OUR WORK

Hope in Action

In the spirit of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine, we increase the community’s ability to improve the lives of people living in poverty.

Our Work

HOW WE WORK

We are a 501c3 public charity that operates as a grantmaking foundation in the community. Our grantmaking builds the capacity and sustainability of local organizations that apply evidence-based models or promising, innovative methods. We work with our grantees to evaluate outcomes and share results and our knowledge with the community. And, we cultivate advocacy efforts to effect systemic change.

We know we can achieve more in cooperation with others than alone. In community-wide collaborations, we represent the unique needs of the people we serve. We will also leverage the shared values and expertise of the Sisters of Charity Health System and other Catholic health and social service organizations. We are led by a theory of change that combines the core values of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine with the guiding principles of our foundation.

Our strategic focus areas are complemented by additional investment and work in innovation, community collaboration, continuous learning and policy advocacy.

STRATEGIC FOCUS AREAS

ENDING HOMELESSNESS

We focus on ending homelessness in Cuyahoga County by promoting systems change and organizational and partnership capacity.

SUPPORTING CATHOLIC SISTERS & THEIR MINISTRIES

We support Catholic sisters and their ministries in Northeast Ohio to meet the needs of God's most vulnerable people.

STRENGTHENING THE CENTRAL NEIGHBORHOOD

We aim to break the cycle of poverty, family by family, by advancing health, education, social capital, stability and economics

Supporting Innovation

We focus on supporting special initiatives that inspire innovative problem solving and courageous approaches to breaking the cycle of poverty in Cleveland.

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Supporting Collaboration

We promote strong community partnership by convening or participating in collaborations in the community, responding to basic needs and supporting Catholic ministries.

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Knowledge & Learning

We are committed to the guiding principle of continuous learning by using knowledge and information to drive decisions and build solutions.

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Policy Advocacy

We are dedicated to advocating for systems change through governments at community, state and federal levels.

Additional Grantmaking Areas

SOCF seeks to be a good relative in the family of Catholic ministries in the Diocese of Cleveland, with preference to ministries of the Sisters of Charity of St. Augustine and Sisters of Charity Health System, given our shared history and mission.

We are committed to continuing to support organizations through funding for emergency and basic needs services and supplies, including food, clothes, transportation, toiletries, emergency health supplies and utilities, photo IDs and other services that are vitally important to those in need.

As a health care conversion foundation, we are committed to improving health outcomes and access to care for people living in poverty. The foundation views health as vital to supporting families, building stable neighborhoods and reducing poverty. While much of our health focus is placed on the Central neighborhood to break the cycle of poverty, we also invest in strategies that address systemic challenges to improve health and health care outcomes, with a particular focus on equity.

We support community collaboration that aligns with our mission of improving the lives of people in need. These collaborations create opportunities for greater efficiency, stronger advocacy and more robust funding than a single foundation could achieve.

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