Ohio 
Community Development News
December 2014
Volume 5, Issue 12 | December 19, 2014 
In This Issue:

In the middle of this holiday season, all of us at Ohio CDC Association want to take a moment to express our gratitude for the work you do to collectively improve communities across Ohio. Every day in every corner of the state, we know there are tireless advocates working to better their neighborhoods, families, and blocks. Cities and towns are improving because of your work and dedication to your community. Thank you for making Ohio an even better place to live. 

From all of us at the Ohio CDC Association, we wish you a safe and happy holiday season and new year!
OCDCA News
AmeriCorps VISTA RFP Technical Assistance

Learn the tips and tricks to successfully navigate the Ohio CDC Association AmeriCorps VISTA RFP. Staff will explain key points of the application and describe what an optimal application looks like. Ample time will be allotted to answer all applying organization's questions.  

 

Event and Date
Location
Registration
AmeriCorps VISTA RFP Technical Assistance
January 21, 2015
10:00am - 11:00am
Webinar

What is Ohio Community Development?

As part of the Ohio CDC Association's efforts to tell our collective community development story, we partnered with several members and Fromuth Productions to create this video. In a mere five minutes, it summarizes the countless ways community development corporations improve their communities. Please share this video and use it to tell the story of your work: the work of CDCs in Ohio. 

Ohio Community Development - If We Can, So Can You
Ohio Community Development -
If We Can, So Can You
Partner News

Call for Presenters: People & Places 2015 Community Conference

The People & Places 2015 Community Conference committee is currently accepting proposals for speakers, panels and workshops that showcase what's working in our country's emerging neighborhoods. Submissions from individuals and organizations with and without connections to the host organizations are welcome. Submit a proposal by January 9, 2015 to be considered. Let's show what's working in Ohio!

Micro Lenders Can Make a Mega Impact

A recent study underwritten by Capital One reveals barriers to credit reporting among non-profit lenders.The Credit Builders Alliance (CBA) announced that entrepreneurs without a credit history (termed a "credit invisible") are hindered in their chances to secure business capital and often pay higher deposits for services such as cell phones and utilities. CBA conducted a joint analysis with the Association for Enterprise Opportunity (AEO) on the barriers that prevent non-profit lenders from reporting loan repayments of their low-to-modest income clients to the major Credit Bureaus. Overcoming these barriers is critical since building a credit history is of paramount importance to financially marginalized communities. 

Member News
Welcome New Member!
Avondale Comprehensive Community Development Corporation, serving the Avondale community in Cincinnati, joins OCDCA as our newest 2015 member. Welcome!
Youngstown Wins a National Award

The Youngstown Neighborhood Development Corp., along with other local organizations, including Common Wealth, was named one of only 26 nationwide winners of a "Local Foods, Local Places" federal competition to help revitalize the city's economy through local food-system development. Read more here.

Cleveland Receives Kresge Urban Resilience Grant
Cleveland Neighborhood Progress, with support from Kent State's Cleveland Urban Design Collaborative, is one of 17 organizations that received an Urban Resilience grant from the Kresge Foundation. The grant will help with climate resilience planning through land use, and the development and implementation of policies that advance the priorities and needs of low-income people. Cleveland Neighborhood Progress will have key support from Enterprise and three Ecodistrict CDCs: Burten, Bell, Carr, Development Inc., Detroit Shoreway Community Development Organization and Famicos Foundation
Cleveland Suburbs Banking on CDCs for Redevelopment
Several of the inner-ring suburbs around Cleveland, struggling to remake themselves as their tax bases decline, are turning to nonprofit community development corporations, or CDCs, for help. Unlike governments, CDCs can respond quickly to development opportunities, and as nonprofits they have access to funding sources not available to local government - foundation grants, bank investments and even donations from residents. Learn how this model has worked successfully in many of Cleveland's neighborhoods
AmeriCorps VISTA Spotlight
OCDCA AmeriCorps VISTAS raised $499,590 in November

Though the total was just shy of half a million, with in-kind donations the group topped the 500K mark. For many, it was their first grant, but they persevered and got results. 

  • In Cleveland, Detroit Shoreway is expanding their bike share program for more efficient commuting and tourism options. This was made possible by a 10K grant from Enterprise Community Partners, written by Adam Davenport
  • Over at Yellow Springs Home, Inc. Adam Abraham brought in 50K through the Federal Home Loan Bank of Cincinnati for an Affordable Housing Program. 
  • In Athens, Megan Conkle aided Rural Action in a 100K Farm to School grant, supported by USDA, to improve access to local foods in eligible schools. 
  • Assisting in her second grant, Meggan Riley helped ACEnet become a part of the Osteopathic Heritage Foundation's efforts to improve access to healthy foods for low income individuals. The Foundation approved 335K to support capacity building and implementation strategies at ACEnet, Community Food Initiatives and Rural Action.
Adam Abraham as he submits his first grant application.

For more information about AmeriCorps VISTA, click here.
Funding Opportunities

Wells Fargo Housing Foundation

The Wells Fargo grants can be used for a variety of homeownership opportunities. They include: construction and rehab, buyer and education counseling, foreclosure prevention and counseling, subsidies, and home repairs. While there is no limit, the foundation notes that the average grant amount is $7,500 but encourages organizations to request the amount needed for their program. Deadline is January 31.

Bank of America Charitable Foundation

The Bank of America grants can be used for workforce development and education in low to moderate income communities; some examples include financial education, skill development, and technical assistance for small businesses. The grant can also be used for youth training and mentoring to prepare them for the workforce. The deadline is February 13, 2015. For more information, see here, and to apply, go here.

USDA Rural Business Enterprise Grants

The RBEG program provides grants for rural projects that finance and facilitate development of small and emerging rural businesses help fund distance learning networks, and help fund employment related adult education programs. To assist with business development, RBEGs may fund a broad array of activities. Learn more

Efficiency Crafted Homes Provide 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 in becoming an Efficiency Crafted builder, contact 1-877-771-5506 or info@efficiencycraftedhomes.com

Walmart

Walmart Community Grants Program - Grants range from $250 to $2,500. December 31 deadline. 

Chesapeake Energy

Chesapeake Energy accepts applications for corporate giving on an ongoing basis. Their program focuses include community development and should be sustainable, with a lasting impact. To apply an organization must fill out an online request form. Guidelines and the application can be found here. 

Job Opportunities
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

Community Connectors

Governor John R. Kasich and the Ohio Board of Education has implemented Community Connectors, which is a student mentoring initiative aimed at helping students reach their full potential. The state is allocating $10 million from lottery funds for 3-1 matching grants for broad based collaborations that bring communities together. Collaborations must include a non-profit community organization, business, public or charter school, and a faith based organization or house of worship. The collaboration must assist the students in 1. setting goals to be prepared for 21st century careers, 2. building character, 3. developing pathways to achievement, 4. building resiliency, 5. believing in a positive future. More application information available here

Bipartisan Resolution Sends Redistricting Reform to the Voters

A bipartisan Senate and House voted overwhelmingly on legislation to approve a long-sought proposal revamping how Ohio's state legislative districts are drawn. The plan requires a bipartisan vote to adopt a map, and, in the case of an impasse, establishes a process that creates risks for both parties. In the case of the first impasse, a new map would be established for four years. In the case of a second impasse, a map would be developed for six years. The proposal also includes details on what constitutes representational fairness based on the results of recent elections. The final agreement is viewed as "a win" for voters because they will be casting ballots in more competitive districts and subsequently more competitive campaigns.  The General Assembly has been wrestling with proposals to change the political mapmaking process since before the 2010 Census count. The proposed constitutional amendment will now go to a vote of the people in next year's general election.

Federal News & Resources

Fannie Mae & Freddie Mac to Contribute to National Housing Trust Fund

For the first time in decades, a new federal housing program will expand the supply of affordable homes for people with extremely low incomes. Federal Housing Finance Agency Director Mel Watt lifted the suspension on Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac's obligation to fund the National Housing Trust Fund and the Capital Magnet Fund. Congress created these two funds in 2008 to expand the housing supply for the lowest income and most vulnerable people in our country, but funding was suspended after the financial crisis. Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac are now required to set aside a portion of each loan they purchase from lenders, which will provide an estimated $300 million to $700 million a year for the funds. The National Low Income Housing Coalition (NLIHC) led the advocacy campaign to establish the National Housing Trust Fund and secure a sustainable funding source. HUD will soon issue regulations to implement the Housing Trust Fund. For details on how the National Housing Trust Fund and Capital Magnet Fund will work, go to this Enterprise blog. For estimates of how much each state will receive for every $5 billion invested in the National Housing Trust Fund, go to the United for Homes state-by-state chart.

Congress Approves FY15 Budget

The House and Senate passed and the President signed a broad FY15 funding bill, H.R. 83, spanning programs in 11 of the 12 appropriations subcommittees, including the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) and Agriculture, Rural Development, Food and Drug Administration, and Related Agencies (USDA) Subcommittee bills. The $1.1 trillion spending bill funds the government through September 2015. The act does not include any restrictions for HUD to administer the National Housing Trust Fund, as proposed in the House THUD funding bill. The Community Development Block Grant program (CDBG) is funded at $3 billion, a $30 million cut from FY14. Funding for HOME decreased by $100 million to $900 million, less than half of the HOME funding level five years ago. HUD Housing Counseling is funded at $47 million compared to $45 million in FY 2014. For a full chart of HUD and USDA FY 2015 funding levels dating back to FY 2010 click here.

Census Bureau Releases New Data

The U.S. Census Bureau released the 2009-2013 American Community Survey (ACS) five-year estimates. The ACS is a survey of more than 3.5 million households that includes social, demographic, housing, and economic characteristics. The data are released as one, three, and five-year estimates. The ACS five-year estimates (2009-2013) are available down to the census tract and block group level. For the first time, block group level data will be available via the Census Bureau's American FactFinder. In addition, this data release also includes a new edition of Census Explorer interactive maps. 


Information on the American Community Survey is available here

Data can also be accessed on the American FactFinder here.

 

The Census Explorer interactive maps are here.

Housing Counseling Effectiveness Study

The Philadelphia Federal Reserve released a study recently that compares the relative impact of one-on-one housing counseling to classroom based counseling. In short, one-on-one counseling was found to have noticeably more positive impact. The study is notable because they were able to perform it using random assignment and control groups. Randomized control trials are considered the gold standard in assessing impact. The study can be found here. 

 

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

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