The GAR Foundation in Akron, Ohio, has announced grants totaling nearly $2.9 million to forty organizations in the region.

The grants include $1 million to the Conservancy for Cuyahoga Valley National Park in support of a new visitor center and the park's Trails Forever campaign, an effort that engages the public to ensure the trail system in the park is maintained and preserved. "The Cuyahoga Valley National Park consistently lands in the top ten to twelve most visited national parks, and visitors are coming from greater distances than they used to," said GAR Foundation president Christine Amer Mayer. "GAR sees the visitor center as an important asset to our national park that will improve visitors' park experience and orient them to the many destinations they can visit in our region."

Other awards announced by the foundation include a grant of $80,000 to Child Guidance and Family Solutions in support of its early childhood initiatives; an operating grant of $15,000 to the Akron Digital Media Center; and a grant of $100,000 to the Summit County Historical Society for the hiring of a curator, the purchase of museum software, and the acquisition of artifacts in preparation for Akron's bicentennial in 2025.

For a complete list of grant recipients, visit the GAR Foundation website.