FriendshipService Community

Grants & Funding

Western Reserve Junior Service League has a proud tradition of providing seed funding to budding non-profit organizations, some of which have grown into significant community assets. With over $1,490,828 million awarded in grants, they support a diverse range of causes including assistance for children, the elderly, those with disabilities or medical needs, economically disadvantaged individuals, safety services, cultural endeavors, and even animal welfare. The League facilitates a biannual grant application process, urging all qualifying non-profit agencies in Lake, Geauga, and Ashtabula counties to apply.

Current Recipients

Do you remember the “Little Bus That Cared”? It is better known as Laketran now. Do you remember Sheltered Industries in Mentor? They have since grown into the Lake County Board of Developmental Disabilities/Deepwood. Both of these are examples of organizations that were once Western Reserve Junior Service League “seed” programs.

Through Service League’s tradition of providing grants for seed money to fledgling agencies, some organizations have become self-supporting or have merged with other non-profit agencies.

Grant funding for Service League is as diversified as our membership. Grants are awarded to agencies that help infants, children, the elderly, individuals with disabilities or medical needs, and those that are economically disadvantaged. Agencies that benefit or support our safety services and the culture and arts in our community are also recipients of our funding. We have also provided help for our four-legged furry friends as well.

Service League has awarded over $1,490,828 in grants to area non-profit agencies in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. Grant applications will now only be accepted via our online application. Applications for the fall funding period will only be accepted July 1 – 31, 2023, and will be awarded in November, 2023. Grant applications for the spring funding period will only be accepted December 1 – 31, 2023 and will be awarded in April, 2024. All area non-profit agencies that meet the criteria are encouraged to submit grant requests.

For further information, please Rita Combs or Rita Antalovich at wrjslcr@gmail.com

When is the grant deadline?

Fall funding requests may only be submitted online between July 1st and July 31st.

Spring funding requests may only be submitted online between December 1st and December 31st.

How do I apply for a grant?

Grant requests are only accepted through our online application, please go to our Funding Application page to submit your application.

How are grants approved?

Twice a year Service League accepts grant applications from agencies in Lake, Geauga and Ashtabula counties. Approved grants for the fall funding period are awarded in November, and approved grants for the spring funding period are awarded in April. Our Community Research committee reviews these applications and sends a committee member to interview a representative from each agency. The committee then makes their funding recommendations to our membership who then vote on these funding requests.

What are the requirements for receiving grants?

Your organization must be 501(c)(3) agency. The organization must operate and distribute funds in Lake, Geauga or Ashtabula county. A correctly completed application must be submitted by the deadline to be considered.  Please read our Funding Application Instructions for further information.

Are there exclusions on what the grant money may be used for?

Funding requests for salaries, gift cards, gas cards, bus passes and fundraisers will not be accepted.

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