Be Part of Something Great: Apply to One of Our Leadership Programs

Are you—or someone you know—a dedicated neighborhood leader ready to take your impact to the next level? The Neighborhood Leadership Development Program (NLDP) and the CDC Leadership Program (CDCLP) are now accepting nominations and applications for our 2025–2026 cohorts. Both programs are designed for individuals who are deeply committed to Cleveland’s communities and ready to strengthen their leadership skills.

NLDP is designed for grassroots, neighborhood leaders while CDCLP is designed for leaders who work at or closely with Community Development Corporations (CDCs). In total, both NLDP and CDCLP have over 400 graduates working in every neighborhood of Cleveland.

NLDP's application for Cohort XVIII closes on August 14th, CDCLP's application for Cohort V closes on July 31st. Don't miss your chance to apply for one of our transformative programs!

🌟 Learn more about our programs and apply by visiting our websites: NLDP | CDCLP

Pictured above: NLDP Graduate Delesia Robinson and her daughters.

NLDP Spotlight: Delesia Robinson, Pride Among Daughters & Sisters

Delesia Robinson is not only a registered nurse, community organizer, and trainer in support programs for mental health, she is also a graduate of NLDP Cohort IX. In 2012 she founded Pride Among Daughters & Sisters, also known as PADS. PADS is a 501c3 providing sanitary pads, tampons and feminine hygiene products (including incontinence products such as Tena and Depends to elderly women) to underserved girls and women to promote pride, dignity and confidence.

Delesia and the PADS organization have served nearly 1,300 people since their start with outreach and donations to shelters, schools, drug rehabilitation programs, unhoused and girls who age out of foster care, seniors, LGBTQ+ programs and more. This past June, PADS had the grand opening of their donation center located at 2197 Noble Rd in Cleveland Heights where they accept new and unopened products to be distributed.

Delesia’s dedication to community continues to grow as she is always looking to share concepts and is always open to new ideas. She is known to use local community resources such as SCORE, the NLDP Graduate Grant Program and graduate network, PNC Fairfax Connections and Neighborhood Connections, just to name a few.

Delesia's advice to fellow leaders is "Advice for me I would say sometimes, 'Be still.' I love the old scripture, 'As one face reflects the water, so one’s life reflects the heart.'" To find out more information about PADS, visit their website. Learn more about or purchase Delesia's book Homeless Al: A Little Boy's Story here.

CDCLP Spotlight: Allison Woods, West Park Kamm's Neighborhood Development

A native of Toledo, Ohio, Allison Woods is the Neighborhood Development Manager for West Park Kamm’s Neighborhood Development (WPKND) and is also a recent graduate of CDCLP Cohort IV. Serving the western half of the West Park neighborhood, WPKND’s mission is “to cultivate a neighborhood where the diverse needs of its people are met through community-building, stewardship, and development initiatives.” Completing the CDCLP program has given Allison, who worked for University Settlement prior to her current role, all of the industry context necessary to confidently take on her new role and the leadership challenges that accompany it.

Allison manages WPKND's Senior Home Repair Program, a vital program that serves residents who are 60+ or are disabled and have a low to moderate income. Since 2016, the program has completed projects at more than 140 homes in Ward 17. This equates to nearly $70,000 of direct investment in housing repairs provided to older and disabled adults through the SHR program. A new project Allison is leading is an upcoming resource fair targeted at Senior Citizens called “Senior Summer Splash!” The fair will take place on Thursday, July 17th from 11am-2pm at St. Mel’s Parish Hall. Attendees will have the opportunity to interact with over 30 vendors that all offer senior services.

Outside of her work, Allison maintains a robust work-life balance by investing in her hobbies and interests. She often performs live music at local cafes as one half of the musical duo – Mal and Al. She is also involved in several different sports leagues and is currently participating in a bocce league at Stonewall Sports. She currently lives in West Park with her wife, Taylor and their beloved pets

Learn more about WPKND here.

Celebrating Our Recent Program Graduates

This past May, two dynamic new cohorts of neighborhood leaders officially graduated from NLDP and CDCLP. These dedicated individuals spent months strengthening their skills, building community relationships, and creating plans to improve their neighborhoods across Cleveland. Graduation ceremonies were powerful reminders of what’s possible when grassroots leaders are equipped with the right tools, support and vision.

We congratulate these inspiring graduates and look forward to seeing their continued impact in their communities.

🎓 Visit each program’s website to meet the newest graduates: NLDP | CDCLP

Listen to Bending the Arc's Grassroots Leadership Series

The National Initiative on Mixed-Income Communities at Case Western Reserve University produces a podcast titled Bending the Arc. It is hosted by NIMC's Founding Director and NLDP Faculty Member Dr. Mark Joseph.

Bending the Arc explores the everyday work of creating inclusive, equitable and racially-just communities. It spotlights bold thinking and action by creative, passionate, experienced thinkers and actors from cities and communities around the U.S. and Canada. Bending the Arc recently featured NLDP in a series focused on impacting community change through grassroots community leadership. Episodes were based on the project areas our graduates focus their community work on, such as community organizing, food and gardening, economic development and more.

Learn more about the Bending the Arc podcast and listen to the Grassroots Leadership Series, featuring NLDP graduates and coaches, here.

CDCLP is on Facebook!

The CDC Leadership Program (CDCLP) has officially launched a new Facebook page to stay connected with graduates, prospective applicants, and community supporters. This new digital space will serve as a hub for sharing stories of neighborhood impact, highlighting leadership journeys, announcing upcoming events and celebrating program milestones.

Whether you’re a graduate, a future participant, or a friend of the program, you’re invited to follow along, engage, and help amplify the voices of Cleveland’s next generation of community leaders.

Follow the CDCLP page here.

The Fishing Foundation Uses Comics to Reel in Young Anglers

NLDP's own Dennis Knowles, Graduate of Cohort VIII and Co-Founder of The Fishing Foundation, is casting a wide net with a creative approach to youth engagement—through comics. By using the visual storytelling power of comic books, the Foundation aims to make the sport of fishing more accessible, inclusive, and fun for kids and families across the city.

Dating back to 2023, these illustrated stories continue to introduce fishing fundamentals while highlighting themes of patience, nature appreciation and community. It’s part of a broader effort to preserve outdoor traditions and connect young people with the therapeutic, confidence-building benefits of the sport.

The Fishing Foundation (TFF) has been serving the Greater Cleveland community for over 13 years. TFF offers youth training and classroom-style instruction on fishing techniques and regulations, fish habitats, water safety and conservation and time fishing in a safe and secure environment.

🎣 Read more or view the comics at Signal Cleveland.

CDCLP Hosts Two Graduate Support Sessions

July was a busy month for our graduates! CDCLP hosted two dynamic graduate learning sessions designed to support the continued growth of its alumni as neighborhood change agents.

The first session provided practical, high-level human resources guidance and training tailored specifically for graduates who are Executive Directors leading Community Development Corporations (CDCs). Thank you to our CDCLP Coach, Natalie Leek, for inviting our Executive Directors to your space for this session!

The second session, Neighborhood Real Estate, Planning and Development, brought together local experts to help graduates unpack the complexities of real estate projects and equitable neighborhood growth. Graduates explored how to advocate for responsible development that aligns with community priorities and supports local residents in their neighborhoods.

By continuing to invest in graduate learning, CDCLP ensures that the ripple effects—more capable organizations, smarter development and healthier communities—will be felt in Cleveland’s neighborhoods for years to come.

We're Looking For a Passionate Individual to Join Our Team

NLDP and CDCLP are seeking an Executive Assistant to provide quality executive support to the Program Director and administrative assistance as needed for our leadership programs. A successful candidate must have a desire to be part of an organization wholly committed to the improvement of Cleveland’s neighborhoods, have the ability to be flexible and able to handle multiple responsibilities.

The Executive Assistant will handle a wide range of administrative, organizational and executive support related responsibilities. These tasks include management of the Program Director’s schedule and all other duties necessary to assist in the operation of both programs and other related Foundation activities. This position is full-time and is primarily located at our offices in MidTown.

Interested? Read our job description to learn more about the job.

Support St. Clair Superior's Very Own Art Festival

Get ready, Cleveland! The vibrant heart of the St. Clair Superior community will come alive on August 9th with the return of the St. Clair Art Fest — a dynamic, all-day event dedicated to uplifting local creativity, culture, and community spirit. From 12pm to 9pm, the streets between E. 41st and E. 45th on St. Clair Avenue will transform into a lively hub of music, art, live mural installations and unforgettable performances.

Presented by The Cleveland Rebellion and The Brownhoist, this festival promises a perfect opportunity for families, art lovers, and curious wanderers to explore and celebrate what makes St. Clair Superior's creative scene so unique. But the festival needs YOU to help make it shine!

📅 Date: Saturday, August 9th

🕛 Time: 12–9pm

📍 Location: St. Clair Ave. between E. 41st – E. 45th, Cleveland, OH 44103

📞 Contact: 216-772-1472

📧 Email: Hello@ArtisanEmbersCo.com

Learn more about the fun by watching this short recap of last year's festival here.

Learn more about St. Clair Superior here.