The Dayton Foundation is pleased to announce the 2025 recipients of the Award for Excellence in Community Leadership. This award recognizes community groups that have established committee-advised funds through The Dayton Foundation and that are driving positive change by demonstrating best practices in community organizing, fundraising, collaboration and strategic planning.
Each of the following 2025 award recipients received $850.
- Engineering and Science Foundation of Dayton, a Dayton Foundation component fund group since 1995, is celebrating 30 years of investing in the community where STEM education created opportunity. The foundation has played a significant role in helping organizations, such as Air Camp, the Dayton Regional STEM Center and SOCHE, launch innovative STEM programming through crucial early-stage grant support.
- Kettering Education Foundation, a Dayton Foundation fund since 1993, has made significant progress since implementing its strategic planning process in 2020. Core to this has been strengthening its Advisory Board, which has helped the fund expand its reach within the Kettering City Schools community.
- MercyPets, a fund since 2003, has partnered with organizations to provide relief in countries across the globe, making a direct, grassroots impact in regions where child malnutrition is a major concern.
“Each group’s efforts, especially during a year filled with special challenges, are worth recognizing for their impact and their deep relationships cultivated with stakeholders and the community at large,” said Kate Spencer, donor relations officer for The Dayton Foundation. “Our sincere thanks to each recipient for leading the way and serving as a model and resource to other Dayton Foundation component funds.”
The deadline to submit a nomination for the 2026 awards program is May 15, 2026. Any community member or advisor to a Dayton Foundation component fund may nominate a Dayton Foundation fund for this award. Nomination forms will be available in January 2026, or by special request to Kate Spencer at (937) 225-9952 or kspencer@daytonfoundation.org.
Photo Captions: (Left: Kettering Education Foundation and Engineering and Science Foundation) (Right: Father Satish Joseph of MercyPets)
About The Dayton Foundation
The Dayton Foundation has been the trusted charitable giving resource for thousands of individuals, families and organizations since 1921. Ranked among the oldest and largest community foundations in the nation, the Foundation has awarded more than $1.4 billion in grants since its founding, with current assets from all funds exceeding $1.17 billion. For more information about The Dayton Foundation, visit daytonfoundation.org or follow the Foundation on Facebook, X or LinkedIn.