McCullough-Hyde Foundation – Community Granting Program (2026)

Community Health Grants for Nonprofits in Ohio and Indiana

The McCullough-Hyde Foundation is accepting applications for its Community Granting Program, which supports local organizations working to improve health and wellbeing in communities served by McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital and TriHealth.

The Foundation anticipates making more than $200,000 in grants annually through the program. Funding supports projects addressing chronic disease, healthy behaviors, mental and behavioral health, and social determinants of health.

The next application deadline is December 15, 2026, with award notifications expected in February.

Organization: McCullough-Hyde Foundation / TriHealth
Support Type: Community health grants
Geographic Focus: Butler and Preble counties in Ohio; Franklin and Union counties in Indiana
Funding Amount: Individual award amounts not specified
Annual Funding Available: More than $200,000 anticipated
Deadline: December 15, 2026

About the Funder

The McCullough-Hyde Foundation supports the philanthropic mission of McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, part of the TriHealth health system.

Through its Community Granting Program, the Foundation partners with local nonprofit and community organizations addressing significant health needs across its service area.

The program recognizes that creating healthier communities requires investment both in direct healthcare and in the broader conditions that influence health, including food access, housing, transportation, education, employment, physical activity, and mental wellbeing.

What This Program Supports

The Foundation invites proposals for programs and projects focused on education, prevention, awareness, wellness, and direct care within four major priority areas.

Chronic Disease Prevention & Care

Programs that prevent, manage, or reduce the burden of chronic health conditions.

Examples may include initiatives addressing:

• Heart disease
• Hypertension
• Stroke
• Diabetes
• Early detection
• Health education
• Care coordination
• Wellness promotion
• Access to treatment
• Patient support services

Healthy Behaviors

Programs promoting healthy lifestyle choices and making wellness opportunities more accessible.

Potential areas include:

• Physical activity
• Nutrition
• Tobacco cessation
• Preventive care
• Active living
• Youth and family wellness
• Health education
• Community recreation

Projects should be community-centered and designed to help individuals and families make and sustain healthier choices.

Mental & Behavioral Health

Programs improving access to mental health and substance-use services or promoting emotional wellbeing.

Eligible activities may include:

• Prevention
• Early intervention
• Treatment
• Recovery support
• Mental health education
• Community outreach
• Stigma reduction
• Anxiety and depression services
• Addiction and substance-use programs

Projects may serve individuals across all age groups.

Social Determinants of Health

The Foundation also supports programs addressing the underlying social and economic conditions that affect health.

Examples include:

• Access to healthcare
• Food security
• Housing
• Transportation
• Education
• Employment
• Economic stability
• Community environments
• Access to wellness resources

This priority makes the program relevant to organizations outside the traditional healthcare sector when they can clearly demonstrate how their work affects health outcomes.

Eligible Organizations

Applicants must be:

• A 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization; or
• Another not-for-profit organization; or
• An organization working with a qualified tax-exempt fiscal partner

The applicant must be located in one of the program’s four eligible counties.

Geographic Focus

Eligible organizations must be located in:

Ohio

• Butler County
• Preble County

Indiana

• Franklin County
• Union County

The application also asks organizations to identify their primary service area and whether the proposed project has a Northwest Butler County focus.

Applicants should clearly explain where participants live and how the project addresses a documented health need within the Foundation’s service area.

Funding Amounts

💰 Annual Community Grant Funding: More than $200,000 anticipated

The Foundation does not publish a formal minimum or maximum individual grant request.

Recent awards listed by the Foundation have ranged from approximately $2,000 to $20,000, including:

• Oxford Seniors – $20,000
• Preble County Council on Aging – $8,600
• TOPSS – $8,000
• Safe Passage – $7,500
• Butler County General Health District – $5,000
• Liberty Elementary PTO – $4,800
• PARACHUTE: Butler County CASA – $4,800
• YWCA Hamilton – $4,000
• Preble Shawnee Local School District – $2,500
• Camden Fish Food Pantry – $2,000

These examples provide useful context, but applicants should request an amount appropriate to the scope of their project rather than treating previous awards as formal limits.

Examples of Previously Supported Projects

Recent Community Grant recipients demonstrate the breadth of projects that may qualify.

Funding has supported:

• Cardiac screenings and heart-health education
• Food pantries and food-access programs
• Healthy eating initiatives
• Programs for older adults
• Youth mentoring
• Obesity prevention and treatment
• Sensory-friendly learning environments
• Social service assistance for individuals experiencing crises
• Parks and recreation programming
• Mental health and behavioral health services
• Programs supporting children affected by a parent’s cancer
• Facility improvements that strengthen access to community services

These examples reinforce the Foundation’s broad interpretation of community health.

Ineligible Requests

The McCullough-Hyde Foundation will not fund:

• Capital campaigns
• Healthcare levies
• Lobbying
• Political campaigns
• Religious activities intended to further religious doctrine
• Scholarships
• Loan repayments
• Endowments
• Grants to individuals

The Foundation also does not provide direct grants to other healthcare systems.

Collaborative projects involving multiple healthcare systems may be considered when TriHealth is included as a partner.

Partnerships

The Foundation encourages collaboration between grant recipients and McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital or TriHealth when appropriate.

Applicants should consider whether their project provides a natural opportunity to connect with TriHealth expertise, services, outreach, or community-health priorities.

A TriHealth partnership is not described as a universal requirement, but thoughtful collaboration may strengthen projects where it makes sense.

What the Application Asks

Applicants should be prepared to provide information including:

• Organization name and contact information
• Employer Identification Number
• IRS designation
• Fiscal sponsor information, if applicable
• IRS determination letter
• Annual organizational budget
• Program or project name
• Project summary
• Amount requested
• Whether partial funding would be useful
• Project start and end dates
• Community health need addressed
• Primary service area
• Population served
• Projected number of people impacted
• Program goals
• Detailed project description
• Project budget
• Additional funding sources
• Sustainability plan

Applicants may also submit supporting organizational and financial information.

What Makes a Strong Application

The Foundation encourages applicants to clearly explain:

The Health Need

Describe the specific unmet need or challenge the project will address.

Where possible, use community data or other evidence demonstrating that the need exists.

Connection to Funding Priorities

Explain how the project directly addresses chronic disease, healthy behaviors, mental and behavioral health, or social determinants of health.

Project Approach

Clearly describe what the organization will do, how the program will work, and who will participate.

Evidence of Effectiveness

If the program is based on an established model, evidence-based practice, or national standard, explain that connection.

For pilot programs, applicants should explain why they believe the proposed approach will succeed.

Measurable Impact

Identify how many people are expected to benefit and what outcomes the organization expects to achieve.

Sustainability

Applicants should explain how the program or project will continue or how its benefits will be sustained beyond the grant period.

Application Timeline

The Community Granting Program has three application cycles each year.

📅 April 15 Deadline: Notification in June
📅 August 15 Deadline: Notification in October
📅 December 15 Deadline: Notification in February

Current Cycle

📅 Application Deadline: December 15, 2026
📅 Expected Notification: February 2027

Review & Selection

Applications are reviewed by the Foundation’s Community Grant Committee.

The committee evaluates applications and submits recommended grants to the McCullough-Hyde Foundation Board of Trustees for final approval.

The Community Grant Committee includes Foundation trustees, individuals connected with McCullough-Hyde Memorial Hospital, community representatives, and Foundation leadership.

Grant Reporting Requirements

Organizations selected for funding must complete a Community Grant Agreement before payment.

Recipients will also need to provide:

• A W-9
• Documentation of tax-exempt status

An Impact Report is required approximately one year after the grant is awarded or upon completion of the funded project.

Organizations should therefore have a plan for tracking participation, activities, expenses, and outcomes.

Application / Request Process

Applications are submitted entirely through TriHealth’s online funding portal.

New applicants will need to create an account before applying.

The portal is shared among TriHealth’s charitable foundations, so applicants may see the name Bethesda Foundationat points during the application process. This does not mean they are applying to the wrong program; the McCullough-Hyde Community Grant application is hosted through the same system.

Apply / Learn More:

➡️ https://www.trihealth.com/locations/mccullough-hyde-memorial-hospital/foundation/community-grants

Online Application Portal:

➡️ https://www.grantinterface.com/Home/Logon?urlkey=bethesda

Why This Opportunity Is a Good Fit

This opportunity is a strong fit for organizations that:

• Are located in Butler or Preble counties in Ohio
• Are located in Franklin or Union counties in Indiana
• Address a documented local health need
• Work in chronic disease prevention, wellness, mental health, behavioral health, or social determinants of health
• Have a clearly defined program or project
• Can demonstrate measurable community impact
• Can explain how the project will be sustained
• Are seeking support for community-based health improvement rather than a capital campaign

The program is particularly useful for nonprofits that do not traditionally consider themselves healthcare organizations.

Organizations working in food access, youth development, parks and recreation, transportation, education, housing, employment, aging services, or other community issues may be strong candidates when they can clearly demonstrate how their work improves health and removes barriers to wellbeing.

Corporate Grants Guide Notes

Deadline: December 15, 2026
Notification: February 2027
Annual Funding Available: More than $200,000 anticipated
Individual Funding Amount: No formal limit published; recent awards range from approximately $2,000 to $20,000
Geographic Focus: Butler and Preble counties in Ohio; Franklin and Union counties in Indiana
Best Suited For: Local nonprofits addressing significant health needs or social determinants of health
Application Cycle: Three times annually — April 15, August 15, and December 15
Reporting: Impact report required after approximately one year or project completion
Key Strategy: Use local evidence to demonstrate the health need, clearly connect the project to one of the Foundation’s priority areas, and provide measurable outcomes and a sustainability plan.