Kindness in Action
A small act of kindness can have a big impact. Help local individuals and families overcome unexpected hardships by supporting the Gifts of Kindness Fund.
LEARN HOW
Support the Causes You Care About!
Search by name or browse by category to find more than 1,200 area nonprofit organizations to support.
EXPLORE THE GIVING STORE
Celebrating Philanthropy Award Honorees
At the Celebration of Philanthropy, we honor the people and organizations whose generosity and impact are building a stronger, more connected community.
LEARN MORE
Search our website to find just what you need.
Spirit of the Day
In celebration of World Kindness Day on Thursday, 11/13, join us through 11/17 as we share daily opportunities to engage with kindness.
In celebration of World Kindness Day on Thursday, November 13, join the Center for HumanKindness for five days of delightful surprises (November 13–17, 2025). Each day brings a fresh opportunity to do good, feel good, and help make our community shine a little brighter.
LEARN MORE
WE LOVE OUR
SMART + OPEN
COMMUNITY!
SMART + OPEN
COMMUNITY!
Through a survey, Big Table participants shared their ideas, stories, and feedback. Here is a snapshot of what they said!
The 2025 Big Table Report
Your participation was crucial to making The Big Table on October 21, 2025, an inspiring day of kindness and conversation. Thank you for playing a role in creating a strong, connected community where everyone is valued. Read highlights of participant survey responses, the topics we talked about, and what we are learning together in The Big Table Report.
VIEW THE REPORT
Philanthropy Awards
The 2025 Harrison M. Sayre Award honorees, the Edwards Family, are builders, dreamers, and doers bringing opportunity to central Ohio.
The Harrison M. Sayre Award – 2025 Honorees
The Edwards Family
Given in honor of Harrison M. Sayre, The Columbus Foundation’s founder and 25-year volunteer director, The Harrison M. Sayre Award recognizes leadership in philanthropy in central Ohio.
In recognition of their many contributions to the Columbus region and their exceptional leadership, the Edwards Family has been selected as the 2025 honorees of The Harrison M. Sayre Award. As a family of builders, dreamers, and doers, the Edwardses have brought new development, character, and opportunity to central Ohio.
Community
Celebrating Columbus' True Original, Jeff Wilkins—co-founder and former president of CompuServe and a pioneering tech entrepreneur.
Long before Amazon, Facebook, and Google became household names, Jeff Wilkins entered an unassuming building at 1387 W 5th Avenue in Upper Arlington to launch CompuServe, a computer time-sharing service.
Equipped with little more than a folding chair and a phone book, Wilkins would go on to successfully help build a company that would fundamentally transform the way people connect and share information online.
Created in 2019, Columbus’ True Originals celebrates those in our community who expand the horizons of Columbus through groundbreaking, original work.
READ MORE
Community
Celebrating a legendary jazz musician, Rahsaan Roland Kirk—a renowned multi-instrumental artist and creative genius.
A legendary jazz musician, Rahsaan Roland Kirk delighted audiences with his legendary ability to play several horns at once, often harmonizing with himself.
He knew his purpose in life was to be creative and to make music,” explained Marchbanks. “His philosophy was that music brings people together. Music is a healing force in the universe.”
Created in 2019, Columbus’ True Originals celebrates those in our community who expand the horizons of Columbus through groundbreaking, original work.
READ MORE
Community
READ MORE
Celebrating Columbus True Original, Bill Willis—a trailblazing and inspiring professional football player, family man, and community leader.
Recently named a Columbus True Original, Bill Willis was the first Black starter in professional football and, alongside teammate Marion Motley, is widely credited for helping to break the sport’s color barrier. In 1977, because of his impressive skill and enduring impact on the game, Willis was elected to the Pro Football Hall of Fame.
Today, Willis is celebrated for his accomplishments both on and off the field. After retiring from the NFL, Willis served as the Director of the Ohio Youth Commission, a state agency dedicated to combatting criminality among young people.
His legacy—as a husband, father, professional athlete, and community leader—remains an inspiration, demonstrating the power of perseverance, hard work, and service to others.
“People would ask us, ‘Did we want to play football, to be like him?’” Willis’ oldest son, Bill Willis, Jr., told The New York Times in 2020. “Well, we wanted to be like the man he was.”
Created in 2019, Columbus’ True Originals celebrates those in our community who expand the horizons of Columbus through groundbreaking, original work.
Community
Celebrating the creativity and talent of Ann Hamilton, oeuvre of multi-disciplinary & artistic innovation.
A world-renowned visual artist and 2025 Columbus True Original, Ann Hamilton’s art may best be described as a multi-sensory experience that is tactile, immersive, and ephemeral.
Hamilton’s influence on the visual arts cannot be overstated, nor can her creativity or originality. As she poignantly stated, “One doesn’t arrive—in words or in art—by necessarily knowing where one is going. In every work of art something appears that does not previously exist, and so, by default, you work from what you know to what you don’t know. You may set out for New York, but you may find yourself as I did in Ohio.”
Created in 2019, Columbus’ True Originals celebrates those in our community who expand the horizons of Columbus through groundbreaking, original work.
READ MORE
Philanthropy Awards
LEARN MORE
Honoring ProMusica Chamber Orchestra, our 2025 Columbus Foundation Award honoree, for its innovation and impact in the arts.
Created in 1986, The Columbus Foundation Award recognizes organizations that have made a difference in the quality of life in our community.
In recognition of the important role the organization plays in anchoring central Ohio’s arts sector and its innovative work to inspire the community through music, ProMusica has been selected as the 2025 honoree of The Columbus Foundation Award. As part of the award, ProMusica will receive a $100,000 unrestricted grant from The Columbus Foundation.
News & Reports
The Annual Report captures community initiatives, stories, and more—all made possible by generous donors!
The Annual Report captures community initiatives, donor stories, the year by the numbers, and more—all made possible by generous donors!
READ MORE