Saint Martin de Porres High School – $20,000 for professional development
St. Vincent Charity Medical Center – $40,000 to increase access to substance abuse treatment for people without insurance coverage
Stella Maris – $40,000 for renovation of the detoxification center
Suicide Prevention Education Alliance of NE Ohio – $15,000 for the Recognizing Teen Depression and Preventing Suicide program
Towards Employment, Inc. – $20,000 for Networks 4 Success, a job readiness program
United Cerebral Palsy of Greater Cleveland – $20,000 for the Children’s Service program
University Circle, Inc. – $10,000 for the Linking Education and Discovery program
University Settlement – $20,000 for the Rapid Re‑Housing program
Verb Ballets – $10,000 for the Moving Connections senior outreach program at Eliza Bryant Village and Eliza Jennings Home
Vocational Guidance Services – $40,000 for capital improvements
West Side Catholic Center – $35,000 for the Drop‑In Center
West Side Community House – $10,000 for West Side Sisterhood, an education and empowerment program
West Side Ecumenical Ministry – $20,000 to hire consultants to conduct a strategic planning process for the newly merged CFC/WSEM organization
Western Reserve Land Conservancy – $30,000 for the Thriving Communities Institute, which will advocate for more funding for demolition of vacant properties
Westside Industrial Retention and Expansion Network – $25,000 for the redesign of Max Hayes High School
YMCA of Greater Cleveland – $25,000 to build a new YMCA in partnership with the City of Warrensville Heights
Youth Challenge – $20,000 for the City Sports program for children with physical disabilities
Youth Opportunities Unlimited – $15,000 to increase graduation and post‑secondary success for most‑at‑risk CMSD students
Our Revised Grantmaking Strategy
In 2024, the Bruening Foundation’s Distribution Committee and staff completed a planning process to refine the Foundation’s grantmaking strategy. The process included a literature review to seek information about the current wants and needs of nonprofits, agrantee survey, interviews with stakeholders, and conversations with community leaders. The purpose was to collect diverse, external perspectives about needs in the community that are aligned with the interest areas of the Foundation and to determine what possibilities exist for the Foundation to have a greater impact through its grantmaking.
The new responsive grantmaking focus, to be known as Thriving Families, is designed to complement our proactive Strong Start grantmaking strategy and aims to help families in Cuyahoga County out of poverty. Because kids need strong and supportive families to thrive, the Bruening Foundation seeks to invest in parents and caregivers who raise them. “Family” will be broadly defined as we understand that the construct of a family varies greatly. There will be two funding priorities within Thriving Families: 1) Housing, Health and Skill Building and 2) Social and Emotional Well-Being.
While some of the programming the Foundation has supported in the past may no longer fit with our new focus area, we value every grantee relationship and are grateful for the opportunity we have had to support so many important services in the community. We look forward to making a continued impact throughout Cuyahoga County with our new priorities. Please reach out to staff at Foundation Management Services with any questions.
