Opportunity Overview
The Millstone Fund March 2027 Standard Responsive Grant Cycle supports eligible nonprofit organizations serving Greater Cincinnati in health, education, and arts. For the March award cycle, the grants portal opens in early August, Letters of Inquiry are due October 1, invited full applications are due December 15, and awards are made in March.
Funding and Deadline
Unsolicited grants, especially operating and program requests, average approximately $20,000 to $30,000 when awarded. Requests are generally not considered below $10,000, and unsolicited, operating or program requests, as well as requests from organizations new to Millstone Fund, generally should not exceed $50,000. The controlling entry deadline is October 1, 2026 for the Letter of Inquiry. Millstone Fund does not publish a deadline clock time or time zone, so Atlas does not infer one. Organizations invited to continue have a full application deadline of December 15, 2026.
Eligibility
Eligible applicants are nonprofit organizations with active IRS 501(c)(3) status that directly benefit residents of Greater Cincinnati and whose work falls within health, education, and or arts. Millstone Fund generally expects a grantee to complete the prior grant period and evaluation before seeking support again for the same need, and organizations typically will not receive funding for the same need more frequently than every two years.
Allowable Uses and Match
Millstone Fund supports capacity building, capital needs, general operating support, projects and programs, and innovation seed funding. Capital support may include facilities, equipment, and technology, with preference for organizations that have an established Millstone relationship and or a strong community track record. Project funding may support expansion of successful services or pilots, new services addressing important gaps, and cross organization collaboration. Innovation seed funding may support testing a new idea to demonstrate proof of concept. A proportionate share of overhead may be allowed. The reviewed official materials do not state a mandatory applicant match or cost share requirement.
Health and Education Priorities
The health focus includes prevention and treatment of mental illness and mental health crises, access to preventive and intervention services for mental, behavioral, and developmental health, reduction of adverse outcomes, and healthier communities and families. Millstone Fund also considers innovative methods to advance health outcomes and seeks to improve access to care. Education priorities include student support, intervention and enrichment, educational access, learning outcomes, and resources that help students thrive.
Submission and Required Materials
The first step is an online Letter of Inquiry through Millstone Fund’s grant portal. The Review Committee evaluates LOIs and determines which organizations will be invited to submit a full application. The public guidance reviewed does not publish a separate universal attachment checklist for the LOI. Any applicant controlled tax, governance, financial, program, certification, or other organizational materials requested by the portal or subsequent application must be supplied and verified by the applicant and must not be fabricated.
Contact
Questions about the application process, eligibility, or organizational alignment may be directed to Elle Folger, Grants and Partnerships Lead, at efolger@millstonefund.org.
Atlas Fit Analysis
Atlas Opportunity Score: 91/100. This is a substantial, flexible local funding pathway with explicit support for healthcare access, innovation, equipment and technology, program expansion, and proof of concept projects.
N9+ Fit Score: 84/100, conditional applicant led. A legitimate role for the Nonagon N9+ device and platform can exist where an eligible Greater Cincinnati nonprofit owns a verified clinical access, integrated care, developmental health, school health, or related service model in which connected examination technology is integral to the project. The fit should not be forced, and equipment allowability for the exact applicant and project should be confirmed before outreach or proposal development.
Direct Vendor Classification
Dr. Miltie and QC Healthcare are not direct eligible applicants because the standard cycle requires an active 501(c)(3) nonprofit applicant. Any QC Healthcare role must be through an eligible nonprofit led project as a vendor or partner, subject to applicant ownership of the need, project design, and budget.
Verification basis: Millstone Fund official Application Process Overview, Checklist, Who We Support, and Health priority pages, reverified September 12, 2026.