Interact for Health opens $2 million fund for Adams County nonprofits

Adams County nonprofits now have a shot at a slice of a new Interact for Health pool that offers up to $2 million for organizations dealing with sudden policy shifts, volatile conditions and rising demand for services. The foundation opened the Responsive Fund on June 23 and set a July 31 deadline at 5 p.m., putting a fast turnaround on applications for groups that can move quickly.

The biggest share of the money, up to $1.5 million, is set aside for direct grants of $50,000, $75,000 or $100,000. Interact for Health said those awards can support either general operating costs or specific programs when there are time-sensitive gaps or unmet needs. The foundation said it will give priority to organizations advancing health justice and youth well-being, a signal that Adams County groups serving children, families and vulnerable residents may have the clearest path to funding.

Eligibility is limited to public nonprofits and governmental organizations that serve at least one county in Interact for Health’s 20-county region. Adams County is on that list, along with other Ohio counties including Brown, Butler, Clermont, Clinton, Hamilton, Highland and Warren. Interact for Health, based in Cincinnati, serves counties in Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana, so local applicants have to show they are part of a regional service footprint, not just that they are based in Adams County.

The fund also includes up to $300,000 for sustainability consultations and capacity-building support. Interact for Health said that money can be used for one-on-one consulting on scenario planning, legal support, sustainability and development planning, diversified funding strategies, and even exploring partnerships or mergers. For smaller Adams County nonprofits that may not have staff capacity to absorb a funding shock, that second track could be as important as the grants themselves.

Applicants were offered an optional proposal webinar on July 7 from 4 to 5 p.m., and the foundation says organizations should be ready to deploy resources quickly if they are funded. That requirement matters for groups in Adams County trying to cover immediate service gaps, whether the need is around youth programs, basic health supports or other community services that cannot wait for a slow budget cycle.

Interact for Health said the Responsive Fund builds on earlier rapid-response work, including $1 million deployed amid federal funding rollbacks and a $72,000 response to SNAP cuts in 2025. That history shows the new round is aimed less at routine project funding than at helping local nonprofits stay upright when the policy and funding landscape changes around them.