Strategic Priorities

From the beginning, the Foundation’s philanthropic emphasis concentrated on four primary areas of giving—education; the arts; social services; and civic enhancement, which includes various activities that contribute to the general good of the community such as housing; the environment; and economic development. Originally, recipients of the grants provided by the Foundation were located around Northeastern Ohio, with a preference for activities in Akron. The geographical area of giving changed in 1995, with primary consideration being given to organizations located in Summit County, Ohio. Organizations in adjoining counties (Cuyahoga, Medina, Portage, Stark and Wayne) are given secondary consideration.

All grants are made at the discretion of the Distribution Committee acting within established guidelines and applicable laws. Occasionally, grants are awarded outside the Foundation’s primary areas at the discretion of the Distribution Committee.

Grants are made to organizations that have been recognized as tax-exempt under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code or tax-exempt organizations that have an appropriate fiscal sponsor with adequate accounting procedures. The Foundation does not award grants to individuals.

Currently, with approximately $186 million in assets, the GAR Foundation is the largest foundation in Summit County and one of the largest in Northeast Ohio. Grants totaling $8 million to $10 million are distributed annually.