When they decided to establish a fund at The Columbus Foundation, Nadine and Keith Pierce chose to focus on tackling a growing demand for the most basic needs—food and shelter.

An initiative developed to provide Foundation donors and community members with an efficient and immediate way to supply school items and clothing to local children who are homeless surpasses its goal.

Tom Katzenmeyer and Karen Bell feel the arts community in central Ohio is more efficient, collaborative, and welcoming than ever—and poised to reach new heights in the coming years.

Their paths are different, but Mark Tripodi and Denise Meine-Graham share a bond over something no one should—the sudden, tragic loss of a child. Both parents' deep despair turned into a longing to make similar situations better for others.

Inspired by Roberta Jones-Booth's love and unwavering support of her community, family and friends, her family established the Roberta Jones Booth Scholarship Fund in 2004. The scholarship supports students who are graduating seniors from Marion Franklin High School or who reside within the Marion Franklin Civic Association boundaries.

The Columbus Foundation’s new education community of practice brings together 14 youth-serving organizations to collaborate, innovate, and strengthen support for young learners across central Ohio.

A Columbus True Original, Ann Hamilton transforms the ordinary into the extraordinary—shaping minds, spaces, and futures through groundbreaking art.

Since 2012, Besa has been dedicated to connecting people to community service in Columbus. It collaborates with local nonprofits to help spread awareness of ongoing volunteer opportunities, as well as to help find volunteers to support specific service projects. In 2024, Besa partnered with 185 nonprofits and, since its founding, the organization has recruited more than 100,000 volunteers to support 13,000 service projects.

Tracking community trends offers a host of benefits, and can help us to break through stereotypes and distinguish between fact and fable.

The Spirit of Columbus Award, affectionately known as The Jerries®, was established in 2013 to honor aviatrix Jerrie Mock, a visionary who ignored the doubts of others and blazed into history as the first woman to fly solo around the world. That same undeniable spirit was evident in the recent collaborative effort to keep the Columbus Crew SC in Columbus. Since playing its first game in 1996, the Crew has become an important thread in the fabric of our city.