LANCASTER — The Fairfield County Foundation has approved $224,890 in grant funding to 20 community organizations across Fairfield County in its second and final grant cycle for 2026, the Scioto Post reported on Nov. 4. The Foundation’s board approved the awards at a recent board meeting, and the grants reach from food pantries and senior services to historic preservation, home building and the arts, according to the Scioto Post. Ohio Tri Cities corroborated the awards in its Nov. 5 reporting.
The grants were made possible through numerous designated donor funds held at the Foundation, the Scioto Post reported. Recipients were chosen from across the county, and the projects they will carry out are concrete ones: a kitchen remodel, an elevator installation, home builds, a freezer replacement and a sewer-line repair among them.
Housing and senior services figure prominently in the list. Habitat for Humanity of Southeast Ohio received support for home builds in Fairfield County through the George & Dollie L. Zimpfer Fund, according to the Scioto Post’s recipient list. The Pickerington Senior Center was funded for a kitchen remodel and upgrade, and The Senior Hub–Meals on Wheels Fairfield Co., Inc. received funding toward the purchase and installation of an elevator.
Food and health projects were funded as well. The Pickerington Food Pantry received a proteins grant, and Pink Ribbon Good was funded to provide free healthy meals and rides to cancer treatment for breast and gynecological cancer patients in Fairfield County, the Scioto Post reported. Victory Hill Church received a stand-up freezer replacement for its Choice Pantry, and Lancaster Vineyard Church received funding to replace a sewer line at its food pantry building.
Other awards support preservation, shelter and access. The Fairfield County Heritage Association was funded for a historic tree preservation project, Foundation Shelters for roof, gutter, siding, security lighting and walkway drainage repairs, and the Fairfield Center for Independence for a ramp and home modification program, according to the Scioto Post.
The arts and youth are represented too: the Lancaster Handbell Ensemble, ProArteOHIO, the Wagnalls Memorial Foundation — for theater platform and lighting restoration — Millersport Community Theatre and Nostalgics Big Band all received funding, the Scioto Post reported. The remaining recipients are the American Motorcycle Heritage Foundation, the Berne Township Baseball Softball Organization, the Fairfield County Baseball Complex Association, the Ohio Genealogical Society’s Fairfield County Chapter and the Salvation Army.
“Local nonprofits are doing important, innovative work every day in our community, and our grants help advance that work. We are proud to fund such a strong group of projects this cycle and look forward to seeing the positive ripple effect across Fairfield County,” Amy Eyman, the Foundation’s chief executive officer, told the Scioto Post.
Because this was the Foundation’s second and final grant cycle for 2026, no further awards will be made this year; the 20 recipients now carry out the projects named in their grants. The Scioto Post directed readers seeking future grant opportunities to the Fairfield County Foundation’s applications page. No date for a future cycle was announced in the reporting.