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Ohio 
Community Development  News
September 2015
Volume 6, Issue 9 | September 30, 2015
In This Issue:

Below is an update with a collection of news items that are relevant to Community Development in Ohio and the Ohio CDC Association. 
OCDCA News
TOMORROW: OCDCA'S 2015 Annual Conference - Igniting Collaborative Innovation

Ohio CDC Association's 31st Annual Conference in the Greater Akron area

Igniting Collaborative Innovation

Keynote Speaker: Connie Schultz 

October 1 & 2

Kent State University Hotel and Conference Center

Agenda, tour and workshop details, and registration info available here.

 

2015 Ohio CDC Association Annual Conference Made Possible By:

Seeking OCDCA AmeriCorps VISTA Alums
This year marks the fiftieth anniversary of AmeriCorps VISTA. Ohio CDC Association has had the privilege to operate an AmeriCorps VISTA program since 1995. To commemorate, we are trying to compile a comprehensive profile on OCDCA AmeriCorps VISTA Alums. If you are or know of a VISTA Alum, please contact Melissa Miller at mmiller@ohiocdc.org. We want to know where you served and what you are doing now. Thank you for your service!
Nutz & Boltz of IDAs
October 30, 2015 10 AM - 4:30 PM
Chase Bank Building, Sixth Floor Board Room
100 E. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215
Trainer: Jerolyn Barbee, Former Assets Ohio Program Manager
Cost: $35 for OCDCA members; $45 for non-members; free for OCDCA AmeriCorps VISTAs
Who Should Attend?
  • Organizations considering or developing an IDA Program
  • Organizations that have an IDA program but have new hires
  • New IDA subsites
Agenda:
  • IDAs as a Strategy for Asset Building: Why and How do IDAs Work
  • The Building Blocks of Program Design
  • Assessing your Community's Needs: Defining your Target Population
  • Funding Resources and Opportunities Explained
  • IDA Program Management
  • Integration of IDAs into Other Agency Programs
You may remit your payment as a check via the OCDCA lockbox:
Ohio CDC Association
PO Box 932093
Cleveland, Ohio 44193
Refunds will be given for registrations canceled at least three business days before a workshop session. Full payment is expected before the training. For more information, contact Suzanne Parks at sparks@ohiocdc.org or (614) 461-6392 ext. 206.
Sponsored by:

Ohio Microbusiness Summit: Access to Resources
November 17, 2015 10 AM - 3 PM
Chase Bank Building, Sixth Floor Board Room
100 E. Broad Street, Columbus, OH 43215

OCDCA is working to strengthen microbusiness in Ohio. If your organization has an existing microbusiness development program or if you want to learn more about microbusiness development in Ohio, don't miss this summit! Join us for a day of informative sessions, discussion, and networking with microbusiness program providers throughout the state. The 2015 Microbusiness Summit: Access to Resources will allow participants to share ideas and strategies to build the capacity of their microbusiness program. It will feature networking opportunities and panel discussions from the practitioner's perspective about resource development strategies and challenges facing microbusiness programs today.
Register online here.
Fall Webinars: Delving into the Future of Community and Housing Development 
This fall, join OCDCA in partnership with Arch City Development, for our new free webinar series: Delving into the Future of Community and Housing Development

Housing Development Strategy: 
What, Where, Why?
October 22, 2015
2 PM - 3:30 PM
Webinar
What's Next for the Community Development Industry? A Look Into a Future of Diminished Resources
November 12, 2015
2 PM - 3:30 PM
Webinar
 Click here to register!
Community Building
December 10, 2015
2 PM - 3:30 PM
Webinar

For more information on the specifics of any of these webinars, visit our Training page.

These webinars proudly sponsored by:

2016 OCDCA AmeriCorps VISTA Funding Opportunities
Please join us as we look forward to AmeriCorps VISTA in the 2016-2017 year. The RFP for the year-long VISTA position will be released on December 1, 2015. The VISTA Summer Associate RFP will be released February 1, 2016.

Is VISTA Right for Your Organization?
November 10, 2015 10 AM - 11:00 AM, Webinar
This webinar will focus on AmeriCorps VISTA history and mission; the Ohio CDC Association's AmeriCorps VISTA program goals; requirements of Ohio CDC Association AmeriCorps VISTAs sub-sites; and how to become an Ohio CDC Association AmeriCorps VISTA sub-site.

AmeriCorps VISTA RFP Technical Assistance
January 12, 2016 10 AM - 11:15 AM, Webinar
This webinar will go over how an RFP should be completed and answer any questions an applicant might have before submitting their RFP.

What is a VISTA Summer Associate?
January 26, 2016 1 PM - 2 PM, Webinar
This webinar will introduce participants to the national service program that is only offered in the summer. This webinar will go over what the program requires, how to apply for this program, and how it can help your organization's program. Whatever the task or challenge, VISTA Summer Associates make a lasting difference for low-income communities in need.
Partner News
Ohio Communities Selected as Center for Community Progress TASP Recipients
The third round of of The Center for Community Progress's Technical Assistance Scholarship Program (TASP) saw three recipients: St. Louis, MO; Cleveland; and Lucas County, Ohio. Congrats to the two Ohio communities! Read the press release.
Member News
Welcome New Member!
The Gertrude Wood Community Foundation in Columbus and the Port of Greater Cincinnati Development Authority join OCDCA as our newest 2015 members. Welcome!
CAP of Greater Dayton and Consumer Debt
Dayton Daily News ran a front page story on consumer debt, which featured one of CAP of Greater Dayton's former IDA participants, Leah Staggs. Also, CAP's Vicki Rish was part of a WHIO panel on consumer debt in Dayton earlier this month. Watch the segment here.
Google-esque Renovations in Zanesville
With the help of $225,000 in state grant money, MCBI in Zanesville will be opening up its second floor as office space for area businesses within the next two months.  "What we're trying to do is create a comfortable, well-equipped space that businesses will want to be in," Triplett said. "And already, we've been getting applications and businesses showing interest." Read more here.
Akron Neighborhood Gets More Senior Housing
The Akron neighborhood of Kenmore will be getting its first new housing in at least fifty years. This project has been in the works for six years, and will be managed by the Columbus-based Buckeye Community Hope Foundation. Read more here.
ECDI Receives Micro Funding
Cuyahoga County and the Cleveland Foundation contribute nearly $2.2 million to ECDI county loan program. The amount of startup capital available for aspiring small business owners in Cuyahoga County is growing. Read more.
AmeriCorps VISTA Spotlight
Service as a Solution Recap & OCDCA VISTA Project Turns Twenty
Last week, Ohio CDC Association staff and VISTA Members attended the Service as a Solution Summit, organized by the Corporation for National and Community Service in recognition of the 50th anniversary of the VISTA and SeniorCorps programs. OCDCA Executive Director Nate Coffman was a featured speaker on a panel regarding economic opportunity, where he discussed the success of our member organizations and AmeriCorps VISTA Program in uplifting Ohio communities. Melissa Miller, OCDCA's Director of Member Capacity and an alumna of the AmeriCorps VISTA Program, also spoke about her experiences in national service and the positive impact of VISTA in her life and career. 

This year also marks the twentieth anniversary of the Ohio CDC Association's AmeriCorps VISTA Program. Since the start of the program in 1995, OCDCA VISTA Members have consistently dedicated themselves to building the capacity of member organizations to fight poverty. Over the last four years alone, our VISTA Members have recruited a total of 8,766 volunteers that served 43,465 cumulative hours. Our VISTA Members have also developed over $2.6 million in cash and in-kind contributions. These quantitative measures demonstrate the dedication of our members; the lasting effect of their service in developing new community relationships and strengthening neighborhoods, however, truly cannot be measured. As we move into the next 50 years of service, we look forward to working with our AmeriCorps VISTA Members, who continually and consistently represent the values of national service. 
Events
NeighborWorks Health and Community Development Webinars
Neighborworks America's Healthy Homes and Communities Webinar Series is a four-part webinar series that will explore topics at the intersection of health, housing, and community development. The series will focus on four central themes: 1) Healthy Communities; 2) Healthy Homes; 3) Healthy People; and 4) Partnerships on the "First Tuesday" of every month from September to December. 

OHFA Housing Tax Credit Program Compliance Training

The Ohio Housing Finance Agency offers this course that focuses primarily on the basics of compliance for the Housing Tax Credit program (also known as the HTC program). Because compliance rules and procedures are frequently updated, the course is beneficial for individuals new to the Housing Tax Credit program as well as seasoned veterans. Cost is $89 for a full day training and there are eight different dates and locations from which to choose. Read more here.
Funding Opportunities
EDA's Regional Innovation Strategies Plan Funding
Funding of up to $500,000 per organization is available for capacity-building activities that include Proof of Concept Centers and Commercialization Centers (as well as scaling of existing commercialization programs and centers) and for operational support for organizations that provide essential early-stage funding to startups. Under the RIS Program, EDA is soliciting applications for two separate competitions: (1) the 2015 i6 Challenge; and (2) Seed Fund Support (SFS) Grants. Deadline is October 5.
Ben & Jerry's Foundation Seeks Proposals for Sustainable & Just-Food Systems
One-year grants of up to $20,000 will be awarded to nonprofit grassroots community-organizing groups to further social and environmental justice and support sustainable and just-food systems. Grants can be used to support both program and operations costs. Deadline for the pre-proposal is October 15.
Cross-Jurisdictional Sharing Implementation and Impact Measurement Program
Up to seven teams engaged in public health cross-jurisdictional sharing (CJS) implementation efforts will be funded to participate in a CJS Implementation and Impact Measurement Program. Successfully funded teams implementing CJS arrangements will each receive up to $75,000 to measure (with baseline and follow-up data collection points) the impact of their arrangements. Funded teams will also receive technical assistance related to both project implementation and impact measurement. Eligible CJS arrangements must include a minimum of three contiguous jurisdictions of any size, or two contiguous jurisdictions if the combined population is 50,000 or greater. A non-profit must be involved. Deadline is October 20 at 3 pm.
CD Collaborative of Greater Columbus Operating and Housing Development Grants
For organizations that serve an area of Franklin County, the Operating Support and Housing Development Grant Program will be awarded to increase the programmatic and organizational capacity of sustainable CDCs. The maximum grant award is $75,000. The submittal deadline is Wednesday, October 21, 2015 at 4:00pm.
Home Depot Foundation Seeks Proposals for Rural Veteran Housing Projects
Projects may be new construction or rehab, temporary or permanent, in progress or beginning within 12 months. Service area must be in a designated USDA rural zone. Concept papers are due October 30.
Whole Kids Foundation US School Gardens
Created in partnership with FoodCorps, the School Garden Grant program provides a $2,000 monetary grant to a K-12 school, or a nonprofit working in partnership with a K-12 school, to support a new or existing edible garden on school grounds. Deadline is October 31.
Efficiency Crafted Homes Incentives
Efficiency Crafted Homes provides financial incentives for new home construction or gut rehabs in Columbia Gas of Ohio or AEP Ohio territory. For more information about becoming an Efficiency Crafted builder, contact 1-877-771-5506 or info@efficiencycraftedhomes.com.
FHLBank of Cincinnati Community Investment Cash Advances
The Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati provides discounted advances through two programs to support housing and economic development. Under the Community Investment Program (CIP), discounted loans are available to finance the purchase, construction, and/or rehabilitation of housing and economic development projects. The Economic Development Program (EDP) provides discounted advances to promote economic development and/or job creation/retention. Available year-round. More information about these and other programs is available here.
Employment Opportunities
CLEVELAND
Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization seeks a Safety & Community Engagement Coordinator.

COLUMBUS
The Ohio Development Services Agency seeks an Assistant Deputy Chief.

MANSFIELD
North End Community Improvement Collaborative seeks a Teaching Garden Coordinator.

PAINESVILLE
Western Reserve Community Development Corp. seeks an Executive Director.

TOLEDO
United North seeks an  Executive Director .

For current postings  Click Here.  


Organizations with employment opportunities in the housing and community development field, please send your employment notices to Lisa Much at lmuch@ohiocdc.org.
State News
Ohio Creates Healthy Food Financing Initiative
Ohio Governor John Kasich signed the FY 2016-17 operating budget in June that includes a $2 million provision of state seed capital to create a Healthy Food Financing Initiative. This tremendous accomplishment was made possible through the Finance Fund's work alongside The Food Trust and the statewide Healthy Food Financing Task Force to identify and quantify the need for increased access to healthy affordable food, frame public policy, rally a strong and diverse statewide coalition, and engage legislators to take action. Read more about what Finance Fund has done in Ohio to increase access to healthy affordable food in low-income communities.  If you have a healthy food project that needs funding, please contact Finance Fund Vice President of Lending Tara Campbell at tcampbell@financefund.org. To invest in the Healthy Food Loan Fund, contact Finance Fund Director of Development Valerie Heiby at vheiby@financefund.org. Read more.
Study Finds Ohio Ranks High For 'Food Insecurity'
Statistics on Ohioans' "food insecurity" are heading the wrong way and the state now ranks sixth-worst, according to a report issued Wednesday by the USDA Economic Research Service. The 2014 Household Food Security Report found that 16.9% of Ohioans lived in households that were food insecure that year. Food insecurity means "the food intake of one or more household members was reduced and their eating patterns were disrupted at times during the year because the household lacked money and other resources for food," according to the research.  Ohio's percentage of food insecure households was 16% in 2013, meaning the state's statistic worsened while the national rate improved from 14.3% that year to 14% in 2014. Ohio now ranks only behind Mississippi, Arkansas, Louisiana, Kentucky and Texas, the report found.
Farmer's Markets in Ohio
Non-Profit Developer Fee Bonus
Due to the dismantling of the CHDO operating grant program caused by the HUD HOME rules, OCDCA has advocated for changes to developer fees in OHFA's Multifamily Underwriting Guidelines in an attempt to make up for lost resources. On page 11 of this redline version is language approved for an additional $50,000 in the maximum overall developer fee to go to the "community based non-profit developer". This is intended to be above and beyond the negotiated developer fee split in the event of a joint venture and when a community based non-profit is the 100% owner. It is incumbent upon the non-profit developer to utilize this intended bonus when negotiating development agreements. We would like to thank OHFA for their support of this measure and recognition of the important work of non-profit affordable housing developers. If you have any questions please contact Nate Coffman at ncoffman@ohiocdc.org or (614) 461-6392 x 207.
Federal News & Resources
Threat of Shutdown Diminishes as Congress Prepares to Pass Short-Term CR
Congress must pass a continuing resolution (CR) before October 1, when government funding expires. After voting down a CR that would deny funding to Planned Parenthood, the Senate voted on a "clean" CR to fund the government through December 11. The short-term CR also provides a small 0.21 percent reduction in spending. With House Speaker John Boehner's announcement last Friday that he will retire from leadership and Congress in late October, it is increasingly likely that the House will pass the bill today in time to avert a shutdown. Boehner has promised to bring a "clean" CR to the House floor that will not include a provision on Planned Parenthood. While more conservative members of the Republican caucus have promised to vote against the measure, it is likely that the bill will receive enough Democratic votes to pass. Negotiations over the budgetary spending caps and FY 2016 spending bills will take place in late November and early December. Without an agreement to lift spending caps, funding for non-defense discretionary spending will fall to its lowest level in the last 50 years, compared to the relative size of the economy. Members are encouraged to join the Caps Hurt Communities Campaign given that a CR is not a permanent solution.
NeighborWorks America Report Examines Foreclosure Counseling
NeighborWorks America recently released its eleventh report to Congress on foreclosure counseling successes and challenges in the National Foreclosure Mitigation Counseling (NFMC) Program. The report finds that the NFMC has served 1.9 million homeowners at risk of foreclosure nationwide, and while foreclosure rates continue to decrease, counseling is still critical in the many communities still plagued by the foreclosure crisis. While there are persistent challenges facing foreclosure counselors, including efficient and timely communication with servicers, there have also been notable successes, including the adoption of more efficient counseling processes and wider and better use of data management tools. 
Census Releases Poverty Data
The US Census Bureau recently released Ohio's 2014 poverty data. Some Ohio data:
  • Ohio's poverty rate is 15.8% (1.78 million Ohioans), which is higher than the nation rate of 14.8% (46.7 million Americans)
  • Ohio's child poverty rate is 22.9% (593,000 children)
  • The number of uninsured Ohioans is down to 8.4% in 2014 from 11% in 2013
The US Census Bureau recently released Ohio's 2014 poverty data. You may also want to look at the supplemental poverty measure that accounts for a variety of public support programs that aren't included in the official poverty measure.
Severely Rent-Burdened Households Could Jump by 3 Million
The number of households spending 50 percent or more of their income on rent is expected to rise at least 11 percent by 2025, according to a new analysis by Enterprise and Harvard Joint Center for Housing Studies. The analysis, "Projecting Trends in Severely Cost-Burdened Renters," paints a bleak picture of severe renter burdens for the coming decade unless policymakers prioritize the preservation and development of affordable rental housing.
Fed Releases Video Primer on CRA
Despite its notable impact, there is still misunderstanding over the many ways that the Community Reinvestment Act (CRA) - crafted to help curb redlining practices of banks in the 1970s - can help spur community development. A new Fed video helps explain the basics of the CRA for banks looking to make impactful loans and investments, non-profits seeking funding, or community leaders ensuring their financial institutions operate in fair and responsive ways. 
Thanks for subscribing and reading! Please feel free to email us with any comments or suggestions!

Sincerely,

Lisa Much
Program and Development Manager
Ohio CDC Association

Contact Us
Office: (614) 461-6392
Fax: (614) 461-1011
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Columbus, Ohio 43215
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