Opportunity Overview
The Dayton Foundation Greenlight Grants are quarterly, rapid-turnaround grants for qualified Greater Dayton nonprofit organizations. The program supports special projects, program expansions, capital improvements, and capacity-building efforts. The Foundation’s broader competitive grantmaking includes health, education, human services, arts and culture, and other community-building work.
Funding and Deadline
Greenlight requests may range from $500 to $7,500. The next published deadline is December 1, 2026 by 4:00 p.m. The controlling Foundation page does not state a time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Applicants are generally notified within two weeks of the deadline. No separate solicitation or grant number is published.
Eligibility and Geography
Applicants must be recognized 501(c)(3) tax-exempt nonprofit organizations, established for at least two years with a track record of sustainability, and must benefit residents of the Greater Dayton region, primarily Montgomery, Miami, Greene, Darke, Preble, and northern Warren counties. The Foundation also expects applicants to demonstrate access and opportunity for all individuals, systemic collaboration, an unmet community need, and completion of final reporting for prior Dayton Foundation Greenlight or Discretionary grants.
Allowable Uses, Match, and Submission
The current Greenlight page identifies special projects, program expansions, capital improvements, and capacity building as supported request types. The public Greenlight materials do not state a mandatory match or cost-share requirement, so Atlas does not infer one. Applications are submitted through The Dayton Foundation’s online grants application portal. The Foundation also provides a courtesy worksheet to help applicants collect answers before entry in the portal. Because the public Greenlight page does not expose a complete current-cycle attachment checklist, applicant-controlled forms or attachments are not inferred here.
Strategic Fit
Atlas Opportunity Score: 66/100. The program is credible, open, recurring, and relevant to health and education nonprofits, but the $7,500 ceiling materially limits project scale.
N9+ Fit Score: 30/100, conditional applicant-led. A legitimate fit may exist only within a small, clearly defined health-access or capacity-building project led and controlled by an eligible nonprofit. The Foundation does not identify telehealth, remote physical examinations, or clinical technology as a Greenlight priority, and Atlas should not force N9+ into a proposal. Dr. Miltie/QC Healthcare is not an eligible direct grantee under the stated 501(c)(3) eligibility requirements and would only be considered as an applicant-selected vendor or partner if the applicant’s project and budget permit it.
Potential Applicant Profile
Five Rivers Health Centers is a realistic Greater Dayton health applicant profile. It operates multiple Dayton-area health centers, including a Dayton Public School-Based Health Center, and its current primary-care services include telehealth appointments. Any pursuit should still be based on an applicant-owned project and applicant-specific confirmation of eligibility, budget, prior Foundation reporting status, and the proposed cost structure.
Contact and Controlling Source
Grant questions: Tania Arseculeratne, Senior Community Engagement Officer, (937) 225-9966. Controlling source: The Dayton Foundation Grant Opportunities and Eligibility pages.