MARCH 11, 2026 - ONEOHIO RECOVERY FOUNDATION BOARD HOLDS MARCH PUBLIC MEETING
Directors Highlight Accountable Fund Management and Progress Toward Distributing Next Round of Grants
Directors of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation, a 501(c)(3) charitable nonprofit responsible for overseeing the distribution of 55% of Ohio’s opioid settlement funds, held a public board meeting at the offices of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio in Columbus.
Chair Don Mason welcomed directors, staff, and members of the public, noting in his opening remarks that the Foundation will soon begin reviewing and approving the next round of grant awards. Mason emphasized that, as the Foundation prepares for this important phase of its work, maintaining rigorous standards of transparency, accountability, and ethical governance remains paramount.
“The Foundation has a responsibility to uphold the highest standards of transparency and accountability as we steward opioid settlement resources on behalf of the people of Ohio,” Mason said. “Our governance processes ensure that board members do not receive information about, or participate in deliberations involving, organizations where a real or perceived conflict of interest may exist. These safeguards are essential to protecting the integrity of our grantmaking process and maintaining the public’s trust.”
To help ensure the grantmaking process is conducted fairly and without conflicts of interest, Mason said board members will be asked to complete the Foundation’s annual Board of Directors commitment form ahead of the Board’s May meeting. Board members also received the Foundation’s Quick Guide to Avoiding Conflicts of Interest as part of their meeting materials, and the Foundation’s general counsel provided a brief overview of the policies and procedures designed to identify, prevent, and address both actual and perceived conflicts of interest.
Following this discussion, Director Ted St John introduced Lisa Mertz, executive director of the Addiction Services Council, for the meeting’s “Mission Moment” presentation. Mertz highlighted how grant funding awarded through OneOhio Region 2 (Hamilton County) is supporting the expansion of the organization’s Afterhours Individualized Mobile Engagement (AIM) Team, which provides rapid, after-hours support for individuals experiencing substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health conditions.
In her Executive Director’s report, Alisha Nelson provided an update on the Foundation’s Regional Grant Cycle 2 process, noting strong interest from communities across Ohio. With $45.7 million available across the Foundation’s 19 regions, nearly 1,300 funding inquiries were submitted, requesting approximately $355 million in total support. Nelson said Foundation staff are finalizing compliance reviews and preparing to begin the regional review process. She noted that proposals span all abatement strategies, with most focused on prevention, treatment, recovery services, and supports for children and families affected by substance use. Nelson emphasized that staff are working to ensure the review process is both efficient and thorough so that available funds are directed to initiatives with the greatest potential impact.
Mason also provided a brief update on preparations for the Foundation’s upcoming Biennial Meeting in May, when the Board of Directors will elect members of the Executive Committee and officer positions in accordance with the Foundation’s Code of Regulations. The Board then received a report from the Audit & Finance Committee and approved the Foundation’s financial reports for December 2025 and January 2026.
Following those actions, the Board heard a presentation from Investment Committee Chair Jim White on the rigorous process to appoint an Outsourced Chief Investment Officer to help manage the Foundation’s funds. White noted that the Investment Committee conducted a multi-month review of qualified firms and investment strategies, evaluating firms based on experience, investment philosophy, fee structures, and institutional references, with the goal of identifying an experienced partner to share fiduciary responsibility while maintaining strong Board oversight. Executive Director Nelson added that the committee’s work followed the Board’s direction to explore a potential term endowment approach designed to ensure the funds are invested strategically to support both immediate needs and long-term recovery efforts across Ohio.
The Board then adjourned until its Biennial Meeting, scheduled for 10 a.m. on Wednesday, May 13, 2026, at the offices of the County Commissioners Association of Ohio, 209 E. State St., Columbus.
