The Columbus Foundation

The Columbus Foundation advances philanthropy and community improvement from its headquarters at 1234 East Broad Street in Columbus, Ohio 43205-1453. Its mission is to assist donors and others in strengthening and improving the community for the benefit of all residents, and its promise centers on helping people help others through effective philanthropy. The organization’s website presents a broad civic platform that includes donor services, nonprofit resources, grant opportunities, professional advisor resources, and student-focused programs. Student support is a visible part of that work. The Columbus Foundation operates a Universal Scholarship Application that allows high school and college students to apply for more than 100 scholarships, while its online scholarship directory offers hundreds of scholarship opportunities. For the 2026 cycle, the deadline for the Universal Scholarship Application was extended from March 1 to March 9, 2026, and selection committees review March applications in April and May, with decisions sent in May, June, and July. The scholarship process also includes payment and renewal administration through Proof of Enrollment and Registration Renewal forms completed by a school registrar. The Foundation’s student services sit within a larger portfolio of named initiatives and community programs, including Summer Fellows, Building Social Capital, the Center for HumanKindness, Designing for Community Well-Being, The BIGs, Better Together, The Big Give, Critical Need Alerts, Disaster Relief Efforts, and Gifts of Kindness. Alongside these programs, it maintains tools such as The Giving Store, nonprofit grant resources, and donor fund services. The organization can be reached by phone at 614/251-4000 and keeps business hours of 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. ET, Monday through Friday.