September 10, 2025 - OPIOID SETTLEMENT FUND BOARD HOLDS PUBLIC MEETING
At its September meeting, the Board of Directors of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation—Ohio’s 501(c)(3) nonprofit responsible for overseeing the distribution of 55% of the state’s opioid settlement funds—celebrated National Recovery Month and announced the timeline for the next round of grants to expand prevention, treatment, and recovery efforts across the state.
To mark National Recovery Month, Region 19 Director Daphne Ayers, who is a person with twenty-plus years in active recovery, invited Stefanie Robinson and China Darrington to lead the meeting’s “Mission Moment.” Robinson, in recovery for more than 15 years, is the founder of Hope Recovery Community and a member of OneOhio’s Expert Panel. Darrington, also in long-term recovery, serves as Board President of Summit Recovery Hub—a OneOhio grantee—and is a leading advocate for recovery-oriented systems of care.
“As we prepare to launch the next round of regional grants, these stories of hope remind us why our work matters,” said Don Mason, Chair of the OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board. “Across Ohio, recovery organizations and peer leaders like Stefanie and China are helping people stay on the path to wellness. OneOhio is here to help those critical services not only continue, but expand, so we can strengthen families and build more resilient communities statewide.”
Following the “Mission Moment,” OneOhio Executive Director Alisha Nelson and Director of Partnership and Outreach Sarah Anstine announced that the Foundation will launch its next grant cycle in December 2025. Lessons from the first grant round and feedback provided through region surveys have been used to streamline Regional Grant Cycle 2 processes and help set clear funding priorities to guide applicants.
OneOhio staff has been working with the 19 OneOhio Regions over the past several months to help them prepare for the next grant round, and that work will continue through November as the Regions establish funding priorities ahead of the Request for Proposals (RFP) release in December. The Foundation will then begin accepting Funding Inquiries in January 2026, with submission reviews expected to start in February.
Anstine also unveiled a new webpage that will serve as the central hub for Regional Grant Cycle 2. This page provides an overview of the upcoming grant process and resources to help applicants prepare for the RFP launch. Additional updates and materials will be posted as they become available. Members of the public should visit OneOhioFoundation.com/Grants to learn more.
To help potential applicants prepare for the RFP launch, a Grant Implementation Readiness Impact Academy webinar will be held October 9 from 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. ET. Webinar registration information will be posted on the grant headquarters webpage in the coming days.
In other business, Board members:
Received a report from Executive Committee Chair Don Mason and Investment Committee Chair Jim White on the updated Investment Policy recently approved by the Executive Committee, as well as the Foundation’s continued work to prepare an RFP to identify an investment advisor to support the Foundation’s long-term investment strategy.
Received an Audit and Finance Committee update from OneOhio Director of Operations and Communications Aimee Shadwick. The Board then voted to approve the unaudited July financial statements.
Received a report from Grant Oversight Committee Chair Tom Gregoire on the committee’s efforts to take lessons learned from Regional Grant Round 1 to prepare for the next round, including ongoing development of the Regional Grant Cycle 2 RFP.
Following the meeting, the Foundation’s Board of Directors was joined by Regional Board Chairs and Vice Chairs, along with members of the Expert Panel, for a special luncheon celebrating Recovery Month. During the event, Stefanie Robinson led a “Language of Recovery” training, encouraging OneOhio partners to use communication that reflects hope, respect, and dignity while avoiding stigmatizing labels and judgmental terms. Attendees also shared what Recovery Month means to them as they continue their impactful work with OneOhio in their communities.
The OneOhio Recovery Foundation Board of Directors’ next meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 8, at 10:30 a.m. at the County Commissioners Association of Ohio offices, 209 E. State St., Columbus.
