Contribute Land

Land Contributions: Turning idle properties into engines for good jobs

The Site Readiness for Good Jobs Fund (SRF) is dedicated to catalyzing sustainable economic revitalization by reactivating disinvested properties, creating job opportunities, and fostering community prosperity. A critical part of that mission depends on land contributions — from companies and individuals who care about Cleveland’s future and want to see their legacy endure through productive reuse of their property.

Why Land Contributions Matter

The Site Readiness Fund aggregates land through many means:
  • Abandoned parcels entering foreclosure or sheriff’s sale
  • Properties transferred through city or county land banks
  • Strategic acquisitions and assemblages
But some of the most powerful and impactful sites in our portfolio come from corporate and individual land contributions. These contributions help transform long-idle industrial parcels into modern job centers, sustainable manufacturing facilities, and catalytic development sites that lift neighborhoods and advance inclusive economic growth.

Flexible Ways to Contribute

There are many ways to structure a land contribution to the Site Readiness Fund. Each property and donor is unique, and we work closely with owners to identify creative solutions that meet philanthropic, legal, and financial objectives. Options include:

  • Full or partial property donations, which may provide both current and future tax benefits.
  • Blended transactions, where part of the transfer is a sale and part a charitable gift.
  • Charitable Remainder Trusts or other vehicles that can provide current income while still achieving long-term charitable goals.
Our team collaborates with donors and their advisors to develop structures that make sense for both the contributor and the community.

Join the Movement

Every contribution helps move Cleveland forward—transforming vacant, obsolete, or underused land into sites of opportunity.
If you’re a property owner or corporate leader who cares about Cleveland’s future, we invite you to start the conversation. Together, we can find creative ways to turn your property into a catalyst for sustainable growth, good jobs, and community prosperity.
Contact us to learn how your land can leave a lasting legacy for Cleveland’s next century of progress.
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Why Companies Contribute

A land contribution can make business, financial, and moral sense. Some companies choose to contribute land as an act of good corporate citizenship—a way to give back to the neighborhoods where they once employed generations of Clevelanders.
Others find that the tax advantages of donating a property—especially one requiring demolition or environmental remediation—can be as attractive as any market-based sale.
The SRF works with contributors to ensure appropriate indemnification and to structure any necessary deed restrictions so that owners are protected to the maximum extent allowed by law while their land is repurposed for community good.

Examples of Impact

The SRF has already benefited from forward-thinking landowners who shared our vision for Cleveland’s future:

General Electric (South Collinwood)

For decades, GE operated a 20-acre light bulb manufacturing facility in South Collinwood. After closing the plant, GE demolished the structure and remediated the site. Rather than sell to the highest bidder for low-value industrial use, GE worked with SRF to pursue a plan that would bring good jobs back to the neighborhood. In partnership with the City of Cleveland and MIT’s city planning program, SRF developed a business plan to attract a modern manufacturing facility. GE sold the property at a highly concessionary rate in 2024, embedding provisions to protect the company from future liability while ensuring the site’s productive reuse.

Daniel Sussen (Cedar Avenue Power Station)

Civic leader and Midtown advocate Daniel Sussen donated the 1.2-acre former Cleveland East Cleveland Railway Company Power Station along Cedar Road to the SRF through the Cuyahoga Land Bank. His gift reflects a commitment to advancing Cleveland’s economic growth and reactivating underused assets for the public good.

The Opal industrial group llc (Opportunity Corridor)

For years, the Opal Industrial Group LLC owned a 10-acre parcel along the Opportunity Corridor at East 79th Street. SRF was able to work with ownership to structure a bargain-sale agreement, allowing the owners to claim a charitable deduction in exchange for a below market sale price. This transaction is a catalytic land deal with immense potential to create good jobs for our community while demonstrating how creative transactions can advance both economic and philanthropic goals.