More than a century ago, the community came together to establish the Cleveland Foundation. Since then, generations of Greater Clevelanders have played a role in helping the foundation to grow and evolve; they have laid the groundwork for the next chapter in our history.

Today, we are thrilled to announce our intentions to join community partners in a catalytic vision for the future of our community. Our board of directors has unanimously authorized the construction of a new home for the Cleveland Foundation that will help to anchor a new civic district planned around the historic Dunham Tavern Museum in MidTown. This move builds on more than 15 years of Cleveland Foundation investment in MidTown and is part of a broader vision to enhance neighborhoods throughout the core city of Cleveland.

“This move empowers the Cleveland Foundation to stay proximate to the residents and neighborhoods in which we are working to serve in partnership with our donors, nonprofit organizations and the community,” said Ronn Richard, President and CEO, Cleveland Foundation. “Working with these partners, our goal with this new district is to create new green space, bring new enterprises to the neighborhood, revitalize existing businesses and establish a sense of place that builds on the history of surrounding neighborhoods and provides opportunities for people to interact. And with equitable place-making as the driving force behind this move, we believe this new civic space in the heart of MidTown will unite Cleveland into one contiguous city that benefits everyone.”

Centered around a vibrant green space and easily accessible via public transit, the new district is envisioned as an innovative mixed-use civic hub that connects the city geographically, both east and west along Euclid Avenue as well as north and south along E. 66th Street. It is designed to create a new sense of arrival and a new sense of place in MidTown. 

Celebrating the Dunham Tavern Museum’s roots as a historical gathering place and urban green space, this new district will be a welcoming destination for all Greater Clevelanders – residents, community leaders, entrepreneurs and students alike – as well as a unifying link between two of the city’s existing civic and cultural centers: Downtown Cleveland and University Circle.

The enhanced visibility and accessibility of our offices will help us better serve our community. We envision that our future headquarters will include a significant amount of open space that is accessible and useful to the community. The foundation plans to finalize the purchase of land and move forward with the headquarters project as soon as outstanding contingencies are promptly resolved.

“I am immensely proud of the leadership demonstrated by my colleagues on the board to unanimously commit to a bold vision for the Cleveland Foundation’s next century,” said Sally Gries, Chairperson, Cleveland Foundation Board of Directors. “By strategically thinking beyond just a stand-alone headquarters building, we believe the scope of this project will catalyze long-term, multi-generational social and economic development as part of the foundation’s strategy to enhance underserved neighborhoods across Cleveland. The foundation will leverage its physical presence to convene the community and help it focus on our shared future by creating a welcoming place where people come together to address Cleveland’s greatest challenges and embrace our greatest opportunities.”

Our move to MidTown will not affect our grantmaking support of Greater Cleveland’s nonprofit organizations. We have a long history of making significant place-based investments across the core city of Cleveland while continuing our grantmaking in other neighborhoods and areas of need. We remain fully committed to serving our three-county footprint of Cuyahoga, Lake and Geauga counties.

We are incredibly grateful for the opportunity to further our mission and continue to serve all residents of Greater Cleveland from this potential new home in MidTown.

Learn More About this Historic Announcement

You can learn more by visiting www.ClevelandFoundation.org/Home and by following #CLEHome on social media.   

Read the full announcement here. 

Hear what community leaders have to say about the vision here. 

Have questions? Find answers here.