Keep Aikido of Cincinnati Going Strong

For almost fifty years, Aikido of Cincinnati has been an important part of the larger aikido community and a home away from home for its members. Like so many organizations, our dojo is struggling to weather the economic challenges that the COVID-19 pandemic presents. We are raising funds to make sure that we can pay our mortgage and meet other essential financial obligations during these next six to eight months. By contributing to the dojo’s fundraising campaign now, donors can help ensure that Aikido of Cincinnati will survive the pandemic and will continue to be a center for aikido training for many decades to come.


Our goal is to raise $10,000, and an anonymous donor has generously offered to match 50% of all donations up to that goal.

The pandemic has posed great challenges for the dojo. As per the governor’s orders, we were closed from March through May of 2020. We re-opened at the end of May with an extensive set of self-imposed health protocols in place. Throughout the summer and fall, our adult classes trained outdoors, wearing masks and working exclusively with weapons. As the weather turned colder this fall, hospital-grade HEPA filters, mandatory mask wearing, and heightened cleaning regimens have allowed us to train as safely as possible indoors. Other dojos now look to Aikido of Cincinnati as a model for COVID-era practice.

Our children’s classes have remained virtual since last March, with instructors using Zoom to work directly with our younger students. We encourage younger students to keep training through our remote classes, and are eager to welcome them back to the dojo in person soon.


These next few months will be critical ones for Aikido of Cincinnati. The funds we raise through this GoFundMe drive will help to defray our essential costs until the pandemic ends. We are a non-profit organization whose instructors teach on a volunteer basis, and so we have no salaries to pay. Instead, the funds we raise will go toward our basic operating expenses:

• Paying the mortgage on our new dojo space in Kennedy Heights.
• Paying for utilities and other necessary expenses associated with the building.
• Bridging the gap between our income and expenses until we can rebuild our membership.

Our goal is to raise $10,000, and an anonymous donor has generously offered to match 50% of all donations up to that goal. We are asking for the support of current and former members of the dojo, friends who have attended our seminars in the past, neighbors who value our presence in Kennedy Heights and in Cincinnati, and anyone who believes in aikido and in community. Thank you for supporting our cause and for ensuring the future of Aikido of Cincinnati.