Frequent Questions

The Public Health Fund of Ohio (PHFO) was created as a nonprofit public charity foundation to advance the health and wellbeing of Ohioans by supporting the mission of the Ohio Department of Health (ODH) and the State Health Improvement Plan (SHIP). The PHFO is a Type I Supporting Organization to the Greater Cincinnati Foundation. The PHFO has been endowed with approximately $8 million and is managed as a traditional foundation. The amount distributed each year is a percentage of the endowment, typically 5% of a 20-quarter rolling average of the endowment.

Each year, the PHFO Board of Directors decides how to distribute grant funds. These methods include responsive and strategic grantmaking through distribution of Requests for Proposals (RFPs). In 2023, PHFO awarded approximately $350,000, and in 2025, $250,000.

The PHFO issues grant funds for: Public health awareness and education campaigns Innovative public health program and prevention strategies Priority public health issues Other work related to advancing positive changes in population health in Ohio

The PHFO service area is the whole state of Ohio.

PHFO conducts responsive and strategic grantmaking through distribution of Request for Proposals (RFPs), which explain eligibility, alignment, and evaluation criteria, as well as instructions to apply to for funding.These RFPs are posted to PHFO's site and distributed through our listserv. Sign up to receive future emails here!Groups eligible to receive funding may include county and city health departments, Federally Qualified Health Centers (FQHCs) and charitable clinics. Eligible groups may expand as the endowment of the PHFO grows.

Grantee partners who have a current grant through PHFO are ineligible to apply for any additional funding opportunities until their grant term has concluded.

Eligible organizations may submit one application per funding opportunity.Organizations affiliated with a university, hospital, or other institution with multiple departments or locations must coordinate internally, typically through a centralized office such as Operations, a Foundation, or a Grants Office to ensure a single, unified submission.For universities, hospitals or other organizations with affiliated foundations, we respectfully request that applications be submitted through the foundation. Applications submitted outside of the institution’s foundation may not be considered.

For programmatic grants, the Public Health Fund adopts the following tiered indirect cost rates based on organizational budget size, effective January 1, 2026.Organizational Annual Budget Standard Indirect Cost RateUnder $2 Million30%$2 - $4 Million25%Over $4 Million 20%An organization’s total funding request should be inclusive of the Indirect Cost Rate.