STRATEGIC INITIATIVES

Across the Columbus Region, public, private, and academic partners are working to inclusively grow our region through important and strategic initiatives.

JPMorgan Chase & the Columbus Urban League

JPMorgan Chase announced a $3 million investment in the Columbus Urban League’s Accelerate Her initiative, a program that will provide education and support, access to capital, and contracting opportunities for 100 women entrepreneurs and business owners to help them scale up and grow.

Coalition for Green Capital (CGC) Announcement

In February, the Coalition for Green Capital announced the formation of strategic partnerships with clean energy community lenders, including the Columbus Region Green Fund, to seek funding from the Environmental Protection Agency’s Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund to launch a national green bank.

Zora’s House Groundbreaking

Zora’s House broke ground in February on a new, larger coworking space, the latest effort to ensure that as Columbus grows and attracts new businesses, women of color can share in that prosperity. Zora’s House is Ohio’s only coworking space and leadership incubator for women of color and will occupy a 10,000-square-foot building in Weinland Park.

Whitehall Development Project

A major multi-phase $300 million revitalization project is now underway in Whitehall, creating promises for thousands of jobs and billions of dollars of economic impact. The total development, which also involves a partnership with Central Ohio Community Improvement Corporation (COCIC), spans across 50 acres and will result in the construction of 1,000 residential units for purchase and for rent, including 20% that will be for workforce housing.

Ohio To Work Success

Ohio To Work, a program launched in 2020 by JobsOhio and Governor Mike DeWine to help workers displaced by the pandemic, concluded with strong results and a plan for the future. In Columbus, some 40,000 job seekers were served; 3,000 job seekers received up-training, and 5,000 people were placed in jobs. Workforce development resources will continue through the Columbus Urban League, Goodwill Industries of Columbus, Jewish Family Services, and Columbus-Franklin County OhioMeansJobs.