Frequently Asked Questions

Below are frequently asked questions regarding our application process; we encourage you to review these first.

Grants are awarded to nonprofit, tax-exempt organizations as defined by Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, to organizations that are public charities under Section 509(a)(1),(2), or (3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and to those that comply with the requirement of Section 4945(d)(3) or (4) of the Code. The Foundation does not make grants in support of any non-charitable purpose or to organizations that promote racial, ethnic or religious disharmony, hatred or violence.

We focus our resources and efforts in areas with which we are very familiar and/or have relationships with trusted partners, or where there is a unique intersection of one or more of the following areas of interest: Judaism, Health and Well-being, Basic Needs, Inclusion, Civic Engagement, The Arts.

Our geographic focus is in the Greater Cincinnati area with limited grant making in other areas where our Trustees reside and at the initiative of those Trustees.

  • Approach in-line with our Activation Funding Guidelines.
  • Project leadership with demonstrated track record.
  • Strong alignment and commitment of the Board
  • Opportunity for the Foundation to add value beyond funding.
  • Clear rationale as to how programming will likely result in desired outcomes.
  • Capital campaigns.
  • Requests over $50,000.
  • Programs not aligned well with our Activation Funding Guidelines.

February 4: Activation Funding Available / Invitation Sent

March 15: Deadline for Activation Funding Proposals

April 30: Invitation for Full Application and/or 1:1 Meetings with The Mayerson Foundation

June: Funding Decisions 

The Activation Funding online grant portal will ask for your Tax ID number as well as to create a username and password.  For your convenience, here are all of the Online Application Questions in efforts to prepare your proposal.

If you have a need that does not align with the current Activation Funding opportunity, inquiries will be accepted on an ongoing basis.

The Board of Trustees wishes to remain open to responsive requests that match any one of our articulated areas of interest. However, current priority is in Activation Funding.

Please share your inquiry here.