Akron Community Foundation

This week the Akron Art Museum reopened its historic 1899 building with an impressive $12.5 million renovation that includes a 957-square-foot classroom and exhibits and programs that encourage community interaction. The project creates 2,152 square feet of additional gallery space for the Museum, along with video, digital and time-based art, and enhanced amenities.

The building’s centerpiece and first exhibit is the new two-story “J.M. Smucker Co. Idea Machine,” which encourages visitors to make and engage with art. The historic building initially opened as Akron’s main post office in 1899 and became the home of the Akron Art Museum in 1981. In 2007, the Museum expanded with its current building, designed by Viennese architectural firm Coop Himmelb(l)au. The reopened structure will be named the John S. and James L. Knight Foundation Building.
Congratulations to the Akron Art Museum, and to Tracy Burt, our Vice President and Chief Operating Officer, who also serves as Board Chair of the Museum, for a successful capital campaign and for transforming this space. We’re a longtime, proud partner of the Museum and look forward to the resources this newly activated building will bring to the community.

Congratulations to the 61 organizations receiving $650,000 in competitive civic affairs grants this quarter, part of $4.4 million distribution by our board of directors. Grantees include the International Soap Box Derby and Bounce Innovation Hub, among many others, and programs funded range from neighborhood development and environmental stewardship efforts to voter registration, mentorship and leadership programs. We appreciate these nonprofit partners who work diligently to help enhance our community at the neighborhood level. For a full list of civic affairs grants, visit

Akron Community Foundation awards $4.4 million in grants - Akron Community Foundation Included in this round of civic affairs awards is a $15,000 grant to the International Soap Box Derby to support racing programs and STEM learning.

We greatly appreciate the ACF fundholders who joined us for last night’s fall gathering at the beautiful Himelright Lodge in Cascade Valley Metro Park, where we enjoyed some conversation and scenic views of Akron, and updates from the community foundation from President and CEO John F. Garofalo. Attendees also watched a panel discussion, moderated by Jody Konstand (a former ACF Board Member), featuring local philanthropists Kristen Manes, and Ebony & Emma Yeboah-Amankwah.
Special thanks to Summit Metro Parks and Executive Director Lisa King for sharing some of the Himelright Lodge’s history, including its role as part of an 87-acre dairy farm in the late 1800s, along with exciting Metro Parks updates, like the recent release and reintroduction of 500 freshwater sturgeon into the Cuyahoga River after being absent from the local ecosystem for decades, a promising sign of river health improvement. For those interested in learning more about donor advised funds, visit www.akroncf.org/giving/charitable-funds/donor-advised-funds/

The Akron Zoo continues to serve as a valuable community resource. At this morning’s State of the Zoo event, President & CEO Doug Piekarz highlighted some of the organization’s many milestones and achievements, illustrating a highly successful public/private partnership. Every $1 in public support has yielded $8 invested back into the community: so, $112 million invested in the Akron Zoo has generated more than $880 million in community impact. And the Zoo has helped preserve vulnerable animal species and maintains full accreditation through the Association for Zoos and Aquariums. Piekarz said in the 30 years he’s been there he’s seen the Zoo’s animal population go from less than 100 to more than 2,600, with 255 species, and now an annual attendance of more than 400,000 people a year. Also, this morning, Chief External Affairs Officer Pam Holtz shared the impact of the Zoo’s educational programs and student engagement, which last year reached more than 300,000 residents.
Looking forward, The Tom and Shelley Koutnik Center for Veterinary Care is expected to open in October, and the Zoo’s Lehner Family Foundation Giraffe Journey expansion will bring these peaceful giants to Akron in 2028, and whose 10-acre footprint will mark the Akron Zoo’s largest expansion to date. We’re a proud community partner of the Zoo through our grantmaking and other efforts and are thankful for their community presence and impact.

This morning we were pleased to help celebrate Laura Lederer, our Vice President and Chief Development Officer, who received the 2026 James P. Conway Mentor of the Year Award by the Northern Ohio Charitable Gift Planners (NOCGP). The award celebrates an outstanding individual who advances the charitable gift planning profession and has empowered others to achieve their philanthropic goals. Laura has indeed made a tremendous impact in charitable gift planning, providing countless resources and guidance for professional advisors and charitable individuals, along with leading the community foundation's Professional Advisor Council. She’s a relationship builder, community connector and a wonderful leader. Congratulations Laura!

Congratulations to the National Center for Choreography - Akron for the $500,000 grant from the Mellon Foundation in honor of Executive/Artistic Director Christy Bolingbroke’s decade of visionary leadership. We’re a proud supporter of NCC-Akron through our grantmaking and we appreciate Christy’s tireless and innovative work highlighting Akron’s unique relationship with dance while bringing the world of dance to Northeast Ohio.

Help celebrate the people and culture that elevate North Hill at the annual International Day of Peace celebration next Saturday, Sept. 19, 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. at People’s Park (762 Elma St.), hosted by North Hill Community Development Corporation. Along with live performances and an array of globally inspired food, the celebration will showcase the True North Awards, which honor neighborhood champions making a positive impact. It’s free to attend and you can RSVP at https://www.eventbrite.com/e/international-day-of-peace-celebration-2026-tickets-1997981899646. Event sponsorship opportunities are available at northhillcdc.org/icp/sponsorship-packages/.

Akron Community Foundation is proud to be a Safety Sponsor of the 4th Annual Akron City Festival, which kicks off this weekend in downtown Akron. See a full schedule of events here: https://www.akronohio.gov/news_detail_T17_R488.php

The fourth annual Akron City Festival will be held Sept. 5-6. The family-friendly event will celebrate Akron's youth. See link below ⬇️

📸 Provided by City of Akron