Application Process

The Board of Trustees meets 3 times a year to consider applications and award grants. Important dates for each grant cycle are listed below:

Meeting DateApplication AvailableDeadline
MarchNovember 1stDecember 1st
JuneMarch 1stApril 1st
NovemberAugust 1stSeptember 1st

Meeting DateMarch

Application AvailableNovember 1st

DeadlineDecember 1


Meeting DateJune

Application AvailableMarch 1st

DeadlineApril 1


Meeting DateNovember

Application AvailableAugust 1st

DeadlineSeptember 1


Applications are due by the end of the day on the specified deadline.

Please note: From time to time the application may be updated; therefore, the online application will be available one month prior to the stated deadlines.

All applications must be submitted online.

Access Our Online Grant System

To be eligible for support, your organization must:

  • Be tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the IRS code
  • Provide services or programming one of our four focus areas:
    1. Education
    2. Pathways to economic independence
    3. Healthcare
    4. Cultural activities
  • Be located in Cuyahoga County
    (Applications from organizations located outside of the region will be considered only if invited by a Trustee.)
  • Have submitted an interim or final report on any previous grants before a new request can be considered

Review the information you’ll need:

Abington Foundation Application Questions

When you submit your application, you will receive an email confirmation that it has been received. PLEASE NOTE: Do not mail a duplicate hard copy of the application or any uploaded attachments

Your grant application is reviewed by both staff and the board. During this process, our staff may contact you for more information. You will be notified within two weeks of the board meeting via the electronic grants management system if your organization received funding or, in some cases, if funding has been denied.

For First Time Users

  • Review grantmaking focus areas, eligibility and deadlines.
  • Create an account for your organization. Access the online grant application here
  • Select one login email address/password to be used for all your organization’s submissions.
  • Provide the email address of the person ultimately responsible for the grant administration. The Abington Foundation will communicate all pertinent information to this email address.
  • PLEASE NOTE: the email address and password you choose is for your organization and not you as an individual. The email and password will enable you and other staff members to save and return to an application, and it will be used to complete the grant report form if a grant is awarded. In addition, every application and report that your organization submits, from this point on, will be accessible by using this email address and password.
  • If you outsource your grant writing, set up your sign-in and provide the grant writer with access to your account. The contract grant writer should never use your organization’s account for other organizations’ applications. The same email address cannot be used for more than one organization.
  • Select “Abington Foundation” from the list of available processes in the system.
  • Begin your application.

Tips for Efficient Completion of the Grant Application

  • Review all of the application questions and collect the requested information and documents before beginning the online process.
  • Use Word for the open-ended questions and then copy and paste the text into the online application.
  • IMPORTANT – Do not use your browser’s BACK button while filling out the application – you will lose all unsaved data.
  • Save your work regularly. Use the save button at the bottom of each page in the application. We will see your application only after you click the submit button.
  • You may stop working on your application before it is complete and return to it at a later time. If you choose to save your work, you will need your user name and password to return to your partially complete application.
  • Once an application is submitted, you cannot add, modify or delete the application or any part of it through the online system. If you find that you need to make an important change to your application after you have submitted it, please contact us directly.

Additional Information

  • You will have an opportunity to review and print a copy of your application prior to submitting it.
  • We may contact you upon receipt of your application to request additional supporting documents, additional information or to request a site visit.
  • To create a new account, begin a new application or return to an application draft, click here