OneOhio Recovery Foundation announces first grant recipients
Directors of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable organization charged with helping distribute Ohio’s opioid settlement funds to advance substance use prevention, treatment and recovery efforts, held their monthly public board meeting Oct. 9 at the State Library of Ohio in Columbus.
At the meeting, the Board announced its first set of grant recipients from the Foundation’s initial $51 million round of funding, which includes 18 organizations set to receive more than $2.1 million. Additional grantees will be announced in the future.
“This is a major milestone for the Foundation and a game-changer in Ohio’s fight against addiction,” said Board Chair Don Mason. “These grants will provide significant support to organizations working to combat the addiction epidemic across Ohio, helping to build a strong local infrastructure for substance-use prevention, treatment and recovery throughout the state.”
OneOhio’s first grant recipients include:
All 19 OneOhio Regions are expected to announce additional grant awards in the future. Grant awards announced at the Oct. 9 board meeting should not be considered an exhaustive list for any region.
“Organizations recognized with Foundation grants are transformational agents of hope and change,” said Alisha Nelson, Executive Director of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation. “We are grateful for the privilege of being their partner, knowing that these grants represent a crucial step in our shared mission to take hope and healing to the next level for those affected by this devastating epidemic. We believe that through collaboration and targeted support, we can make an increasingly powerful difference in the lives of many Ohioans. This is the start.”
In addition to these initial grant announcements, OneOhio staff introduced a new initiative called “Grant Award Wednesdays,” featuring regular publication of the Foundation’s most recently finalized grant awards. Grant Award Wednesdays will continue, as needed, through the end of 2024 or until all grant awards are announced. Additionally, all grant awards will be posted publicly at OneOhioFoundation.com/GrantAwards.
The Board also gave preliminary approval for 118 additional grant awards totaling more than $22.7 million, authorizing Foundation staff to negotiate and finalize grant agreements with recipient organizations before grant monies are officially approved for release. These agreements reflect the Foundation’s ongoing commitment to using Ohio’s opioid settlement funds to advance evidence-based substance use prevention, treatment and recovery efforts.
Approvals by OneOhio Region are as follows:
• Region 2: Eighteen (17) applications totaling $4,362,676.71
• Region 4: Seven (7) applications totaling $1,694,279.42
• Region 6: Seven (7) applications totaling $1,007,390.24
• Region 7: Nine (9) applications totaling $1,284,286.28
• Region 9: Eight (8) applications totaling $2,033,223.71
• Region 11: Eight (8) applications totaling $1,587,546.17
• Region 14: Nineteen (19) applications totaling $4,312,628.77
• Region 15: Twelve (12) applications totaling $1,445,565.55
• Region 18: Eleven (11) applications totaling $1,815,622.39
• Region 19: Twenty (20) applications totaling $3,158,413.85.
In addition to grant-related actions, other Board business at the October meeting included:
• A presentation by the Nationwide Foundation to highlight its "Beat the Stigma" campaign, aimed at reducing the stigma associated with substance use disorders.
• Audit & Finance Committee Chair Evan Kleymeyer and OneOhio Finance Manager Jim Quinn presented the 2023 Audit Report and September 2024 financial reports.
• OneOhio staff members Laura Spires and Sarah Anstine provided updates on regional grant activity and discussed ongoing grant allocations.
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board of Directors will hold a special virtual meeting Oct. 29 at 10:30 a.m. To watch the virtual meeting or access related documents, visit OneOhioFoundation.com/Meetings.
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation is a private, non-profit foundation created under the leadership of Governor Mike DeWine and Attorney General Dave Yost, and other state and local leaders, with the mission advancing Ohio’s addiction prevention, treatment and recovery efforts now and into the future.
The Foundation is governed by a 29-member board from across Ohio and is funded by 55 percent of settlement funds that Ohio is receiving from the pharmaceutical industry as a consequence of its role in the national opioid epidemic. Funds support local efforts to prevent and combat addiction and are also invested to support those efforts for the long term. Visit OneOhioFoundation.com for more information.
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