Barberton Community Foundation Awards $450,665 for Early Learning, Career Pathways, Downtown Vitality, and Basic Needs | Barberton Community Foundation

Second 2026 grant cycle supports 22 organizations and partnerships serving Barberton residents

BARBERTON, Ohio – Barberton Community Foundation’s Board of Directors approved $450,665 across 22 grants in the second of two 2026 competitive grant cycles. Including the total five-year commitment to Magical Theatre Company in this granting cycle’s only long-term grant, the Foundation’s current grants and future commitments from this grant cycle total $590,665.

“Each grant is connected to larger goals for our community’s success,” said Executive Director Josh Gordon. “We are investing in the organizations and partnerships that will help us develop systems that help children start strong, connect our residents to opportunity, strengthen family stability, and bring more activity to our downtown. That alignment and focus is how these grant dollars maintain Barberton’s momentum.” 

The cycle begins with $142,500 for early learning, strengthening the network of families, educators, preschool providers, and community partners working to help Barberton children enter kindergarten ready to learn and thrive. 

Summit Education Initiative received $57,500 for the second year of the Barberton Preschool Collaborative work supporting cradle-to-career education. The partnership supports professional development, curriculum alignment, kindergarten transitions, and better use of kindergarten readiness data. Funding will also help develop a Birth-to-Grade 3 dashboard so partners can identify and respond to trends affecting local children and families. 

Child Guidance & Family Solutions received $35,000 for programs that help educators respond to challenging behaviors, strengthen children’s emotional and social skills, and support healthier parent-child relationships. The grant will also expand the Incredible Years® Parent and Child program to the organization’s Barberton office. 

Two additional grants bring kindergarten preparation and family support directly into children’s homes. The Early Childhood Resource Center received $25,000 for SPARK, an in-home kindergarten readiness program for 3- and 4-year-olds. Building for Tomorrow, the nonprofit arm of Akron Metropolitan Housing Authority, received $25,000 for home visits, developmental screenings, readiness activities, and connections to community resources for children from birth to age 5. 

Support continues as children enter school. Barberton City School District received $20,000 to update kindergarten-through-second-grade special education classrooms with sensory equipment, adaptive seating, learning technology, and hands-on reading, writing, and math materials. The resources will help students with autism, sensory processing needs, developmental delays, and other disabilities remain regulated, engaged, and working toward their individualized education goals. 

Funding for the school district project will combine support from the Foundation’s endowment with a donor-established fund.  The Marilyn & John May Fund for Developmentally Disabled Youth contributed $2,000 to this grant with the Foundation’s endowment providing the $18,000 balance. 

Educational opportunities have a greater impact when children and families also have the stability to benefit from them. The Foundation awarded $123,000 to 10 organizations addressing food insecurity, behavioral health needs, violence, housing instability, serious illness, and other challenges that can disrupt school, work, and family life. 

Red Oak Behavioral Health received $25,000 to continue coordinating the Barberton Community Wellness Collaborative during a funding transition at Barberton City Schools. Through a shared referral process coordinated by the Collaborative, participating organizations connect students and families with mental health care, housing assistance, food support, and other services. 

Another $42,000 in grant support assists Barberton residents experiencing violence, trauma, or behavioral health challenges. In partnership with Barberton Municipal Court, Victim Assistance Program received $25,000 for free advocacy, safety planning, court navigation, victim compensation assistance, and connections to essential resources. Hope & Healing Survivor Resource Center received $10,000 for crisis intervention, emergency shelter, and support for Barberton residents who are survivors of domestic violence, sexual violence, and human trafficking. Greenleaf Family Center received $7,000 for suicide and violence prevention programming for Barberton students and school staff. 

Food access and household stability are supported through four complementary programs. Barberton's Salvation Army received $15,000 for hot meals, a food pantry, food distributions, rent and utility assistance, personal care services, and case management. The program is expected to serve at least 1,600 residents. 

Axess Family Services received $7,500 for Mobile Meals and wellness checks for low-income, elderly, and disabled residents. Ben Curtis Family Foundation received $6,500 for its Birdie Bag Program, which provides meals and snacks for more than 1,500 Barberton children when school meals are unavailable.

Akron-Canton Regional Foodbank received $7,500 to provide fresh produce, protein, dairy products, and shelf-stable groceries through monthly distributions at The Salvation Army in Barberton. 

Two grants address health-related needs that can place significant emotional and financial strain on families. Embracing Futures received $12,000 to provide medically necessary orthodontic care for two Barberton children from low-income families who were denied Medicaid coverage. Stewart’s Caring Place received $7,500 for free cancer wellness and support services, including counseling, peer support, wellness activities, wigs, financial and legal consultations, and assistance with food and transportation. 

As students grow, another $105,165 in grant support is targeted to help them, and other residents, build the confidence, skills, and connections needed to pursue education, careers, and living-wage employment. 

Effective Leadership Academy received $45,665 to provide its Pathways to Success for all Barberton sixth graders, along with high school programming focused on career exploration, goal setting, interview preparation, communication, teamwork, and problem-solving. The grant will also support professional development for Barberton City School District’s educators and staff. 

Limitless Ambition received $20,000 to continue its Purposely Chosen Teen Program for Barberton middle and high school girls, helping participants build confidence, strengthen relationships, manage emotions, and set academic and career goals. 

Hands-on learning will introduce additional students to career and financial possibilities. International Soap Box Derby received $7,500 for STEM programming connected to engineering, manufacturing, technology, and the skilled trades. Junior Achievement of North Central Ohio received $7,000 for financial literacy, career-readiness, and entrepreneurship programming for Barberton middle and high school students. 

The Board also approved a conditional $25,000 grant to Tri-County Jobs for Ohio’s Graduates for Pathways to Prosperity: Barberton. The initiative will develop a workforce platform connecting career coaching and skill development with needs identified by local employers and industry partners. The grant is contingent upon the organization securing at least $175,000 from other funding sources. 

The cycle concludes with $60,000 in grants connecting education, local history, and the arts with activity in downtown Barberton. 

Barberton Historical Society received $25,000 for the Silver Ribbon Dream Project, a collaboration with Magical Theatre Company, Barberton City Schools, educators, musicians, and area artists. The project will create an original musical based on the canal-era journals of Pearl “Skinny” Nye, along with classroom materials aligned with Ohio’s fourth-grade social studies standards. Performances will bring regional history to life while drawing students and families into downtown Barberton. 

Magical Theatre Company received the first $35,000 installment of a five-year, $175,000 commitment for PACT, or Performing Arts Can Teach. The partnership will give every Barberton City Schools student access to professional live theatre each year from kindergarten through graduation. The experiences will strengthen literacy, communication, critical thinking, creativity, empathy, confidence, and problem-solving skills that support students in school, work, and community life. 

This second grant cycle concludes Barberton Community Foundation’s competitive grantmaking for 2026. Through its two annual cycles, the Foundation supported programs and partnerships aligned with Birth-to-5 Early Learning, Workforce Development and Career Pathways, Downtown Revitalization, and Basic Needs.